32 pages on what to do in the first 30 days, months 2-3, 4-6, 6-9, and 9-12 — from grief reframe through Year-One sustainability. Therapy selection, IEP navigation, insurance architecture, and the burnout protection that determines whether you're still functional in year three. By Jen Morris, LPN.
The diagnosis was last week. The thing has a name. And instead of relief, there is something hollower — grief you weren’t expecting, an information avalanche you can’t process, and a list of decisions you don’t know how to make.
You are not failing this. You are exactly where every just-diagnosed family is at month one.
The Prior Auth Nurse built The First 12 Months for parents in the most important year of their child's advocacy journey. Choices made in these twelve months shape the next three. But the first year is also when families are most likely to burn out, make hard-to-fix decisions, or quietly let the rest of their family slide while they pour everything into the diagnosed child.
This playbook is the map for that first year. It shows, month by month, what to do, what to wait on, what NOT to do, and how to keep yourself intact while you do it. Inside: why you must pause before you plan; the 90-day rule on major decisions; building your medical home and therapy team; a real-world therapy framework that cuts through the noise; the IEP/IFSP process and your role; the insurance foundation that determines costs for years; and burnout protection that decides whether you’re still upright in year three.
If you’ve seen the free Parent Survival Map, this is the Phase 2 playbook that starts where 'Before the Diagnosis' ends. If you’re just finding this now, it stands alone.
If your child was diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or a related condition in the last 12 months, you’re in the right place.
For parents managing intellectual, developmental, or chronic medical conditions that need regular care.
If your child’s diagnosis affects daily function or mental health — you aren’t alone.
This is for you if you want to help your child without burning out the rest of your life or family.
You’ll get the 32-page, 10-section playbook that breaks down every phase:
FIRST 30 DAYS: Grief reframe, what to do and NOT do, the 90-day rule for big decisions.
BUILD YOUR TEAM (Months 2-3): How to create your medical home, reset with your pediatrician, and build the therapy, family, and social supports you actually need.
THERAPY SELECTION: Real evidence, honest hours talk for autism, and what to avoid (no hype).
SERVICES & SYSTEMS (Months 4-6): How to navigate Early Intervention, IEP/504, and get your role right.
INSURANCE & COVERAGE (Months 6-9): Cut costs, overturn denials, avoid expensive mistakes that last for years.
SUSTAINABILITY (Months 9-12): How to reset, avoid burnout, maintain partnerships, and strengthen sibling bonds.
FIRST-YEAR MISTAKES: 10 traps every new advocate makes — identified and eliminated.
YEAR-ONE INVENTORY: 6-category checklist to stay on track.
WHEN TO GET HELP: When should you get outside experts, and who to call.
YEAR TWO AND BEYOND: Transition and thrive for year two and hand-off to advanced resources.
The real path to making it through — intact, informed, and ready for year two.
No more Googling every night. Simple monthly action steps do more than overwhelm ever could.
No more ‘I wish I’d known.’ No missing deadlines, no overlooked resources, no burned bridges.
No wasted hours or money. Just the critical actions that change your child's (and family’s) path.
You cannot help your child if you’re falling apart. This is the burnout avoidance guide for real life.
Over 80% of parents miss at least one key deadline or regret an early decision made right after diagnosis. This playbook keeps you focused, so you don’t become that statistic.
Research shows parent-driven care teams are 2x more likely to access critical services than those left to guess the system alone.
Every tip, checklist, or timeline is rooted in 25+ years of real-world outcomes, thousands of advocacy journeys, and up-to-date clinical research.
You’ll get everything you need (and nothing you don’t):
32-page PDF Playbook
Month-by-Month Action Plans
Essential Therapy & Provider Checklists
Insurance and IEP Navigation Guide
Burnout Survival Section & Sibling System
Free Access To Our Facebook Private Group
Step-by-step action checklists so you know what, when, and why.
Simple frameworks that cut overwhelm and give clarity.
Real parent-tested solutions with zero jargon.
No fluff, just the next step made clear.
No gatekeeping: everything you need, all in one PDF.
The cost of a misstep in year one is real and lasting. If you let IDEA deadlines slip, you lose services for years. Trust the wrong provider? Lose months before switching. Ignore your marriage or other kids? You could lose more than you realize. Burn out? Be less able to advocate when the real IEP challenges begin. Miss insurance opportunities? Spend thousands you didn’t have to.
Every single parent wishes they had this playbook when their journey started. $17 is a joke compared to the cost of one mistake. No-brainer math.
Move now, before deadlines pass. Every day without a plan is ground lost. Your child (and your family) are worth more than gambling on guesswork.
Jen Morris is a Licensed Practical Nurse with 25 years of pediatric experience. She’s a mom of four and grandmother to a four-year-old with autism. Jen built The First 12 Months after guiding her own family and hundreds of other parents through this same maze. She’s the founder of The Prior Auth Nurse, helping families fight insurance denials and stay functional after diagnosis.
This playbook isn’t a substitute for your child’s medical team or your own self-care, but it is the most complete, parent-centered guide you’ll find for the hardest year of your journey.
This is an educational reference — not medical advice, legal advice, or therapy. Your family situation is unique, and this playbook is meant to guide, not replace, the professionals in your life. Always work with your child’s providers and seek extra support as needed. If you’re feeling stuck, visit thepriorauthnurse.com for personalized help.
The First 12 Months — 32 pages. 10 sections. Month-by-month from the first 30 days through Year-One sustainability. Therapy selection, IEP/IFSP, insurance architecture, burnout protection. $17 one-time. Instant PDF download.