The passage of the 2020-2021 New York state budget marked a new era in the administration of New York state’s community Medicaid program. This budget codified changes to Social Services Law § 365-a that significantly affect how requests for Medicaid community-based services are evaluated by the state. Although not fully implemented, key changes to the program … Continued

The Department of Education (DOE) is currently working on a program that would provide necessary support to the city’s underserved dyslexic student population. According to the National Institutes of Health, dyslexia is a brain-based learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read.1 Individuals with dyslexia typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite … Continued

For almost two decades I have been working on health and end-of-life issues with End of Life Choices New York. The organization seeks to ensure that patients receive quality care at the end of life and that they have a wide range of choices available to enable them so that they may die on their … Continued

Q: Where are you from? A: Long Island, born in Mineola, raised in Carle Place and now living in Merrick. Q: Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? A: My favorite place is where my family is from: Portugal! I spent countless summers there with family in the countryside. I have memories of milking cows and … Continued

Dear Colleagues and Friends: As this edition of the Journal is being readied for print, the Elder Law and Special Needs Section is gearing up for our summer meeting, which will take place from July 14 to 16 in Washington, D.C. We hope to see you there! In this edition of the Journal, we have a number of … Continued

Summer has just started to show its face as I write this message as incoming chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section. I am truly humbled to lead such an impressive roster of practitioners. So many of you have helped me become the lawyer I am today and most have never received any … Continued

Q: Where are you from? A: Levittown, Long Island. Q: Where is your favorite place you have traveled to? A: Fire Island, New York—we go for a week every summer! Q: What led you to work in the field of elder law and estate planning? A: I knew I wanted to practice elder law since my third year … Continued

Introduction On April 7, 2021, a law was passed in New York establishing new requirements for how much the state’s nursing homes must spend on care for their residents and setting forth limits on what nursing homes may spend on other categories of expenses. These requirements, also known as the direct care minimum spending ratio, are intended … Continued

Many parents of children with developmental disabilities1 or intellectual disabilities2 spend years working to ensure that their children receive the best resources and services available to them. Their tireless advocacy likely began in their earliest days as parents, seeking out early intervention services through the Committee on Special Education (CPSE) evaluation process; arguing with school officials … Continued

The majority of older adults are unwilling to go into a nursing home and look to elder law attorneys for planning assistance to maintain, or support, their ability to age in place in their community homes. However, currently, many will spend at least one night in a nursing home, even if they do not realize … Continued