• Planning Now

Planning Now

By The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council

D.

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council has published a futures planning guide, Planning Now. Planning Now discusses the importance of planning; provides essential information, suggestions, and a framework for planning; and then explains various tools and resources to assist you. The guide provides information on the types of professionals who can help, and includes useful worksheets and additional resources in the appendix.

This information can assist you in developing a plan for helping your child become more independent and to grow into an adult lifestyle while you are alive. You can also use this guide to design a plan for your child that others implement after your death.

This easy to read guide includes information on government benefits that your child may be eligible for, guardianships, wills, and trusts. Specific to Maryland, Planning Now provides useful information on the services offered though the Maryland State Department of Education, the Developmental Disabilities Administration, and the Division of Rehabilitation Services, all with the aim of assisting individuals with disabilities and their families with the planning process. The idea is that families become knowledgeable about resources and services and that they and their loved ones create a roadmap to meaningful employment, social relationships, living arrangements, recreation, and overall participation in the community.

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council is a statewide organization advocating for public policy and supportive practices and opportunities that promote the full inclusion of all people with developmental disabilities in community life

This book is available for download from the Council's website at www.md-council.org. Click on the Publications button on the left, then click on Planning Now to download the text either by individual sections or as an entire document.