Supporting and Including
Brothers & Sisters
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Michigan Supporting and Including Brothers & Sisters
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Become a part of the MI SIBS community and keep up with the latest events and news!
What is MI SIBS?
MI SIBS (Michigan Supporting & Including Brothers & Sisters) is a network of siblings who share the common experience of having a sibling with a disability.
What is the purpose of MI SIBS?
The purpose is to provide adult siblings of individuals with disabilities with information, resources and support to advocate with and/or for their brothers and sisters and to promote leadership roles of siblings within the disability community.
What is the goal of MI SIBS?
Our goal is to support siblings of people with disabilities in Michigan. We offer peer support that may generate opportunities for emotional growth, can aid in making connections with services and supports from those who have “been there,” and promote a stronger and more fulfilling bond within the family unit.
Where is MI SIBS?
MI SIBS is a group of individuals throughout the state of Michigan.
MI SIBS
c/o The Arc of Western Wayne County
2257 South Wayne Road
Westland, MI, 48186
P: (734) 729-9100 Ask for Cheryl
E: sibs@misibs.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, April 10, 2026
National Siblings Day
The purpose of National Siblings Day is to celebrate the unique bond between siblings, honor those lost, and strengthen family ties. MI SIBS invites you to plan something special for your family in 2026!
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – Webinar
6:30 – 7:30 pm ET
Special Needs Financial Planning – When Future Planning Becomes the Present
It’s important to plan for the future – for ourselves and for our siblings with disabilities. Without an understanding of the family finances, we can be left in the dark. Often times, we need to start the “Money Talk” with our parents to know what the future financial plan looks like. During this webinar, you’ll hear from financial planner, Cindy Haddad, a sib herself, about “when future planning becomes the present”.
ADVOCACY EVENTS IN MICHIGAN
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Voices in Action Self-Advocacy Day
Heritage Hall – Capitol Visitor’s Center in Lansing, MI
9:00 am – 6:00 pm ET
Bring your sibling to Lansing for the Self-Advocates of Michigan’s (SAM) Legislative Day. Meet with lawmakers at the Michigan State Capitol to advocate for issues like healthcare, housing, jobs and transportation. www.selfadvocatesofmi.org
Register at Voices in Action: Self-Advocacy Day 2026 Survey
May 4-5, 2026
Self-Determination Conference
Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI
This conference contains content appropriate for all individuals who receive services, family members, case managers, supports coordinators, clinicians, CMH/PIHP administrative and clinical staff, providers, HCBS and waiver coordinators, fiscal intermediaries, and independent facilitators. Persons with lived experience and their family members are complimentary. Watch cmham.org for more information!
September 23, 2026
Walk a Mile in My Shoes Rally
State of Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, MI
There are more than 300,000 citizens in Michigan who seek behavioral health services. Join us this year on Wednesday, September 23, as we rally together on the Capitol Lawn for increased mental health funding and the need for behavioral health to be continually included in policy discussions.
NEWS
RESOURCES
Past Events
Click here to access the recording, handouts and other resources from these past events
Medicaid & Medicare – What SIBLINGS Need to Know
This webinar was presented live on March 5, 2026, by Anastassia Kolosova of Disability Rights Michigan. This critical information will prepare you for the inevitable transitions in Medicaid and Medicare eligibility which happens when your sibling with a disability enters adulthood, and when parents retire, start disability benefits, or pass away. The handout below is a great summary!
Webinar: Bridging the Gap: How Siblings Can Carry the Plan Forward
This webinar was presented live on November 12, 2025, by Michele P. Fuller, Esq., founder of Michigan Law Center, PLLC. As parents age, siblings often become the natural successors in supporting a loved one with a disability. This presentation offers practical guidance on how to understand, prepare for, and confidently step into this important role.
PARTNERS
Sibling Leadership Network
The purpose of the Sibling Leadership Network is to promote a broad network of siblings who share the experience of disability and people concerned with sibling issues by connecting them to social, emotional, governmental, and provisional supports across the lifespan enabling them to be effective advocates with their brother and sister, and to serve as change agents for themselves and their families.
The Arc of Western Wayne County
The Arc of Western Wayne County believes it is important to recognize the role of siblings in efforts to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Adult siblings of people with disabilities continue to be an extraordinarily overlooked population. The Arc believes agencies, including schools, community agencies and health care providers, should reach out to siblings and other family members to provide them with the support and information that will address their concerns and help them to make appropriate decisions.
Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute
The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI) is a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). MI-DDI is part of a network of 67 UCEDDs in the U.S. and its territories. The Institute’s mission is to contribute to the development of inclusive communities and quality of life for people with disabilities and their families through a culturally-sensitive, statewide program of interdisciplinary education, community support and services, and research and dissemination of information.
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Supporting and Including
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