Pennsylvania
Come to a TACA Meeting!
TACA holds monthly meetings in many locations throughout the United States that feature educational speakers on important topics and allow family members to connect with one another and stay on top of the latest information in the autism world.
Each TACA group maintains a resource library of the latest autism books and DVDs/CDs that can be checked out by members at no charge.
Are you wondering what happens at a TACA meeting? Watch our video.
| Date: | Meets the 1st Friday of each month |
| Time: | 7:00 – 7:15 PM Parent Support and Networking 7:15 PM Introduction and Meeting Presentation. |
| Location: | Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church 3625 Chapel Road Newtown Square, PA 19073 Directions from your location |
| Coordinators: | Contact Honey Rinicella and Pattie Moor |
| Child care: | Not offered at this time, sorry. |
| February 3, 2012 | What All Parents of a Disabled Child REALLY Need to Know About Special Needs Trusts and Estate Planning |
| Speaker: Lesley M. Mehalick, Esq. of McAndrews Law Firm | |
| Lesley M. Mehalick, Esq. of McAndrews Law Firm will provide an interactive discussion about estate planning techniques designed to serve families with a disabled child or family member, with a focus on the purposes, types and uses of Special Needs Trusts. Special needs trusts provide an invaluable option for parents who wish to leave an inheritance, whether large or small, to their disabled child while still preserving that child’s necessary public benefits. Families with special needs children face unique and difficult issues when considering how best to plan for their child’s future. When parents leave an inheritance outright to a special needs child, either by will or otherwise, they may unintentionally disqualify their child for crucial public benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a benefit that provides income to persons on the basis of disability and need, and Medical Assistance, which provides health insurance for low-income individuals. With careful planning and coordination with an entire estate plan, a special needs trust can help parents with a special needs child craft a plan for their child that will provide care and resources for their child for his or her lifetime. | |
| Ms. Mehalick, J.D., LL.M. is a Shareholder of McAndrews Law Offices and the Supervising Partner for the Estate Planning and Estate Administration department. Ms. Mehalick regularly assists families in navigating through special needs planning. These efforts include qualifying clients for public benefits, preparing special needs trusts, bringing guardianship proceedings, and crafting estate plans to maintain a disabled person’s eligibility for public benefits. She is privileged to counsel clients regarding elder law issues and ways to protect the assets and promote the dignity of loved ones who may require skilled nursing care. She regularly appears in Orphans’ Court and she is a frequent lecturer to both attorneys and families on these topics. | |
| March 2, 2012 | Social Cognition and Success in School |
| Speaker: Dr. Marie Lewis | |
| Social cognition is more than social skills. It\’s the series of multiple skills and concepts we must process and react to in order to succeed at social interaction and personal problem solving. Each of the elements of social cognition affects not only our ability to make and keep friends, but also our ability to process complex information in the classroom and the workplace. Dr Lewis will address areas related to social cognition and how it correlates to success in the classroom and beyond. Areas to be discussed include theory of mind, pragmatic language, inclusion, academic and processing challenges and much more. | |
| Marie Lewis, RN, PhD., BCEA is the Director of the National Center for Autism Resources and Education (nCARE)and the Clinical Director of the National Special Education Advocacy Institute (NSEAI). Dr. Lewis is in private practice as a Neuro- Developmental Disability Case Manager, Education Consultant and Behavior Specialist. For over ten years Dr. Lewis has trained education advocates and lectured nationally for disability groups, school districts, parent support groups, as well as continuing medical and legal education programs. She has journeyed the special education maze personally, with 2 sons who have autism and a medically challenged daughter. | |
Coffee Talk – Malvern, PA
| About: | Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families. |
| Date: | Friday, February 10, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Location: | Wegmans – Cafe 50 Foundry Way Malvern, PA 19355 Driving Directions |
Coffee Talk – Warrington, PA
| About: | Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families. |
| Date: | Wednesday, February 15, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM |
| Location: | Wegmans – 2nd floor 1405 Main St (Rte 611) Warrington, PA 18976 Driving Directions |
Coffee Talk – Plymouth Meeting, PA
| About: | Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families. |
| Date: | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 |
| Time: | 7:00 PM |
| Location: | Whole Foods Market 500 W. Germantown Pike Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Driving Directions |
Need support BETWEEN support group meetings?
Real Help Now Live Chat
Get Online Help now! Live Chat with a TACA Parent. The image below indicates whether a TACA Parent is currently available. Please click on the image below to initiate a chat session.
Connect with TACA friends, share about your family, and stay up-to-date on the latest TACA happenings by joining our cause on Facebook.
Yahoo!
Email lists are a great way to stay connected between meetings. You can subscribe, read emails and ask questions all related to autism. These lists connect you to other parents like you!
Here is how to connect:
Step 1 – Get a Yahoo! user ID and password
Step 2 – Search for groups in your area. Here are some groups we like:
Step 3 – Click on “Join This Group”
Step 4 – Set your account to “Individual Emails,” “Daily Digest” or “Web Only.” GFCFkids is not affiliated with TACA.
Contact TACA of Pennsylvania
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