The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Conference Program Description As parents of a child with autism, Greg and Dawn Zibricky have helped families begin future planning in proactive approach. This presentation will cover the process of person centered planning, the importance of documenting important information and the necessity of appropriate financial planning. Join Aaron Zibricky, age 14, as he explains “living the dream” through his person centered plan. Dawn, with her 20 years of experience in working with persons with disabilities, will describe how to put this plan into action without missing important details that need to be documented. Finally Greg, a Certified Financial Planner, explains the inter-relationship of financial planning, government benefits and legal documentation. This presentation will illustrate the importance of person centered planning as the centerpiece on which to build a positive and desirable transition into adulthood. Best practices from the current IDEIA 2004 show that transition into adulthood calls for in-depth transitional planning. Part of the federal definition states that transition “is based on the child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences and interests” [IDEA 2004, 602(34)(B)]. Person Centered Planning is a collaborative process that addresses all of these areas. A transition plan should be the driving force of an effective IEP and pave the way for adult services. There are many tools that can be used in Person Centered Planning. Making Action Plans – MAPs (M. Falvey, M. Forest, J. Pearpoint & R. Rosenberg. 2003. All My Life's a Circle: Using the Tools: Circles, MAPs &PATH) is one tool that can help create a vision for the future.

Aaron Zibricky, age fourteen, has been using the MAPs tool for seven years. He will explain how this person centered plan process helps him set educational, community and independent living goals. Aaron will present his current and most recent MAP that was done this year before entering high school. His mother, Dawn Zibricky, will illustrate the importance of having a vision in order to create opportunities and a desirable future.

After working with many families who have loved ones with disabilities, Dawn took her twenty years of nursing experience and created an on-line documentation journal. She will explain the necessity of documenting critical quality of life issues, decisions made by an individual with a disability (self-determination) and future goals. Dawn knows how essential it is to record important medical histories, therapies, relationships, activities of daily living, worship, diet, exercise, vocational activities and educational goals to name a few. She also knows how imperative it is to share this information with others who are involved in our lives. Planning for the future takes creativity and awareness. The MAPs process provides that creative vision and the documentation ensures that critical pieces are not missed. Throughout her ten years of experience of facilitating the MAPs process for numerous individuals, a recurrent theme emerged. Implementation of the plan became difficult due to financial barriers. Without proper planning, the vision of the plan would become difficult. Dawn then began to consult with her husband, Greg Zibricky, a Certified Financial Planner.

Greg offers traditional planning services, but focuses on special needs planning as well. He has a deep understanding of the issues surrounding families who have a loved one with special needs. One in every five households has a person with a disability (Centers for Disease Control, 2003). Not only that, but for the first time in history, dependents with disabilities will outlive their parents and guardians due to medical advances. Therefore, it is vital that families take a proactive approach when it comes to planning the future. Attorneys stress the establishment of a Special Needs Trust, which is an important part of the planning process. Greg will reinforce the significance of these documents and demonstrate how applying and maintaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will also become an essential part of the plan. Budgeting issues and financial planning are keys to making sure the vision for the future actually occurs.

The future happens whether we plan for it or not. The Zibricky's have firsthand knowledge of why a proactive plan including person centered planning, documentation and financial planning are of great consequence to living the vision an individual may have for themselves.

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