White Paper – Media Coverage of Murders of PwD by Caregivers – 27
But the Stacks had gotten out ahead of all of that. The financial mechanics of planning for the future of a son or daughter with disabilities are daunting and complex, but in many cases they can be managed with effort and help. There are special-needs trusts, Medicaid waiver services and second-to-die insurance policies that can be set up. The important thing is to plan, and the Stacks had: While Frankie and Mary were still living at home, they attended day programs through Ray Graham, and as Frank and Joan got older, Frank found a way through Medicaid, Medicare, his private health insurance and Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.) to secure funding for permanent residential placement for both of them in perpetuity. ‘‘They did all the right things,’’ Zoeller said. ‘‘They very deliberately planned to make sure that Frankie and Mary had a safe and secure future.’’ The piece talks to experts in disability and aging, cites ASAN and the Disability Day of Mourning, links this death to the Liltz death, describes the reactions of other disabled (nonverbal) individuals, and otherwise follows all the different kinds of best practices that we will discuss in the following section. It warns us not to make easy assumptions about motives, demonstrates how to engage context, and doesn’t erase the stories of the victims or the killers. It’s balanced journalism, not prejudicial, and shows the possible - given enough resources and time. But most journalists don’t have that kind of time before they have to file. In the next section, self-advocates will offer their advice to journalists seeking to understand filicide and related murders.