As the leaves begin to turn, we’re celebrating another season of care, connection, and community — and we’d love for you to join us!
This year, we’re honored to welcome Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, who will open the day with a national perspective on the current threats to Medicaid and what’s at stake for individuals with disabilities and their families across the country. While we’re grateful for the collaboration of The Arc of Massachusetts, this message is bigger than any one state. Even in Massachusetts, where we’re fortunate to have strong, progressive protections in place, it’s worth remembering that those protections stand on the shoulders of 50 years of advocacy and leadership at the federal level. As Medicaid faces new pressures nationally, Katy’s address will remind us why that foundation matters, and why continued vigilance, in Massachusetts and across the country, is more important than ever. Her insights will set an important tone for the day, grounding our celebration in the urgent, real-world advocacy that makes this community’s work so vital.
Join our Special Needs Practice Group for A Season of Change – A Lifetime of Care, our annual Special Needs Trust Administration & Advocacy Seminar, reimagined this year as a true fall celebration. Alongside the insight and guidance you’ve come to expect, there will be live music and a marketplace of handmade art and gifts from talented artists living with special needs — just in time for the holiday season.
For two decades, this seminar has helped families, trustees, and professionals navigate the complexities of trust management while protecting what matters most: the quality of life of the people these trusts are built to support. This year, we wanted the gathering to feel like what it really is, a community coming together in celebration of care that lasts a lifetime.
Some of what our team will cover:
- The fundamentals of special needs trusts and trustee responsibilities
- Fiduciary duties and building the right trust management team (family, professional, corporate, or nonprofit trustees, advisors, and protectors)
- Navigating MassHealth and government benefit programs
- Advocacy strategies: working with guardians, support brokers, and providers
- The trustee’s role in promoting long-term beneficiary well-being
Registration is $50 per person for in-person attendance ($35 for each additional family member), and $50 per connection for the online webinar. In-person registration includes breakfast, a light snack, and full access to our vendor marketplace and the community atmosphere that makes this event special. The $50 webinar rate, meanwhile, covers your connection and online materials — so a family, office, or care team can gather around a single screen and attend together for one flat fee. However you choose to join us, we hope you’ll consider experiencing the full Season of Change celebration in person!
Location: Courtyard by Marriott, 75 Felton St, Marlborough, MA
Click here to register for IN-PERSON attendance
Click here to attend the online WEBINAR
Seminar presenters: Frederick Misilo, Michael Lahti, Dani Ruran, Anne Grenier, Kelly Akana, Rachael Poirier, Dan Loftus, Jennifer Zaparaskas, and Rosalie Edes.