This virtual event will be packed with great information for families who have a loved one with Down syndrome or Down syndrome and Autism.  

Mary Anne Elhert is a financial professional. She is also a mother, a sister, and a daughter to her loved ones with disabilities. She is highly regarded as an expert in special needs planning and serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations. She speaks at local and national conferences on future care planning, providing the tools and support families need.  She is the President and founder of Protected Tomorrows, Inc. which enhances the lives of people with developmental disabilities through a comprehensive life planning process. Our Advocates creates Future Care Plansä, which consider the educational, residential, financial, legal, health care, government benefits, employment and recreational needs of the individual with special needs. The Protected Tomorrows passionate team of professionals. In her presentation, Your Journey Through an Eight Step Life Care Planning Program, Mary Anne Ehlert provides a passionate glimpse of her life with her sister, Marcia. The presentation will be uplifting and educational, as well as provide a good basic understanding of some important facts.  Participants will develop the foundation for their family’s own personal Eight Step Future Care Plan. Some topics of discussion include: how to create a map of the future; how to prepare legally and financially; how to incorporate and maximize government benefits; how to prepare for transition; how to build your Dream Team how to communicate your Future Care Plan to your family.

Dr. Noemi Spinazzi is a primary care physician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and associate professor of Pediatrics at UCSF. She provides primary care services to hundreds of children with complex care needs and developmental disabilities, and she founded a specialized clinic serving patients with Down syndrome. She is also the director of the developmental and behavioral pediatrics resident rotation at Children's Oakland. In her presentation, The Dual Diagnosis of Down Syndrome and Autism, Dr. Spinazzi will review existing literature on Down syndrome and autism, including associated medical conditions, presenting symptoms, expert recommendations for evaluation when autism is suspected in individuals with Down syndrome, and helpful interventions