The Arc of Oakland County MI

Assessing your ability to pay is a requirement of the Michigan Mental Health Code.  The privatization of our local mental health system a couple of years ago caused an increasingly stricter enforcement of the Michigan Mental Health Code. Namely, the “ability-to-pay” rules of Chapter 8 of that Code, especially against families with minor children using respite care, in-home staffing, supports coordination, or other mental health related services. As the Michigan legislature must have intended back in 1974, “if you can pay, you will … according to your income.”

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The Arc of Oakland County is a not-for-profit human service charitable organization authorized under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  We are also authorized to solicit charitable contributions in Michigan by the Michigan Attorney General’s office, license number MICS 5623.

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For family members and others interested in a comprehensive Lifetime Advocacy Program. Many parents ask: “What will happen to my child when I’m gone?”

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Anytime a government agency won’t let you have a something, or reduces the amount and scope of what you had, then you are entitled to appeal that decision. However, given the current budget woes of the public mental health service system in Oakland County and the State of Michigan, seeking legal redress for such perceived wrongful actions may sound better in theory than reality.

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Adult Home Help Services is a program operated by the Michigan Department of Human Services.

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The 50-page booklet entitled “Planning A More Secure Future, 4th Edition.” by Thomas F. Kendziorski, Esq. is no longer available in print form. The articles on Guardianship, Wills, Trusts and Estates, Ability to Pay, are located throughout our website. We have made a Power Point slideshow on this topic available here, please click the following:  SSI presentation 2010

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Parents of a child with a disability have no choice but to consult with an attorney experienced in mental health and probate law who is able to assist with complex legal considerations and preparation of an appropriate estate plan. Every estate plan must be developed according to the unique family situation and the needs of the person with a developmental disability.

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We have several opportunities to volunteer your time and skills.

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A start up grant from the Skillman Foundation provided the initial funding for the development of this program, funding was phased-out in 1994. The Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority (OCCMHA) by and through the MORC have continued this outstanding program ever since.

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There are a variety of settings in which people with intellectual impairments and related developmental disabilities may live and receive needed supports and services. For people who currently receive services through Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority’s (CMHA) service providers (e.g., MORC, Inc. and CLS-Oakland, Inc.), selecting a place to live should be supported through the “Person-Centered Planning” (PCP) process, and should include both short-term and long-term housing goals.

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The new SSI rates for 2010 are as as follows:

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This is not a recommendation list, but merely a list for the convenience of The Arc of Oakland County consumers and their families. The rate charged by an individual attorney or C.P.A. is between that professional and the client, and in no way does The Arc of Oakland County receive remuneration for any referral.

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by Laura Athens, Special Education Attorney, Hearing Officer, Parent,  and Member of The Arc of Oakland County. Originally published in The Arc’s newsletter, PROFILES, Spring 2002 issue. Reprinted with permission of author and www.causeonline.org

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We provide speakers, financial educational and legal advocacy, an attorney referral list, guardianship guidance and residential services.

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We sponsor several activities, an annual banquet, bowling league, a talent show, and Weight Watcher’s meetings.

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