2024 Workshops are on ZOOM. Visit our Workshops page for more info...

Legal Specialties for Children and Adults with Disabilities and Their Families

Click on any of the substantive legal specialties below to learn more.

Publications and other resource material for families and professionals.

Robert H. Farley, Jr. writes and publishes on disability and disability law regularly. Below is a sampling of currently available articles and publications.

Click here to view more on our main publications page.

Publications and articles are available for reprint by not-for-profit agencies and parents groups; please see reprint requirements on our publications page.

Workshops, Seminars and Presentations

Robert H. Farley, Jr. is available to speak to parents groups, organizations, and agencies on a wide variety of issues related to disability advocacy and disability services. Popular topics include:

  • Adult Services for Developmentally Disabled Persons
  • Waiting List for Services: Fact or Fiction

Click here to visit our main workshops page.

video snaphot of Mr. Farley speaking

Click here to view video of Mr. Farley's presentation, Obtaining Funding or Services for Children & Adults with DD in the State of Illinois.

Important Issues for Adults and Children with Mental Illness

Mental illness can qualify individuals for government benefits and services if they have limited income and resources.

They may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits based on their disability. A person is considered disabled if unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity like employment by reason of any medically determinable mental impairment extant for at least 12 months that or can be expected to continue for at least 12 months.

Click here to learn more about Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Parents of children with mental illness should consider establishing a Special Needs Trust. Special Needs Trusts allows parents, guardians and others to direct money, gifts, lawsuit settlements, or other funds to the trust without the beneficiary losing eligibility for certain government programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.

Click here to learn more about Special Needs Trusts

Mental Health Services for Children and Adults

Children Mental Health Services (under the age of 21)

In January 2018, a Class Action Settlement (Consent Decree) was entered in Federal Court in Chicago, Illinois, N.B. v. Norwood. Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr. is Class Counsel in this case.

All persons who are under the age of 21 and are Medicaid eligible in the State of Illinois, who have been diagnosed with a mental health or behavioral disorder and who have received a recommendation for intensive home or community base services to address their disorders, are entitled under the Court Settlement to receive these home or community base services (residential and in-home). This Settlement will provide needed community base services to these persons who have either a mental health or behavioral disorder.

Under the terms of the Settlement, the person under the age of 21 must be "Medicaid Eligible." Every person 18+ should be Medicaid eligible if they have less than $2,000 in his or her name. For children under the age of 18, in order to be Medicaid eligible, then the child would need to qualify for Medicaid and the family income will determine whether the child qualifies for Medicaid. If the child is under the age of 18 and the family cannot obtain a Medicaid card for the child due to the family income, then please contact Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr. as there is a legal path to secure Medicaid funding for the child's mental health or behavioral disorder.

Adult Mental Health Services (21+)

Adults with a mental health condition are entitled to the necessary services to address their disability. Funding for residential and in-home services are available, but it can be a challenge to obtain these services. If the disabled adult is unable to obtain needed mental health services, then please contact Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr. as there is a legal path to secure these needed services.

For additional information regarding obtaining funding and services for Children and Adults with a Mental Health Disorder, you can contact Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr., via his email or call him at his office.