Special Needs Survival With Annette Hines [OPINION]

Growing up as a sibling of someone with ASD, I have spent much of my career and volunteer time helping individuals with special needs.

Often, those with an immediate family member that is differently-abled are propelled to fight for the cause for a more equitable and inclusive society for individuals with special needs and their families.

Though people are mostly sympathetic to the plight of individuals with disabilities, society has constructed many fiscal, bureaucratic, and sociological barriers that make the path to inclusiveness daunting for parents, advocates, and the individual.

Annette Hines, a mother of an individual with special needs, understands this plight and has dedicated her life to helping parents and advocates navigate the path to inclusivity and prosperity for their loved one. Hines is a special needs attorney, podcaster and bestselling author, and she refers to this process as "Special Needs Survival."

Through her work, she has established a comprehensive network of resources for people in the special needs community to access. I was recently joined by Hines on my show, and we had an excellent conversation on special needs survival, how COVID-19 has impacted the lives of individuals with special needs, and what important policy changes she would like to see going forward. You can listen to the full interview here:

Marcus Ferro is the host of The Marcus Ferro Show airing Saturdays on 1420 WBSM from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact him at marcusferrolaw@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.