Governor Brad Little has proposed cutting all home and community based services for children and adults with disabilities in Idaho. This move would have profound impact on Idaho families, sacrificing our most vulnerable populations to meet a budget deficit.
The timing is urgent. Budget decisions will be made before the end of March, leaving thousands of Idahoans abruptly without disability services.
Legislators need to hear from families now, to help make the appropriate budget decisions. In Idaho, our legislators are normal citizens, just like you. We want to work together, because we have shared values: keeping Idaho prosperous, while protecting children and adults with disabilities.
Learn how the state budget is decided and how to collaborate with lawmakers.
Meet the families who depend on disability services through Idaho Medicaid.
Lindsay Owen – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son has a rare genetic disorder called Lamb Shaffer Syndrome. Before my son received ABA therapy his services for speech and occupational therapy were put on hold until he can get into ABA. His behaviors were interfering with him learning. They could no longer see continuing therapy until he was able to focus and listen. Since he started ABA he has been back with his other therapies and doing well. Two years ago my son could barely talk and now he’s saying too many words to count. Without these services I don’t believe he would be where he’s at today.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I could no longer be able to continue due to cost
Amanda Phillips – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My 5 year old daughter Aria is diagnosed with autism and is mostly nonverbal. Since starting ABA Her overall behavior has improved along with her ability to communicate non verbally, and along with the addition of speech therapy she has started saying a few words this past year. They are also helping me with potty training and many other developmental things while I also raise her 3 and 1 year old sisters.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? We wouldn’t be able to afford to give my daughter what she needs without the help of Idaho Medicaid. We are so grateful to all of her therapists and the state for providing her with an AAC device and professional help to give my baby girl a voice. It has been an invaluable service to us. I have 2 other children and am very stretched thin and worry that without the help of Medicaid DD Services I wouldn’t be able to give my daughter the tools she needs to thrive and grow like her therapists and I believe she can with the right help.
Destiny Watkins – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I am 31 years old and have had a learning and physical disability for the past ten years. With the support I have received, I have been able to maintain my own apartment, grow, and learn independently. Growing up in the foster care system was challenging, and the support provided by developmental disability (DD) services has greatly helped me develop essential life skills, enabling me to work and give back to the community.
I am the sole caregiver for my three-year-old son, who has autism with limited communication skills and uses an AAC device. He also has food aversions and gastric emptying issues. Having access to appropriate support is vital, as I am unable to physically teach him or keep him safe on my own. My son requires 24/7 care and constant supervision because he cannot recognize danger. The support services enable me to take short breaks, knowing that he is safe and cared for by trained staff who can meet his needs. These professionals are experienced in G-tube care and providing one-on-one assistance, which helps my son feel secure, supports his development, and facilitates his transition to a typical school environment. THE ONE ON ONE CONTINUE THERAPY APPOINTMENT AT HIS RATE OF LEARNING IS HOW HE THRIVES AND LEARNING AND SLOWING GETTING STRONGER.
Additionally, my son exhibits PICA behaviors, putting non-food items in his mouth, which can be very dangerous. Ensuring he is safe with trained caregivers who have the patience and time to support him is essential. It is also important that he has access to one-on-one support to help him feel secure, learn, and socialize with other children who have disabilities.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing these services would significantly impact my son’s development, social communication skills, and overall well-being. Currently, I am unable to afford these services out of pocket, as we rely solely on Social Security income and do not qualify for food stamps. Without proper support, I would struggle to manage appointments and ensure my son’s safety during medical visits. Access to accessible community resources for children with disabilities is limited, especially as a single, paraplegic mother with limited mobility and accessibility challenges.
Thank you for your understanding and support in ensuring my son continues to receive the services he needs to thrive.
Alyssa Warren – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid Services has helped my son develop and grow so much. My son Kaikoa is diagnosed with Autism level 2. When he was about 2 and 3, I was able to get him with a therapist through the infant toddler program. He did okay, but I could see he needed more than just one visit per week.
I was so blessed that he got approved for DD program through Medicaid because it opened a door for him to get more help. He started attending Learning Garden a Developmental Preschool, that provided Behavior therapy, Speech therapy, and Occupational therapy.
Kaikoa struggled with speaking the first year, but with the consistent weekly therapies he received he was able to finally communicate few words to me. He then was able to get approved for a ipad that had Proloquo on it, which helped pair pictures and words, he would use this as his talking device. As he used this to help him communicate to me and others I could see a change in his behavior because he was being heard and not struggling as much to try to communicate.
As Kaikoa continued to excel in his communication, it really helped him with his behavioral issues too. Working alongside his behavior therapist thru out the day helped Kaikoa socialize with others and how to cope or redirect when things don’t happen as expected. He would be guided by therapist on the next task, so that he doesn’t high focus on one thing too long. Occupational therapy has helped him get his fine motor skills perfect. He’s actually able to do things that most 6 year old children can do. He is able to hold a fork and eat with it. For so long, we struggled with him eating with his fingers, because he would get frustrated most times with the utensils. Now he eats great with his fork and spoon, I am so grateful for that.
Another thing that has really helped Kaikoa is when he has his therapist take him out into the community. He gets to be involved in the community with peers, going to the fire station, or the farmers market, or the petting zoo. He gets to learn how to adapt in the community and learn what is safe and what is danger. Teaching him to stay close in a parking lot because of cars, or being patient to wait in a long line at the store. We have been approved to purchase sensory devices with his budget and they have helped him so much with over stimulation. There are swings and weighted blankets, and compression shirts that have really helped Kaikoa when he has been over stimulated and needs a break. Being able to have these sensory items has really helped in numerous situations for Kaikoa, that I am so grateful we had it available.
