ORLANDO, Fla. — Amid a critical shortage of providers, AdventHealth for Children in Orlando has launched a clinic that will treat patients with Down syndrome from diagnosis throughout adulthood, a first in the Southeast. AdventHealth for Children is offering continuity of care for patients with Down syndrome by creating one location where someone with Down syndrome can get treatment for their entire life. Last week was the grand opening of the SMILE with Stella Tremonti Down Syndrome Clinic, named for the daughter of founding donors Victoria and Mark Tremonti, former guitarist for the Grammy award-winning band Creed.
People with disabilities receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits will see their monthly payments rise by 3.2% in 2024. The jump is due to an automatic Cost-Of-Living Adjustment (COLA). The annual adjustment, which is intended to account for inflation (notable in recent years), is based on the CPI from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase will mean that the maximum federal SSI payment for individuals will reach $943 per month next year, up from $914 currently, according to the Social Security Administration, a modest increase far short of the 8.7% increase in 2023. Not sure this increase will truly be enough for us to keep up with inflation given the higher costs many of us are seeing.