Financial Assistance / Program Scholarships

All Program Fees Offered On Sliding Scale

We are dedicated to our promise to provide high quality, affordable programming and services for all individuals and families with Down syndrome, regardless of income. Most of our programs are free or highly subsidized. For our programs that do have fees, our sliding scale fee program provides additional assistance by providing a standard reduction based on household income.

The scale is based on published Federal Poverty Guidelines and is as follows:

• Households at or below 200% Federal Poverty Guidelines are fully scholarshipped (100% discount)

• Households between 200 - 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines receive a 50% discount.

• Households between 250 - 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines receive a 25% discount

Federal Poverty Guidelines are based on family income and family size. Current guidelines can be found HERE

To request more information or to apply, email sarah@dsamn.org. If requesting the fee be applied to a certain program, please include:

• Your name

• Number of people in your household

• Name and birth date of individual(s) with Down syndrome living in the household

• Total annual salaries and wages for yourself, spouse/partner, and all other families members in the household

• Total other income (including all of the following that apply - social security for self, spouse/partner, children; supplemental security income; child support or alimony; military/veterans benefits; other retirement benefits; unemployment benefits.)

Documentation is not required but may be requested if verification is necessary.

Fees should not be a barrier to any program, for any individual or family. If you do not qualify for the sliding fee scale, but still need assistance to access programing, we will work with you. Please email sarah@dsamn.org.

Emergency Financial Assistance Program

Are you facing financial hardship? Are you unable to cover your food or housing costs for this month? DSAMN offers an emergency financial assistance program that supports individuals and families facing financial hardship. This program provides fairly immediate, emergency financial assistance for groceries, diapers, utilities, rent or mortgage payment-whatever the family needs. Requests are usually $100 - 200 per time. Families are invited to request funds multiple times per year, however, requests are capped at $500 per household per calendar year. The paperwork is minimal. Requests take approximately 4 weeks to process.

Apply Here

Qualifying Factors for DSAMn's Emergency Financial Assistance Program:

1. Eligible households must have an individual with Down syndrome residing in the household.

2. You must be a resident of MN or a community within 25 miles of the MN border in WI, IA, SD, or ND.

3. Family income is 200% of federal poverty level or lower (i.e. is eligible for straight MA) plus 1 or more of the following:
- Behind or immediate danger of getting behind on rent, utilities or mortgage payment
- Facing an emergency that will affect your household income (hospitalization or death or income earner, expenses related to a significant event (i.e. death of family member, house fire, car totaled, loss of job, etc.)

We realize this program is only a temporary solution. If you have greater support needs, such as food insecurity, significantly behind on utilities or utilities turned off, or in danger of eviction or home loss? Please reach out to one of our Family Connectors. They can help you find county programs and additional financial support.

Get Help from a Family Connector

Organizational Partnerships to Offer All Families Discounts on High Quality Products and Services

DSC2U is a new online tool created by Dr. Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, and the clinical and research teams from the Down Syndrome Program and Lab of Computer Science at Massachusetts General Hospital as a way for families to get up-to-date, personalized health and wellness information for their loved one with Down syndrome. When caregivers access DSC2U online, they will be asked to identify current symptoms in their loved one with Down syndrome along with any past medical or behavioral diagnoses and any recent blood work or diagnostic testing. DSC2U also contains optional questions about nutrition, education, therapies, life skills, and community resources. Their responses will be analyzed by a computer, based on state-of-the-art guidelines designed by national Down syndrome experts.

DSAMN subsidizes the cost of this innovative new online tool by $20 for families . DSAMN families can access DSC2U for just $29. We have 50 codes and will give them out first come first serve. In addition, we have full scholarships for families facing financial hardship. Click this link to access your DSAMN subsidy: Apply Here. Go to DSC2U.org to learn more.