I can not express it enough, my son has benefited so much with all of these supports that it truly is remarkable to see where my son was 4 years ago to right now. His progress and development has been deeply impacted by these support services.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing access to the services would be so difficult. The first major impact would be the drastic change of routine for Kaikoa. Kaikoa thrives on structure and routine. He has had the same full schedule for 4 years now, and dropping all these major services to him would simply devastate him. He has grown familiar and so comfortable with each therapist, that I know his heart would break with not being able to see them again.
Secondly, this will greatly impact his growth and development. We can not afford all these services each week, so even if we tried to remain some services, he would decrease in one because it would be maintained. I just can’t describe how beneficial it has been to have the ability and capability to have these services for my son. He wouldn’t be where he is at if it wasn’t for the Medicaid DD Services. To remove something that has molded and shaped my son today, would be like taking five steps backward.
Children in general need consistency, structure, and stability. They also need a comfortable environment that fits each one of them. With each service tailored to my son’s specific needs, if you took that away and just generalized things for him, he growth in things will decrease. Every child learns differently, my son needs things more one on one and at his pace. Removing these services would be so harsh for my son, I don’t see this benefiting any of the children of this program.
Ashley Whitman– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Hello! My name is Ashley, im a mom to 1 amazing boy named Josiah. I had josiah when I was 21 years old, and I was a single mom.
Here’s Josiah’s story.
Josiah was born a “fussy” baby. The beginning of his life was rough. He didn’t like to be held, didn’t want to be swaddled, but couldn’t stand being alone. I think from the beginning I knew Josiah was born different. I went to many Dr’s apps, brought all my concerns, and at 1.5 years old he went from a chatty boy to a silent shell, I was able to get him evaluated.
At 3 he was diagnosed as autistic… I was relieved, I had the answers…but he was still silent, and had meltdowns that would injure myself and himself..he wouldn’t even remember what happened. Because I had medicaid, and he was on disability medicaid, I was able to get him into speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral intervention. Something I would not have been able to afford as a single young mom living with family. I worked, but for barely above minimal wage.
The therapies josiah received gave him his voice back. But also allowed him to learn to interact with a world that would not bend to his needs. He worked so hard, and continues to get behavioral intervention services 5 days a week. Hes nearly 13 now, and with puberty we have seen a regression in skills he once mastered. I know if he loses the services he needs, he will regress even further and the skills he needs to interact with our unforgiving world will diminish.
Im lucky, we started early and worked hard. But these services cost $1000s a year. And In order for the disabled kids who receive them to become parts of the community and contribute to our country, they need these services. But if you cut the funding, many will go without. Many kids will be left behind. My son will go on to live a productive life and be a productive part of society, but if he hadn’t received those vital services thanks to medicaid… he would likely live with me forever, and rely on government funds once in gone.
Don’t let more of our children suffer. Don’t hurt our kids future. The children of this country are OUR future, it is OUR responsibility as a country to make sure they are ready for it. If not for my sons sake, think of the children in your lives. Its statistically probable that you or someone you love is directly impacted by the disabled community, or are a part of it.
Thank you, and please reconsider taking away from the children we brought into this world. Lets give them better, let’s do better for them.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I know if he loses the services he needs, he will regress even further and the skills he needs to interact with our unforgiving world will diminish.
April Johnson-Beery – Ada County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I am a behavior intervention provider working under HCBS. I have been working with children with developmental disabilities for the past 15 years. In that time I have helped children with many different challenges become more self-sufficient and work toward independent living. I’ve had several children move from non-verbal and physically aggressive at young ages to being unsupported in general education classrooms and college. This program saves us all money in the long run as we work to teach and support independence.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Since I am a provider if we lose these services, I will no longer have a job and no longer be a tax payer. My tax dollars will no longer be contributing the state budget thereby increasing the deficit. There are thousands of HCBS workers in the state that will be left without work. we should be looking at increasing revenue streams instead of cutting essential programs for our most vulnerable.
Jessica Whitaker– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son Mac was diagnosed when he was 3 with level 3 autism. He also has a lot of sensory needs . We struggled a lot with potty training, being around , other kids , and even out in the community. Aba has helped us in all of these supports . My son is 9 and we have been with the same Aba company since he was 3 ! He is currently being helped in school with a one on one and with out that help I don’t know how school would be going . They also help me with anything that come up new sensory ticks, school, home ideas , and just the knowledge or ideas that will help me and my family .
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? If we were to lose Aba I don’t know how school would go with losing our one on one . School has a hard time getting the help they need but my son needs a lot of assistance to keep on track . Also would mean summer time he will not get the supports he will need .
Trina Luoma– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I got custody of my grandson when he was 18 months old. He screamed constantly, slept only couple hours a night, would not eat food but loved eating metal, dirt, and plastic. He would not respond, no eye contact, as had no engagement with me. Once diagnosed therapy started. ABA, speech, and OT.
I wish I could show you a video of now. He has had amazing progress. He is happy, full of hugs, gives full eye contact, responds to name and just turning into a little boy.
He is almost 6 now. He has started to say words and copying our words. Not only has Tyler’s therapy help him but also has helped our family. Even though I raised five boys and had worked with children for years I had no idea what autism was. I never even met anyone with autism. I had no clue what I should do. The therapist help me by teaching me importance of strict routines and helped me navigate my new world I’m in with my grandson. I am so very thankful for each and everyone of them.
