Combined with the Special Needs Advocacy and Planning Masterclass, the coaching program provides live training within a cohort of colleagues who can rely on each other and work together to navigate disability planning issues.
Coaching Sessions meet for 4 sessions, 2-hours each
on Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 pm EST
via Zoom
Grow Your Network of Disability Professionals
Due to the variety of federal, state and local laws and resources, the complexity of identifying care options and supports for individuals with disabilities can overwhelming. Our coaching program is designed to help you make connections through a consistent small group comprised of other professionals serving the disability community to enhance networking and provide referral sources and resources. With your small group, you will have the opportunity to discuss questions and form answers together during the breakouts for each coaching session. This cohort will provide a support network during the coaching program and afterward.
Weekly Coaching Sessions Augment the Curriculum
The coaching sessions run live in February, May, September and November for two hours lead by Annette Hines or Julie James and include a lesson and a breakout session with discussion questions related to disability planning issues such as:
- financial management,
- public benefits and agencies,
- elements of adult living,
- legal authorities,
- employment,
- and more!
Anticipate one to two hours of homework weekly that includes reviewing videos from the accompanying course and completing your workbook.
Annette M. Hines
Author, Attorney, & Coach
Annette Hines has over 20 years of experience as an attorney and advocate in the areas of Special Needs, Elder Law, and Estate Planning, and she is also a frequent public speaker and works with families nationwide. In 2012, she started Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC. Then 2019, she published her book, Butterflies and Second Chances and started her podcast, Parenting Impossible, and a private Facebook Group called Circle of Care. In 2020 she created Special Needs Family Services, Inc. with its umbrella group of Special Needs Companies to skilled and hands-on administration of First-Party and Third-Party Special Needs Trusts, as well as a complete suite of professional services for families in the disability community. Finally, in 2022, Annette launched the Special Needs Academy as an online resource for all those serving and with special needs. Her love of the disability community and mantra, "Create the Things You Wish Existed" fuel her goal of bringing information, resources and support to the disability community.
Julie James
Case Manager & Coach
Julie James provides case management and support around public benefits and advocacy at Special Needs Companies. Her professional experience in the disability world began when she found herself the mother of four children with disabilities over twenty years ago. Julie served on a team for the Rural Autism Project with the University of Vermont. Then in Massachusetts, she was a fellow in the Leadership Education in Developmental Disabilities (LEND) program through the UMass Medical School Shriver Center. She worked for the Association for Developmental Disabilities Providers, then became an Options Counselor for the Metrowest Center for Independent Living Center for several years, developing a program to assist people trying to avoid institutional placement, and providing outreach to the community.
Testimonies from Previous Group Coaching Participants
Holly Vietzke-Lynch
Attorney at Law
Attorney Hines is so thorough and knowledgeable about every aspect of special needs transitions and planning. Her class is as beneficial for parents who are just starting the journey as it is for those practicing in the field. Attorney Hines allows ample time for questions and ensures mastery of the subject matter.
James Grace
Director of Wealth Management at Silver Pine Capital & Silver Pine Insurance Partners
As a financial advisor, one of the most complex situations I find myself in is providing guidance to individuals with a family member with special needs. Annette and her team at The Special Needs Companies are an amazing resource and I would never think of advising a special needs family without consulting them. I would highly recommend her online courses for families trying navigate and properly plan for their loved one, as well as professionals looking to better understand the challenges that their clients are facing.
Karen Mariscal
Attorney at Mariscal Special Needs Law
Annette is an expert who knows how to make complicated things understandable. She is a great teacher!