ABLE Act Will Benefit Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- With bipartisan Congressional support and a stroke of President Obama's pen, the families of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities will be able to set up savings accounts to help with disability-related expenses.
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Recently, Obama signed the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act as part of HR.5771.
"Expenses arising from having a family member with a disability can put a financial strain on families," said Bobbi Wigand, executive director of Victory Living Programs, which provides multiple services to individuals with disabilities. "And too often individuals with disabilities don't receive the services they need that can greatly improve their lives due to financial issues."
This new program for individuals with disabilities is modeled after college savings programs.
"This could really assist people with disabilities in those transitional phases of life," said Deborah Linton, CEO of The Arc Florida, an organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they can be fully integrated into their communities.
Up until now, said Linton, families couldn't save money towards expenses that would improve the quality of life of their loved-ones without tax penalties being accrued.
The savings accounts, she said, will allow families to save money that can be used on health care, housing, transportation and community-based services. "These individuals may need a place to live but they also may need some personal care assistance, and these savings accounts can help them do that."
"Programs like Victory Living Programs allow individuals with disabilities to lead fuller lives, and this new law will allow more and more individuals to afford these life-changing services," said Wigand.
Victory Living Programs is the only Arc of Florida affiliate located in Broward County.
About Victory Living Programs
For the past four decades, Victory Living Programs has created supported living environments for thousands of people with disabilities. Based in warm, beautiful Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Victory Living Programs offers a premier supported living program that place clients in their own individual, luxurious apartments. In addition, Victory Living Programs also offers an extensive array of programming to assist clients with securing and maintaining employment, learning new skills, volunteering in the community and socializing with their peers - all of which make it possible to infuse independence and transform the lives of people with disabilities. To learn more, visit www.victoryliving.org.
Contact: Laurie Menekou, (954) 732-0754 (or) [email protected]
SOURCE Victory Living Programs
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