I can now take Tyler into stores and go out and eat dinner or even take him to my son’s house. All things we could never do just a couple years ago. What people don’t understand is simple little things kids can do is a huge challenge for some of our kiddos. They need time, patience, and most of all therapy. My Tyler needs practice practice practice in order to accept a new situation. Therapy is accomplishing all those needs. How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Tyler is level 3, non verbal, and GDD. He has had a very hard life being so young. His father passed before he was born. His mother couldn’t cope and unfortunately used drugs instead of being a mother. At 18 months old his life took a positive change and he came to live with Grandma and got the help he needed.
If Tyler lost the therapy I don’t think he will ever talk. Without therapy he won’t ever work or live on his own. Without therapy I will have no information on what is best for him on how to handle challenging situations. Without therapy Tyler would lose all his progress. Without therapy Tyler would get aggressive and as he gets bigger that becomes a very scary thought. Without therapy Tyler would not be able to function properly. He would get overloaded, frustrated, and just melt down.
In fact therapy is so important to our family for him that we would sell our home and move to a state that has services. We don’t want to of course. Idaho has been my home since 1986. But I would give up what I love because Tyler’s needs are more important. Our kids need a chance to succeed. Therapy is the answer !
Tiffany Klauba – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My name is Tiffany Klauba. I am a mother, an advocate, and the parent of a 7-year-old autistic son who relies on Medicaid-funded, community-based services to function, grow, and participate in everyday life.
Before receiving these services, my son could not speak. He was unable to communicate his needs, struggled with basic daily tasks, and required constant supervision. Independence was not a realistic expectation.
Today, because of consistent access to therapies funded through Medicaid, my son can talk, express himself, complete tasks independently, and meaningfully engage with the world around him. He is thriving—not because of chance, but because of services that work.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Proposed Medicaid budget cuts threaten to undo years of progress—not just for my son, but for thousands of Idaho families like mine.
These services are not “extras.” They are not luxuries. They are medically necessary, evidence-based supports that prevent far more costly outcomes down the road.
When children lose access to early intervention and community-based services, they do not simply plateau—they regress. Skills are lost. Behaviors escalate. Families are pushed into crisis. The long-term result is increased reliance on emergency services, institutional care, special education costs, and caregiver burnout—outcomes that are far more expensive for the state than maintaining services now.
Cutting Medicaid community-based services does not save money. It shifts costs—onto families, school systems, emergency responders, and ultimately the state itself.
Beyond my role as a parent, I advocate for individuals with disabilities and their families across Idaho. I see firsthand how these services allow people with disabilities to remain in their homes, participate in their communities, and live with dignity.
When these supports are reduced or eliminated, the ripple effect is immediate and devastating. Families leave the workforce to become full-time caregivers. Individuals lose hard-won independence. Communities lose contributors, employees, and neighbors.
Idaho’s disabled community is not asking for special treatment. We are asking for continuity, stability, and recognition that these services work. My son’s progress is living proof. Without Medicaid-funded community-based services, his success story would not exist.
I urge you to reconsider any proposed cuts to Medicaid services that support children and adults with disabilities. The decisions made in budget rooms translate directly into outcomes in real homes, real classrooms, and real lives.
Please choose to protect progress rather than reverse it.
Cara Lamb – Twin Falls County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I am a single mom to a 19 year old DD son with no family or help. Due to his needs and abilities he needs to be watched and taken care of leaving me unable to work or be out of the home for very long. I got certified for CFH and it is a huge blessing to us. Without it, we would not be able to have our needs. He has a worker that takes him a few hours a week to try to be as functional as possible. Please don’t cut our services.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I can’t leave him alone for long periods so unable to keep a real job. We wouldn’t have money for home and food!
Sarah Fletcher – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old and we have had Katie Beckett and DD services our entire journey. He has had access to speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and behavioral therapy.
There was a time when he was nonverbal with extreme sensory issues. He had no idea how to play with toys and could not pretend, we had to teach him these things. We couldn’t go anywhere without him being overstimulated. He tried to run away. He was very sensitive to routine changes and had severe meltdowns, would even hurt himself. People would stare at us because it was obvious he was different.
Now he’s almost 10 and very high functioning. He has learned how to manage his sensory issues and advocate for himself. He can speak! Most people that meet him have no idea he’s on the spectrum. He no longer has an IEP in school and he recently graduated speech and physical therapy!
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I honestly don’t think he would be where he is today without DD Services and early intervention! Every child with a developmental disability deserves to have access to every available therapeutic option no matter what! And their parents should have access to help and education. Not only is it a challenge raising a child with a disability, but it’s also very expensive. Being able to give my son every tool available to help him develop has ensured that he will have a better chance to fully function in his adult life.
If DD services and Medicaid take this away from other kids, the future will be really hard for them and they will require a lot more support as adults. Who will take care of them when their parents can’t advocate for them anymore? DD services is money well spent on the future generations!
Josie Fisher – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My 4 year old son has autism spectrum disorder and receives ABA therapy Monday through Friday. The amount of growth this has helped him achieve is incredible. His speech, social interactions, ability to problem solve, and so much more has improved tremendously through the services he receives. His therapists help with appointments, life skills, coping mechanisms, getting him ready for school as well as helping us with IEP and special education programs. His therapy has completely changes his life and is overall quality of life. He has been able to enjoy public outings, family gatherings, make friends, acclimate to a classroom, all thanks to his therapy.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing Idaho Medicaid DD would be detrimental to my son and our family. The chances of regression is terrifying for both him and our family. as well as the chances of him transitioning and succeeding in school and young adulthood without any recourses could decrease significantly. Children, young adults, and anybody regardless of age with autism spectrum disorder require a certain amount of recourse, help, and community to be successful.
