Attorney Mark Russell, Special Needs Legal and Future Planning, was the featured speaker at our January Friday Forum where he led us in a lively discussion about “Letters of Intent — What They Are and Why They Are Important”.
As attendees learned, a Letter of Intent should contain all the critical and detailed information that you would want future caregivers to know about your child. It is an important piece of the special needs planning process because it acts as a security blanket to protect your child when you are no longer able to do so.
While pertinent medical, legal and educational information should of course be included in the Letter of Intent, even more important are the small details that only a parent would know. For example: John hates showers but will gladly take a bath, Susan likes to listen to music every night before bed, or Frank goes to Jewel every Wednesday to buy food for his lunch. These small details can help future caregivers provide the continuity that is so vital to our children’s lives.
For a template and suggestions for creating your own Letter of Intent, you can view Mark’s handouts here: CTCletterofintentforms
Thank you, Mark, for generously sharing your time and expertise with our families. Thanks also to NSSEO for partnering with us on our Parent Education Series.
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