Simplifying Special Needs Trusts for over 25 years

The Illinois Disability Association is a not-for profit organization which serves as co-trustee of the Illinois Disability Pooled Trust (IDPT) with CIBC Bank USA. The IDPT was established in 1998 to serve persons with disabilities throughout the state of Illinois.

Attorney Howard S. Berk, creator of the IDPT and drafter of the first court ordered self-settled special needs trust in Illinois, serves as Executive Director of the IDPT. He has served as a consultant to the Centers for Disability and Elder Law on guardianship matters, U.S. Attorney General’s Office, and past member of the advisory board for Loyola University Law School’s Elder Law program. He also chaired the CBA’s Year 2000 special committee celebrating the International Year of the Older Person responsible for the changes in Elderly Abuse and Neglect Mandatory Reporting Act and the Illinois Power of Attorney Acts and the requirement that nursing homes in the City of Chicago employ mechanical air conditioning. He chaired F.L.A.G. – a joint task force with law enforcement (federal, state, county, city), prosecutors and financial institutions to identify and coordinate responses to financial exploitation 2002-2003. His publications include: Medicaid Planning for the Disabled: The Use of OBRA ‘93 Pay-Back Trusts, 86 Ill. Bar J. 16 (1998); The Use of OBRA ‘93 Pooled Pay-Back Trusts for Disabled Persons, in Elder Law Update: Challenges in Advising Clients (IICLE 1998 and 2006); 2006 Supplement to Guardianship For Disabled Adults, Advance Directives and Mental Health Law (IICLE 2006). He has lectured at IIT-Kent College of Law, Northwestern University Sociology Department, DePaul University Law School, Loyola University School of Law, American Bankers Association, CBA and IICLE. He is past board member of the Illinois State chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Howard currently serves as consulting attorney for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Support staff of the IDPT includes Susie Schultz, as well as attorney Eileen Durkin. Eileen’s role at IDA includes handling court appearances on trust matters, intake for trust accounts, reviewing and processing disbursement requests and handling the closure of trust cases and the distribution of funds. Eileen is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education events. Susie Schultz serves as the point person for tax-related matters, re-titling of assets into the trust, and the collection of assets post-death. Susie also handles the opening of trust accounts and processes disbursement requests.

Chardell Salvant serves in the role as trust officer for CIBC Bank USA, our co-trustee. The IDPT team brings over 70 years of accumulated experience advocating on behalf of persons with disabilities.

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