Candice Maki – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My daughter is now 56, mentally & physically handicapped. Totally blind in one eye & legally blind in the other. A form of palsy in her knees. Spent the first 3 years of her life in Shriners born with 2 club feet. We depend so much on Medicade services. She is now in an Residentisl home. A year ago she was on a one on one assisted support, they took that from her. So medical issues. She needs one on one not to be shoved around. I have full custody of my granddaughter who we depend on Medicade for also. I am on social security so this helps so so much. Don’t cut those that need it if you have to cut. My question is why are you cutting it ? How can you do this ? So cruel
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Very bad. My daughter would not live properly & get the help she needs
Halie Loudenslager – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Charlie was diagnosed really young for autism. We had the privilege of having speech therapy for him so young. He learned sign language to fill the gap, then learned how to actually talk so we knew what he needed. He currently is in life skills at school, speech therapy and occupational therapy outside of school to help him learn the world around him. It bridges a gap that is detrimental between his world and ours.
From food and clothing textures, loud noises, to not being able to ride a bike because his brain doesn’t understand how to cross certain bridges and do multiple things at once. The progress he has made is incredible. I can’t tell you how many times I have cried during parent teacher conferences seeing how far he has come because of the services and support he has been given.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing these services would mean losing the support we need to help our child learn the world around him. The regress we would see in his understanding and progress would be immense. He’s currently thriving with the team he has and is getting up to speed with his current class. Seeing him fall farther behind would frustrate him to a point where he may stop trying. Cutting off these services isn’t only a disservice for the people who need it, but also to their support team. Their family and friends who so much want them to succeed and understand and feel safe.
Travis Brusseau– Nez Perce County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? This has been my profession for 19 years. This is how I support my family.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I would need to take my skills to another state. Uprooting my wife and children.
Laurie Sutton – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? When people hear the word Medicaid, a lot of assumptions come with it.
Most people think welfare. They picture something abstract. Something distant. But for me, Medicaid has a face. It has a name. It’s my brother.
My brother lives with a traumatic brain injury. Because of that, I am his caregiver. I provide care for him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Not because it’s easy. Not because it’s profitable. But because he’s my brother—and because this is his home.
Medicaid pays me $64 a day for that care. That’s for every medication, every meal, every appointment, every middle-of-the-night need.
Now here’s something people often don’t realize: If my brother lived in a facility instead of with me, Medicaid would be paying thousands of dollars a month to that institution.
Instead, he’s at home. He’s safe. He’s known. He’s cared for by someone who loves him.
As a certified family home, we’ve already taken a 4% cut in pay just last year. On top of that, we’re required to pay the state of Idaho $25 every single month just to participate in the program. We also pay—out of our own pockets—for yearly inspections: fire extinguishers, heating and cooling systems, and other safety requirements.
And we do all of this willingly. Because the care our loved ones receive is not optional—it’s vital.
Let me be very clear about something: My brother will always have a home. With or without funding.
But certified family homes like ours are essential. They protect dignity. They save the state money. They keep people out of institutions and in environments where they are truly seen and valued.
So when Medicaid is talked about as an easy thing to cut, I want people to understand what’s really at stake. This isn’t about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about real people. Real families. Real lives.
These homes matter. The people in them matter. And the care they receive should never be messed with.
Thank you for listening
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? If Idaho were to lose Medicaid DD services, it wouldn’t just affect a program—it would take away the little bit of extra support our family relies on.
We don’t receive much. But what we do receive matters. That small amount helps keep our household afloat and allows me to do things that bring normalcy and joy into my brother’s life.
It’s what lets me take him to a movie. Or out to dinner. Or do the small, everyday things most people take for granted.
Those moments aren’t luxuries. They’re part of living a full life. They’re part of dignity and inclusion.
When funding is reduced or eliminated, those experiences don’t disappear from a budget spreadsheet—they disappear from real lives. And for families like ours, that loss is deeply felt
Katelynn W. – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son, Hunter, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Level 2), moderate to severe ADHD, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder in late 2025. He is one of the kindest, most loving kids you could ever meet. He has always wanted friends. He has always wanted to be included. He just hasn’t always known how.
Hunter started speech therapy when he was only two years old, and he has been in speech services ever since. For years, progress felt painfully slow. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t come out the right way. That frustration built up inside him daily. It showed up as meltdowns, shutdowns, and tears — not because he was “misbehaving,” but because he simply couldn’t communicate what he needed. It wasn’t until last year that we finally began seeing clearer improvement in his speech, and even now, he is still far behind other children his age.
When we moved to Idaho and finally received his full diagnoses, we were told he needed ABA therapy, occupational therapy, and continued speech therapy alongside his school services. Through Medicaid and the Katie Beckett program, we were able to say yes to the help he needed.
The change has been something I can only describe as life-changing.
Before therapy, Hunter could have meltdowns that lasted 20 minutes to over an hour. He couldn’t explain what was wrong. Now, he is learning how to say, “I’m overwhelmed,” or “I need a break.” He is learning how to breathe, calm his body, and try again. Those may sound like small things, but for us, they are huge victories.
