Guidance, education, and answers for families navigating profound autism.
Understanding and preserving critical benefits is one of the most important things families can do. Here’s what you need to know.
A properly structured special needs trust protects 100% of SSI eligibility. Distributions from the trust are made for supplemental needs that SSI doesn’t cover, ensuring benefits remain intact.
Medicaid provides essential medical coverage for individuals with profound autism. Our pooled trust structure ensures that assets held in trust are not counted against Medicaid eligibility limits.
Navigating the benefits system is overwhelming. Roman Shield provides direct assistance with applications, appeals, and ongoing compliance to ensure families receive everything they’re entitled to.
A pooled special needs trust combines resources from multiple beneficiaries into a single trust managed by a nonprofit trustee. Each beneficiary has an individual sub-account. This structure provides professional financial management at lower cost while preserving SSI and Medicaid eligibility.
Roman Shield serves individuals with profound autism who require substantial, lifelong support. This includes individuals who are minimally verbal or nonverbal, have significant intellectual disability, and require 24/7 care. We currently serve Arkansas residents and are expanding regionally.
Families submit distribution requests for supplemental needs—housing, medical co-pays, therapy, daily living items, assistive technology, and more. Requests are reviewed and processed within 72 hours. All distributions are structured to preserve SSI and Medicaid benefits.
Lifelong means exactly that—from the day of enrollment through every stage of life. Profound autism doesn’t end at 18 or 21. Our trust and services are designed to provide continuous support regardless of age, caregiver changes, or life circumstances.
Roman Shield is purpose-built for profound autism. Unlike general disability trusts, we provide seven integrated pillars of support beyond financial management: housing, medical, daily living, crisis response, respite care, and advocacy. We treat families as partners, not clients.
Trust administration fees are structured to be accessible to families at all income levels. Detailed fee information is provided during the application process. Our overhead ratio target is less than 15%, with the remainder going directly to beneficiary services.
Understanding profound autism and the systems that serve this population.
Profound autism involves significant intellectual disability, minimal verbal communication, and lifelong dependence on caregivers. It is not the same as other forms of autism and requires different levels of support and planning.
A special needs trust (also called a supplemental needs trust) holds assets for a person with a disability without disqualifying them from public benefits. Trusts can be first-party, third-party, or pooled.
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a critical tool for children with profound autism. Know your rights, prepare for meetings, and advocate effectively for appropriate services and accommodations.
Our team is here to answer questions and help families find the right resources. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
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