All Abilities Program Director

Dana Hopkins, LCSW-R

(845) 486-3434

dhopkins@dutchessny.gov

 

Coordinator of Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services

Olivia Clark, LMSW

(845) 486-2825

oclark@dutchessny.gov

 

CSPOA and Children & Youth Services Coordinator

Mental Health Services

Deborah Disanza, LCSW-R

(845) 486-2768

ddisanza@dutchessny.gov

 

All Abilities Administrative Assistant

Xiomara Santiago

(845) 486-3568

xsantiago@dutchessny.gov

 

EI Official and Director of Preschool Special Education Programs

Coordinator of Children with Special Needs Services

Ages birth through 5 years old

Janine Fitzmaurice, LCSW

(845) 486-3518

jfitzmaurice@dutchessny.gov

Children & Youth Special Needs Health Care

Public Health Nurse

Lorie Drum, RN, BSN

(845) 486-3542

ldrum@dutchessny.gov

 

If this is a medical emergency and you need immediate assistance

please contact 911

For Mental Health and/or Substance Use Crisis Support, Information & Referrals please contact

Dutchess County 988 Call Center

988

 

 

For Walk In Crisis Services and Support visit the Dutchess County Stabilization Center

230 North Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

NY State Central Register for Child Abuse  or https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/ or (Home | Child Protective Services | Office of Children and Family Services (ny.gov))

1-800-342-3720

Contact Information Contact Information
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Power of Attorney – Alternative to Guardianship

Power of Attorney can be an alternative to seeing guardianship. If the person with special needs has sufficient capacity to understand, he can appoint an agent using a durable power of attorney over medical or financial matters, or both. Depending on the type of power of attorney, the agent will have the authority to make financial and property decisions or medical and personal decisions on behalf of the adult child, all without court intervention or direct oversight.

If the adult child receives either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and cannot manage the income, the Social Security Administration allows another person – a “representative payee” — to receive the funds to use on the child’s behalf. However this option also requires the filing of an annual report showing how the money was used.

Another option for parents to consider is establishing a special needs trust. The trust allows a person with special needs to shield assets for certain purposes while maintaining eligibility to receive SSI and Medicaid benefits. The trustee invests and manages the trust assets, usually avoiding the need for a financial guardian or conservator.

Parents should consider, in consultation with an attorney familiar with special needs law, whether any or a combination of these approaches best fits their particular situation. Factors to consider include the nature of the child’s special needs, the source and type of the child’s assets and whether the child has sufficient capacity to understand his or her choices. (read more…)