His teachers have told me they see a different child in their classroom — one who is trying, who is more engaged, and who is beginning to connect with other kids instead of feeling alone on the outside. For the first time, we have real hope that he can build friendships and feel like he belongs.
These therapies don’t just help Hunter — they help our whole family breathe again. Our home is calmer. His whole family sees him happier and more successful. Instead of spending every day in crisis mode, we are finally able to focus on helping him grow.
Medicaid didn’t give my son an “extra.” It gave him a chance — a chance to communicate, to learn, to make friends, and to believe he is capable. That is something every child deserves.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? He has been in speech therapy since he was two years old, and even after all these years, he only began making more noticeable progress last year. Communication is still incredibly hard for him. When he cannot express himself, the frustration builds until it comes out in tears, anger, or complete emotional shutdown.
Right now, Medicaid allows him to receive ABA therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. These services are helping him learn skills many children develop naturally — how to ask for help, how to handle frustration, how to calm his body, and how to interact with other kids.
If these services disappear, I am deeply afraid we will lose the progress he has fought so hard to make.
Without therapy, his meltdowns would likely grow longer and more intense again. School could become a daily struggle instead of a place where he is starting to feel successful. The small steps he has taken toward friendships could fade, and he could return to feeling isolated and misunderstood.
As his mom, I will always do everything I can for him. But I am not a therapist, and love alone cannot teach the specialized skills he is learning right now. These providers are giving him tools that change the direction of his life.
Losing these services would not just be a budget change for us — it would feel like the door to his progress quietly closing. Hunter is trying so hard. He wants to do well. He wants to have friends. He wants to be understood. Therapy is helping him get there.
Taylor Demute – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? At the yound age of a year and a half old my fully capable and functional ahead of the scale child was molested and beaten within an inch if her life. To no choice of her own her life was taken and flipped upside down. According to all medical testing and scans hmshe shouldn’t be walking, talking, breathing right, and not able to not have seizures. She wasn’t predicted to live.
Thank the lord she is but she was also left with TBI, cebral palsy, Cortical vision impairment, clones, sleep apnea, and more. She was left 100% blind with her retnas detached and by God minimal again she regained vision! She coukdnt walk, she couldnt speak, and after 2 months in a coma she had to completley restart. This is all important for people to grasp just how bad off she was.
With the continuous help over the last 8 years in countless classes and programs as well as PT, OT, and ST she is now walking, talking, seizures free, learning, and most importantly progressing. Without these services she wouldn’t be capable with doing any if these things.
4 years ago my daughter couldn’t be in a room with more than a couple people due to the noise and how much it hurt her brain and she use to bang her head off of walls and anything to seek out the impact. She use to bite and leave bruises on people’s arms for telling her no because she was so impulsive she couldn’t stop herself. She couldn’t barley speak correctly and be able to communicate her needs. She use to go months on end only sleeping for an hour or maybe two a night.
3 years ago we started ABA and for the first year we struggled still had to work through and find what worked for her but after that first year my daughter changed. She was able to communicate her needs much better and instead if being in holds day in and day iut we could go one or two holds a month and that number slowly dwindled down! She now maybe only needs to be put in holds a few times a year which i never thought we see this day!
Nicole and her team not only helped my baby girl but also provided me with knowledge and help that no one else could have helped us with! They came into our home providing me with the hand on training with her current needs in specific situations. They take her out into the community and do hands in training with her to meet her where she is at and guide her! They work side by side with her other therapies and do some of the most in depth work I have ever seen! The love for these children is so known and it’s made abundantly clear that our families have a safe space to bring our kids.
Our communities do not cater to children with disabilities. We don’t have schools that care for our kids or give then these services the way they need! We can not cut these from our communities!
One last note to really think about in my opinions is people of all ages needs help! If our government and our states are willing to house and feed prisoners and felons just like the one who did this to my baby girl why can’t thwy help our kids? I’ll never forget the sentencing when the judge had the audacity to look her offender in his eyes and say, “well it’s your first offense I’ll give you the minimum.”
If people like him deserve chances and help and pity so do our children and disabled adults. If people who are born into this world with no choice hut to just handle what they were delt then why can’t our governors and people in authority just deal with the budget and not neglect our communities needs.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Well for starters after two weeks of no services or even less services my daughter regresses. She forgets how to handle herself. Her body becomes more tired and hard to use. Her stress and anxiety levels rise which also triggers her tone issues and doubles down on her muscle fatigue. He reye sight becomes poor be cause her brain is in overload trying to cope and process what’s going on with her body. She becomes almost disoriented without the contact help and work. Her body needs these services to advance and become a productive member of society.
I also can’t pay the minmin of $18,000 out of pocket montly frees I’d have to absorb if she wasn’t covered. We’d definitely have to give up our house to attempt to cover at least some therapy. Insurance is rough getting because insurance doesn’t want to cover someone who is in need of this preexisting life long bills.
Janelle Schild– Ada County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My oldest daughter has learning disabilities and some others and Idaho Medicaid has helped alot getting the help she needs and all the medication that she needs all the time,
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing Medicaid would put a burden on the family because we cant afford all the medications and doctors appointments and everything for my daughter,
Tasha Randall – Gem County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability (DD) services have been essential for my family, including my aunt, my sister, and myself. These services do not provide “extra” support — they provide the basic assistance that allows disabled individuals to survive safely in the community and helps working families stay afloat.
My aunt struggles both mentally and physically due to a developmental disability. She relies on Medicaid-funded services daily, including support that helps maintain a safe living environment such as house cleaning and assistance with daily needs. Medicaid also helps her afford critical medications, including medications for asthma and other medical conditions. Without Medicaid, she would not have consistent access to the care and support she depends on.
