SIB Winter 2008 - Planning for Emergencies - NEW!
SIB Winter 2005 - What Is It Like to Grow Up With A Mentally Challenged Sibling? (384 KB)
SIB Winter 2004 - Take a Break and Enrich Your Sibling's World (40 KB)
SIB Fall 2000 - Genetics & Genetic Counseling (159 KB)
SIB Fall 1998 - Advocacy (81 KB)
SIB Fall 1997 - Health & HealthCare (57 KB)



SIB Fall 2000 - Genetics & Genetic Counseling
SIB Fall 1998 - Advocacy
SIB Fall 1997 - Health & HealthCare
SIB Fall 1996 - Respite & Residential Services
SIB Fall 1995 - Entitlements
SIB May 1994 - Guardianship

 

SIB Abstracts

SIB Volume 5, Number 1  Fall 2000

Genetics and Genetic Counseling

SIB Volume 4, Number 1   Fall 1998

Advocacy

To advocate is to support a particular issue or cause on behalf of others or yourself. The latest SIB publication focuses on advocating for your sibling with a developmental disability.  Acting as an advocate on your siblings behalf may allow you to directly affect the issues and concerns you and your sibling with a disability are faced with daily. SIB offers tips on how siblings can effectively advocate with their sibling's agency and/or service provider; the best approaches for making changes at local, state and federal governmental levels and advice related to public education. Additionally there is guidance on starting an advocacy group.  Recommendations for specific issues are also offered in scenarios taken from real life situations where advocating for a sibling had favorable outcomes. This SIB issue contains a list of some important websites that can assist one in effecting systems change.  Guidelines are also provided to ensure that your online advocacy attempts will be as effective as possible. Lastly, the Sibling Committee has included a list of telephone numbers that will aid you in your attempts to gather  information and to begin networking with others who are in the position to support your advocacy efforts.

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SIB Volume 3, Number 2   Fall 1997

Health and Healthcare

Healthcare systems are difficult for most of us to navigate, but people with developmental disabilities are likely to need special support in this realm. Because they often pay for healthcare services with Medicaid, people with developmental disabilities are sometimes less privileged patients than those with more "purchasing power" to wield at private practices. Communication is also an issue, as people with disabilities might have trouble providing healthcare workers with necessary information regarding their ailments. These financial and communication issues are often compounded by the fact that many people with developmental disabilities have multiple physical problems and sometimes mental health problems, such as depression and substance abuse. This edition of SIB outlines several important factors to consider when helping developmentally disabled siblings to arrange for healthcare. Topics discussed include: Choosing a Health Care Provider (with information on general medical care, specialized clinics and managed care); Special Needs to Think About; Caring or Overseeing Care For Your Sibling (including information on hospitalizations, treatment decisions, informed consent, surrogate court decision making, advanced directives and home care); Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities (dual diagnoses); Dental Care; Health and Wellness; and Long-Distance Care. The issue contains much important information and advice on healthcare matters.

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SIB Volume 3, Number 1   Fall 1996

Respite and Residential Services

In this issue, the different types of respite services and residential options are discussed in great detail. Besides providing temporary relief from the stress of constant caregiving, respite is also described as an experience that can promote readiness for a later separation and move into a long-term residential placement. "What is respite?": a definition leads off this section; followed by a description of the different respite options offered by AHRC. The section on residential placement begins with the warning that waiting lists for residences are long. It can take years of persistent effort to achieve a successful placement. This issue describes the different type of residential options available, discusses the placement process; eligibility requirements; and key questions to consider in choosing a residence. Three case histories provide further clarification for readers. A list of important telephone numbers and resources fill the last two pages of the publication.

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SIB Volume 2, Number 1   Fall 1995

Entitlements

Although you and your family members may be eligible for entitlements, you will not receive them until you apply for them. Entitlements are benefits or payments made to eligible individuals from public or government programs such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare or Medicaid, and from private programs such as union annuities or pensions. This issue describes each program ; provides helpful hints and telephone numbers; provides a list of tips; and presents illustrative case scenarios based on actual events.

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SIB Volume1, Number 1   May 1994

Guardianship

By law, a parent is considered to be the natural guard of his/her child until that child reaches the age of eighteen. This is true for any child, those who are not disabled and those who are disabled regardless of the extent of their disability. Once a child reaches the age of eighteen, a parent or sibling or other potential guardian, must petition the court to grant guardianship status. The function of a guardian is to make decisions on behalf of the disabled person -- decisions that the court has determined cannot be made by the person him/herself. In order to continue to make decisions on behalf of the person with a disability after the age of eighteen a parent or sibling needs to become his/her legal guardian. Whether to assume guardianship of a disabled brother or sister may be the single most important decision a sibling can make. This issue of SIB speaks about what guardianship is and what it is not; looks at the question of whether guardianship is necessary; examines the guardianship procedure; looks at standby guardians; and provided a number of illustrative family scenarios taken from actual events that were brought to AHRC's Adult Sibling Support Group over the years.

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Click on the highlighted text Resources-Other WebSites to go to the Family and Sibling Resources section provided on the AHRC Web Site.  If you would like more information on discussion groups and listservs, please click here for a sibling support website.

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