Families with disabilities often navigate unique relational and financial challenges that most professionals aren’t fully prepared to address.

To address these challenges, the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences will host a free workshop on April 7 that brings together experts in mental health, financial planning and disability support services to support the well-being of people with disabilities and their families.

“Families with disabilities aren’t a niche population — they’re our neighbors, our colleagues, our own families,” said Christine Hargrove, clinical associate professor and assistant director of the UGA Love and Money Center. “Real life doesn’t separate financial stress from emotional stress, so this workshop doesn’t either. We want everyone who walks through the door — whether they’re a helping professional or navigating disabilities themselves — to leave with better understanding and real resources to act on.”

The workshop, “Beyond just getting by: Supporting the financial and relational lives of families with disabilities,” will cover research, theory and practical resources grounded in real family experience, and will include a moderated panel of people and families with disabilities sharing their stories and insight.

Topics include specific government programs and community resources, the practical and emotional dimensions of guardianship, special needs trusts, benefits navigation and the concept of family capacity.

“When demands outpace resources, families struggle,” Hargrove said. “Understanding both sides of that equation is foundational to effective helping across professional roles.”

Workshop presenters include three UGA faculty members: Hargrove; Carol Britton Laws, clinical professor and director of instruction with the Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD); and Lisa Ulmer, CHDD program director for Destination Dawgs, an inclusive postsecondary education program housed in FACS.

In addition, Doug Crandell from the CHDD, who uses evidence-based supported employment practices to support people with complex barriers to work, will introduce the Georgia Disability 101 website.

The workshop also will include a panel on financial planning for families with disabilities led by Jason Norton, founder of Ability Wealth Group, a local independent advisory firm dedicated to supporting families with special needs. Norton’s work is informed by his own experience as the father of a child with a rare disease.

Panelists for the moderated discussion include a Destination Dawgs student and parent, a UGA Student Ambassador and a UGA faculty member with cerebral palsy who uses Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

“The lived experiences of individuals and families with disabilities are the cornerstone of this workshop, and we are honored that these panelists are willing to share their stories directly with our attendees,” Hargrove said.

The workshop is co-presented by the UGA Love and Money Center and the UGA Ralston Institute on Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and sponsored by Ability Wealth Group.

The workshop is from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Tate Reception Hall at UGA. A networking lunch will follow.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.fcs.uga.edu/events/event/beyond-just-getting-by-supporting-the-financial-and-relational-lives-of-families-with-disabilities