My sister lives with schizophrenia. Her condition is not controlled with a single medication permanently — her treatment requires frequent medication changes, sometimes every couple of months, in order to manage symptoms and prevent crisis. Medicaid makes it possible for her to access those medications consistently. Without this coverage, her mental health would deteriorate quickly. When schizophrenia is untreated, it is terrifying: she becomes trapped in frightening hallucinations and delusions that she cannot make sense of, and she cannot safely function in the real world.
If Idaho Medicaid DD services are cut, especially direct support services, my sister may lose the ability to stay supported in her current environment and could be forced to return home. This would create a major hardship for my household. My mother works full time in an economy where she should be able to retire, yet she continues working because her income helps feed and support our family. She does not have the time or ability to provide full-time care at home.
In addition to how Medicaid supports my aunt and sister, it directly supports my livelihood as well. I am a Direct Support Worker and I currently work with multiple clients through Abilities LLC. My work is Medicaid-funded. If Medicaid DD services are reduced or eliminated, I could lose my job. If I lose my job, I lose my truck, my farm, and my ability to remain an independent, contributing citizen of Idaho. The reality is that not everyone can simply “go get another job.” The only career path that has consistently allowed me to work and support myself has been in Medicaid-funded direct support services.
Medicaid does not only help individuals — it stabilizes families, supports workers, reduces institutionalization, and strengthens communities. Cutting Medicaid DD services would not save Idaho; it would harm vulnerable citizens, push disabled individuals into crisis, and collapse an already strained support system.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD services would have a devastating impact on my family.
My aunt relies on Medicaid-funded support for help maintaining her home, including cleaning services that allow her to live safely and with dignity. Without these services, she would not be able to afford the help she currently receives. This would force her family to step in and provide care, which would require her son to change jobs or reduce work hours—creating financial strain and instability. The most severe impact would be on my sister, who lives with schizophrenia. Her condition requires ongoing treatment, and her medications are not permanently effective. She often must switch medications every couple of months in order to manage symptoms and prevent crisis. Medicaid is what makes this treatment possible. Without Medicaid, she would lose access to psychiatric care and medications, placing her at high risk of rapid deterioration and crisis.
Without Medicaid DD services, my sister would also lose the ability to live independently. She would not be able to afford housing, and she would likely be forced to return to live with my mother. This would be harmful for everyone involved. My sister has worked hard to live as independently as possible with the help of Abilities LLC direct support services. Being forced back into a household situation would not only be emotionally damaging, but also unsafe because she requires frequent supervision and ongoing support. My sister cannot maintain employment due to her condition, including difficulty staying on task and managing daily responsibilities without support. She cannot be left alone for extended periods of time and requires consistent assistance.
If services are cut and she comes home, our family would face an impossible situation. My mother works full time, my father works full time, and I also work as a Direct Support Worker. There would be no one available to provide the full-time supervision and care she requires, meaning someone would be forced to quit their job. At the same time, Medicaid cuts would also reduce or eliminate the very Medicaid-funded jobs that support workers like myself rely on.
Beyond my own household, I am deeply concerned about what Medicaid cuts would do to other vulnerable Idahoans—including elderly individuals and disabled adults currently receiving home-based services. Without these supports, many will be pushed out of community living and forced into institutional care. This is not only more expensive long-term, but it increases the risk of neglect and abuse. Abuse in institutional settings is real, and it should never be accepted as collateral damage.
I urge Idaho’s governor and legislators to reconsider reductions to Medicaid DD services. If changes must be made, Idaho must prioritize a replacement plan that preserves independent living supports for the disabled and elderly. Without these services, families will collapse under caregiver burdens, individuals will enter crisis, and Idaho communities will suffer.
Chloe Alves – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid DD services have helped my family in so many ways and without we would be in a very hard place because I have a sister with Down syndrome who will never live on her own, still needs daily help doing basic things, can’t really communicate and isn’t potty trained so without these services she won’t be able to get the help she needs. These services provide her with undergarments we can’t afford to buy every month because of the amount needed and even the amount we do yet we end up needed to buy more.
They give us ways to help provide for her and her extra needs without worrying she wont be able to have everything she needs to live her day to day life. These services have helped her, her whole 21 years we have been here in idaho. They give us some security that she will be taken care of because sometimes extra care and things pop up unexpectedly with people with disabilities that not everyone can pay out or pocket for.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? If we lost these services she would be affected drastically. She wouldn’t be able to get the daily help she needs from her undergarments, Dr visits because she doesn’t have the best help and her very picky expensive diet because she has severe celiac disease. She has help arising the older she gets and people with down syndrome don’t have as long as life expectancy than people who don’t.
We just want to be able to give her the best life possible and without these services that will be very hard to achieve because she is quite high maintenance for somethings and taking these services would confuse her. She wouldn’t understand why she couldn’t get the help she used to and why it would just stop after all these years. I understand people are taking advantage of these services but we aren’t and we really do need them. My parents won’t be able to care for her without them. My mom was 24 when she has my sister and no one knew she had a disability until she was born. Shes a blessing from above.
Rebecca Linck – Bonner County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son, Jade, now 20 has been completely blind for 7 years following an accidental firearms incident in 2018. Both of his eyes were surgically removed, he lost his right frontal lobe, parts of his parietal. Medicaid covered all his medical expenses, now that he is an adult he is covered by Medicare, he now suffers from severe seizures.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? He simply cannot afford physically, emotionally, or financially less benefits, in fact he and others on disability need more services to simply survive.
