Date: Friday, August 3, 2012
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| Kathleen Cates |
These proposed changes and cuts to the DD waiver will significantly and negatively impact the many individuals with disabilities in our community who have made tremendous strides in reaching their full potential through programs that have helped them enhance their quality of life and enabled them to become active, productive members of the community and workforce.
For months, controversy surrounding these proposed cuts to the DD waiver has spurred health care providers and consumers to voice concern and outrage about the negative impact these cuts will have on a vulnerable population.
Through public forums and public comments, those of us concerned about the issue have worked diligently to try to stop these changes from going into effect on October 1. Final opportunities to voice opposition to these proposed DD waiver changes are coming in August. A public hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. August 6 at the Toney Anaya Building, 2550 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe.
Proposed changes to the DD waiver will have a far-reaching effect that will extend not only to the many families in our area caring for those with disabilities, but also will impact our entire community and local workforce. Families forced to deal with reduced services and cuts in therapy for their children will be searching for ways to continue to help their loved ones thrive through the specialized care that has assisted so many disabled individuals throughout New Mexico.
Cuts to the DD waiver, and a reduction in services for their children, will leave many of today’s working parents scrambling to find the funding and time to supplement this reduction in state services, while still trying desperately to balance the daily demands of caring for a family member with a disability and holding down their jobs in today’s tumultuous economy.
