Three generations of a family talking together at home, going over paperwork

You already know your child.We know the paperwork.

You should not have to figure this out alone. We help Charlotte families find the programs, benefits and school supports their child qualifies for, and actually get them started - sitting down together, in plain English.

Call for a free consult See what we help with
Call (951) 634-1504

Three things families are almost never told

Not because they are secret. Because nobody is assigned to tell you.

The waiver ignores your income

Worth re-checking

For the NC Innovations Waiver, your family's income is set aside - only your child's own income is counted. Many families rule themselves out of a program they would actually qualify for.

The ABLE age limit moved to 46

Changed Jan 2026

An NC ABLE savings account now covers a disability that began before age 46 - it used to be 26. If you were told no years ago, that answer may have changed.

Help exists while you wait

Start now

The waiver list is long. But respite and other supports can be available before a slot ever opens. School transition planning starts at 14, and the date you register is what holds your place.

What we help you navigate

1

“Help me figure out what my child qualifies for”

We go through your situation together and you leave with a written list, in plain English, of what is worth applying for and what each one will actually ask of you.

2

“Get us on the waiver list - and find help for right now”

We get you registered with Alliance Health, then look at what help you can use while you wait instead of only after.

3

“Come with me to the school meeting”

We help you get your questions ready. Then we sit with you at the IEP or 504 meeting as your invited guest, take notes, and go back over what was decided afterward.

4

“My child is turning 18 and I do not know what happens”

The Social Security review that happens at 18, the options short of guardianship, and what the school still owes your child until they turn 22.

5

“Help me get organized”

One binder: evaluations, IEPs, denial letters, deadlines. So you stop explaining your child from scratch to every new person you meet.

6

“Just tell me who to call”

One conversation. You leave with real names and real numbers, not another website to go read.

Jonathan & LisaRichardson

Jonathan and Lisa Richardson
Jonathan & Lisa Richardson · Charlotte, NC

Between them, Jonathan and Lisa have spent more than thirty years working with people with developmental disabilities - not reading about the system, but inside it.

Lisa taught special education for eight years and went on to own and run a residential home for adults with developmental disabilities. Jonathan worked in the field for twenty-four years. They have sat on every side of the table these families are asked to navigate.

They started Filling in the Blanks because they kept meeting parents who had been given a phone number and nothing else - and who never found out what their child was entitled to.

30+Years in developmental disability services
8Years teaching special education
24Years working in the field
It was more than a business. It was ministry.Lisa Richardson
They were her heart, and like her own family.
Lisa Richardson, on the adults she cared for

How a first consult works

The first conversation is free, and there is nothing to sign.

Step one

You call or write

Tell us roughly where you are. You do not need paperwork in front of you; a rough description is enough to start.

Step two

We sit down together

In person in Charlotte, or over the phone if that is easier. We go through what your child already has, and what they are missing.

Step three

You leave with a plan

A short written list of what to apply for, who to call, and in what order. Yours to keep, whether or not we work together.

Who else can help

These organizations are free and you do not need us to reach any of them. We would rather you have the numbers than not. If that is all you needed, start here.

Alliance Health

(800) 510-9132

The managing agency for Mecklenburg County. They are who you call about Innovations Waiver registration and Tailored Plan questions.

ECAC

(800) 962-6817

North Carolina's parent training and information center for special education. Free to every family.

Disability Rights NC

(877) 235-4210

The state's protection and advocacy organization. They say plainly that they cannot take every case, but if your question is about rights, start here.

Autism Society of NC

(800) 442-2762

Resource specialists in every county, many of them parents themselves.

NC Medicaid Ombudsman

(877) 201-3750

For Medicaid access problems, appeals and complaints.

Start with a free consult

Tell us where you are, even if you are not sure how to explain it yet. We will call you back and talk it through. No cost, and nothing to sign.

(951) 634-1504 apostlejrichardson@gmail.com Charlotte, NC & surrounding areas

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