I am 50, fully disabled due to a spinal injury. I have chosen no more medical interventions and as my physical body deteriorates – I wonder who will advocate for my son and others who deserve dignity, and access to healthcare services.
These individuals already barely survive financially, my son gets an SSA check each month for $.10 ( we have never deposited it, it’s offensive actually), my son lives on our property as he needs family support. He does get SSDI, last I knew it was $940/month, he & his finance are expecting their first baby in May.
The services provided for the disabled are already simply unrealistic, strictly regulated, and honestly ultimately shockingly inadequate. To reduce disability benefits would simply be a disgrace to our most vulnerable citizens.
I know what it is to be bedridden, utterly hopeless at times due to the lack of care, dignity, purpose, and resources available. However, I’m fortunate in Faith and I believe God is closest to the brokenhearted. Put yourself in the shoes of those who can’t walk by sight, of those who can’t walk at all, those who rely on others to survive – we are still someone’s mother, father, grandmother or grandfather, son or daughter, brother or sister – we have value, we do not chose this life or our disabilities. We still have hopes and dreams until the reality of the world takes even that away. By reducing access to resources (which are already severely limited) – you are taking away what little dignity we might have left—any Will to Live. Perhaps this is by design.
Just once, I would like to see you (policymakers), live in our reality. No independence, no financial freedom, no freedom of choice as someone else decides what it is we need, and someone else decides what is necessary. You want to cut budgets – look at your own paychecks, benefits, bonuses, frivolous spending and stop taking from those who truly need assistance.
From this dying human to another.
Kathryn Guevarra – Benewah County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability (DD) services have been life-changing for our family.
Because of these services, my son receives therapies that help him regulate his behavior, communicate, and function in daily life. These are not optional services, they are medically necessary.
When he receives consistent therapy, he is calmer, more engaged, and better able to handle everyday situations that many people take for granted.
Our family drives back and forth to therapy every day. It takes time, energy, and sacrifice, but we do it because we see the difference immediately. When my son misses even one day of therapy, his behavior changes. He becomes more dysregulated, more overwhelmed, and daily life becomes much harder for him and for our entire family.
DD services help keep our home stable. They help prevent behavioral crises. They help reduce the need for emergency care. They help our son make progress instead of falling behind.
Because of these services, we are able to care for our son at home instead of facing more costly and disruptive options. We are able to keep him safe, supported, and moving forward.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Without these services, our family would be at risk of going backward, losing progress that took years to build.
The fear of losing medically necessary care is overwhelming, because we know what happens when support is taken away.
Idaho Medicaid DD services are not just helping our son, they are helping our entire family function.
They are helping us build a future where our child has the best possible chance to thrive.
Misha Stein – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability Services have been essential to our family’s ability to care for our son, Jackson, who has profound autism. These services have allowed him to receive structured support, therapies, and supervision that are critical to his safety and daily functioning.
Jackson requires continuous, 24-hour supervision due to his lack of communication, absence of danger awareness, and complete dependence for daily care. He also requires direct supervision during all meals, as he cannot self-regulate his eating and will eat too quickly and vomit without caregiver assistance.
Medicaid DD services help ensure that Jackson’s complex needs are met while allowing our family to function. They make it possible for my wife to provide full-time care when he is not in school or at his ABA therapy program, while I maintain full-time employment and travel as required to support our family financially. These services are not optional for us — they are essential to keeping Jackson safe, healthy, and supported in our community.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing access to Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability Services would be devastating for our family and unsafe for our son. Jackson requires constant supervision due to his profound autism, lack of functional communication, complete absence of danger awareness, and need for hands-on assistance with daily activities, including feeding. Without direct supervision during meals, he is unable to regulate his intake and will eat too quickly and vomit, creating ongoing health and safety concerns.
Without DD services, we would lose the structured supports that help prevent injury, medical complications, and crisis situations. My wife is unable to work because Jackson cannot be left unattended, and without these services the physical, emotional, and financial strain on our family would become unmanageable. Jackson will require lifelong care and support, and access to Medicaid DD services is critical to ensuring his safety, dignity, and long-term well-being.
Lynette Straley – Bonner County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My daughter is severely autistic, not quote non verbal. I’m a single mom. Without DD services, I would be unable to work and at the mercy of the welfare system. DD services has also allowed my daughter to get to know people in our community and provided caregivers that truly love and want to help her be as independent as possible.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? My daughter and I would BOTH be at the mercy of the welfare system. I would be unable to work and we would lose our house. Losing DD services would plunge us into poverty.
Deborah Patterson – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I became a certified family home to keep my disable son and his adult now autistic non verble son in the only home he knows since son was r months old became qualified for disable while child and social security medicaid .this will put a financial burden and health and development. No longer be able to update his acc talker updated and crippled his communication with the outside community
Doctors will be a non existent. Dental will be impossible to find and lead to ill heath problem and can’t access medication to help his health putting more strain on the welfare system.and cost the state of idaho more in the long run .yes go after those who commit fraud and overbilling
His therapies are important to become a productive citizen
Please listen to us pleading help us keep our most valuable citizen provide by the parents and grandparents doing the best for our disable kids and adults
By providing safe regulated homes and able to work limited jobs and not on the welfare system .can’t qualify for previous insurance
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Besides the financial ability to provide adult son and adult grandson on our limited income and lost ability for access medical care and therapy to be independent from state assistance. We receive no food stamps or cash to support our basic needs of medicine and medication needed to survive
I became certified family home to support disable son and non verble grandson
Michelle Strigotte– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My niece is several low functioning from low neurocognitive functioning and will never speak or live independently on her own. She will need all the supports.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? See above comment
Brooke Sandy– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? It’s been able to keep my aunt home to take care of her full time & not have to worry about going back to work. We’ve gone through different caregivers before & they either don’t last a long time or they aren’t able to meet the needs my cousin needs.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? There would be no one to take care of my cousin, my aunt & uncle would have to go back to work & there’s a potential we would lose the house.
