What is By Their Side?

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By Their Side provides advocacy services to Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, as arranged and funded by families. In short, when the parents are unable to continue as advocates, By Their Side can provide the lifetime advocacy and oversight needed to ensure their relative receives necessary services, health and safety needs are addressed, and opportunities for life enrichment continue.

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This mission is accomplished through visits with the individual at the frequency determined by the family, advocating at team meetings, and addressing identified concerns. By Their Side monitors care, coordinates with trustees and advisors to make appropriate recommendations for needed expenditure of trust funds, provides updates to family and other fiduciaries, and offers direction when requested. Some parents involve By Their Side for short-term help to resolve a problem or begin services early to ensure a smooth transition.

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How can By Their Side help your clients?

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Many parents delay planning because they are uncertain who will provide the specialized oversight required by their relative with a disability. It requires great skill and persistence, acquired over years of dealing with agencies and the service delivery system, to effectively advocate and to implement the services and changes their child may need over time. By Their Side's experienced advocates provide assessment visits and monitoring at the frequency funded by the family or Trust.

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By Their Side is family-funded and, therefore, is not subject to the changing priorities of State-funded advocacy services.

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By Their Side does not need to be specifically identified in your clients' estate planning documents. Parents often fund services during their lifetime or by trusts established for the benefit of a disabled relative.

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By Their Side does not serve as guardian or trustee but rather supports those fiduciaries by overseeing the coordination of involved service providers, both public and private.

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How Can You Help?

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Many families are not aware of By Their Side services. Simply informing your clients that there is an organization dedicated to helping with future advocacy needs can empower your clients to determine if By Their Side answers a need for their family.