As caregivers, we rely on the support of other caregivers to:

• Help us learn how to navigate a complex system
• Share our stories and
• Discuss our challenges.

Caregiving is a lifelong journey that no one understands, unless they have experienced it. This program offers education, support, and socialization for caregivers caring for a loved one with a disability. 

There is a focus on those caring for a loved one with a developmental disability, but all are welcome.



We hope you will consider joining us.

August 2026

Caregiver Education & Recreation Sessions

Caregiver Education Sessions

** PLEASE READ **

DAWN’s Caregiver Connection & Support Program, which brings you this caregiver education series, is funded by a grant from the Morris County Office on Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming. The funding that DAWN receives to provide this program is directly tied to how many caregivers attend our Zoom sessions live. We will ensure that you receive the available information regardless of your attendance, but please help support us by joining the Zoom sessions live whenever you are able to do so.

Estate & Special Needs Planning

Presenter: Ryann Siclari, Esq. LLM., Eldercare Attorney

This seminar offers a practical, plain-language guide to estate and special needs planning for people with disabilities and the families who care for them. Presented by Certified Elder Law Attorney Ryann M. Siclari, it covers the essential legal tools for every stage of life - powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, wills, and guardianship - and explains the costly consequences of waiting too long to put them in place. The session then turns to protecting eligibility for means-tested government benefits like Medicaid and SSI, exploring how ABLE accounts and first-party, pooled, and third-party Special Needs Trusts can enhance a loved one's quality of life without putting those benefits at risk. Attendees will leave understanding the right questions to ask, the most common planning mistakes to avoid, and the concrete next steps to secure their family's future.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Register in advance for this meeting:

Funding A Special Needs Trust

Presenter: Jeff B. Llewellyn, Practice Lead - Special Needs Planning

Jeff Llewellyn, ChSNC® will be joining us to give his presentation on one of the most critical components of special needs planning: how to fund a Special Needs Trust. He’ll walk us through key funding strategies—both during your lifetime and at death—and explore which types of assets work well inside the trust. He will also discuss important considerations around including real estate in the trust, along with common funding pitfalls to avoid and why certain assets may create complications down the road.

Thursday, August 13, 2026

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Register in advance for this meeting:

Caregiver Recreation Activity:

Dinner Out at Hunan Taste

Come join us for a relaxing and fun dinner out at Hunan Taste, located at 67 Bloomfield Avenue in Denville. Space is limited so spots will be given to the first 10 caregivers who register. Each caregiver will pay her/his own way. Here’s to good company, tasty food, and an opportunity to unwind and connect with other caregivers – we hope to see you there!

*Please only register for the event if you truly plan to join us.*

(If more than 10 caregivers register for dinner, we will keep a waiting list and contact the next person on the list should any openings occur.)

Thursday, August 20, 2026

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Register in advance for this meeting:

As this is an in-person event, the Zoom link accompanying your approved registration will not be needed. All future communication concerning the dinner will come from Julie Ferguson via email. 

Caregiver News Corner

NJCDD’s next Council Hybrid Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 6, 2026 from 9:30am-1:30pm. Lisa Montalbano, the new Ombudsman for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, will be speaking from 10:00am-10:45am.

Click here to register for the session on Zoom.

Are you concerned about the Medicaid work volunteer requirement? Now is your chance to tell them!  Click here for more information and to submit a comment.

Redesigned DDD Website

The recent DDD website design includes updates and new webpages, including:

• A new tab for Rules & Policies
• A new webpage dedicated to Abuse, Neglect & Exploitation
• The Self-Direction webpage & Office on Education on Self-Directed Services webpage have been consolidated into a single page “Self Direction Options & Education”.
• A new DDD Events page
• A new Caregiver Resources page

 Click here to visit the DDD website.

If you are new to our caregiver programming, Julie Ferguson, DAWN’s Caregiver Support Coordinator, will reach out to you to welcome you to the program, share information, and answer any questions you may have.

Please contact Julie Ferguson at (862) 753-7424 for further information.

This program is supported by Morris County Office on Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming. Contributions are gladly accepted. Contributions are voluntary and are not required to participate in this programming.