Jeni Kelley – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My oldest daughter is Non verbal autistic and developmentally delayed. That is now added with an unfortunate side affect of a tumor being removed and causing a stroke. She is wheelchair bound and the hope of her walking again relies on services to help her regain her strength and ability to walk again. She has been disabled for 9 years, officially. We’ve done speech, swallow therapy, physical therapy, and occupational to make her life as easy as possible.
Medicaid DD Services are what provides her with life changing medications, life changing equipment to allow her a life as “normal” as she can have. If we lose services, then she loses all hope of walking again. She relies solely on medications that are covered by medicaid. She relies on services to get her walking again. If she loses those, she loses a fulfilling life.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? My daughter would not longer have the ability to walk again. She would be wheelchair bound the remainder of her life. She is only 11 years old. And she requires tube feeding. And these services would end for her if we lose Medicaid.
Krista Wenzel – Shoshone County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My little family probably is one of the most interesting stories for what Medicaid DD Services could do for people whom cannot have private insurance or just need the help to improve their life.
First I’d like to start by calling us a dedicated therapy family. My daughter was diagnosed with severe non verbal ASD in 2015 and has been to every kind of therapy we could try in our area.
We drove over 200 miles a week to many different offices because some couldn’t handle her special needs. More like she was too difficult for some therapists. Anywho after finding the right places and going 2 to 3x a week which would put us well over the new recommendation of 20 visits per therapy per year…
She now has stopped needing her speech device and with all the Behavioral therapy and interventions she was able to take a break and go to school full time for the first time since we started ten years ago! She is now in a high school setting and is so excited she is working on her new school goals and making new friends!
She still has her troubles but if it wasn’t for all the therapists of every specialty, speech, OT, Behavioral, ABA, family training for the last 10 years 2 times or more week, and driving over 200 plus some miles. I don’t know where she would be now.
So now you think I’m wrapping up all that DD Services has done for my family? Nope! Surprise my son was born in 2016! He was behind for his age too… I was broken.. he was diagnosed with non verbal ASD when he turned 3. And several different adhd, add and severe dyslexia. So my daughter has already been doing therapy for 4 years at this point and my son just started his journey. My son also did feeding therapy on top of everything else through DD Services. He also did twice a week for almost 4 years. When he turned 8 he graduated and I mean graduated his Behavioral therapy and OT and out side speech therapy!
He now is the top of his class in his 4th grade class this year for math and he has made so many people proud that has taken the time and years of therapy to help him be where he is today. That is what real help for these kids with disabilities can do.
Now let’s get to the real end of this family’s crazy story. My youngest son whom is 4 now here in 2026. He started his therapy journey when he was just 2 years old. After having 2 older siblings on the spectrum I knew what it looked like having a child on the spectrum and it helped having therapists who know what to look for seeing your youngest at his siblings therapys. He was also diagnosed with non verbal ASD. He still needs the therapy his siblings have had and proven to help them become better prepared for this world we live in now.
I’m scared that he will never get the chance his siblings have had. I’m scared our idaho will fail him. He needs to have the same chances his sister and brother did for a better chance at life. I’m doing the best I can for him but without all the things we had before idk if it will be enough.
I am also a disabled person. I am an amputee from having cancer back when I was 17. So life has been challenging enough for us but my three kids are amazing and they deserve help too. After surgery and life complications I can no longer work with my disability and DD services is all I can give them to help improve their chances in life. Please help them and others like our family keep their chances for a better quality of life.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? It will be devastating and my youngest will lose the chance that his older siblings had to gain true progress. He will probably regress and not get ahead where he could have gotten with these opportunities, he would have had. If they were able to keep medicaid dd services.
Delaney Jenkins – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My daughter has ASD and has been receiving services since she was 19 months old. She was non verbal until the age of almost 4, thanks to speech and OT. We’ve been doing speech and OT twice a week since, she is now 5 and kindergarten. She’s still not where neurotypical children are but we wouldn’t be where we are without the extra services.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? No more services could mean a huge set back in progress, loss of connections for my child, and loss of community for my family. I fear for regression if her private services were to be taken away.
Mishelle Bowen – Idaho County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son Christopher is a 43 year-old mildly autistic with developmentally delayed young man Christopher was diagnosed at the age of three. He was born healthy strong. At three months of age, Christopher developed what they call infantile spasms
Infantile spasms if some are not familiar with them are similar to seizures. From the time of three months to six months of age these so-called seizures would last for almost 5 minutes. To witness this in a baby a child an adult is devastating.
I as a parent felt helpless and all I could do was hold my son until the seizure stopped. we lived in a small town in Arizona,medically we didn’t have those facilities that knew exactly what was causing them. They thought they were epileptic seizures so he was placed on phenobarbital it did not work.
We then proceeded with other options and took him to the university of Tucson, where they diagnosed him of having infantile spasms. Christopher at that age was five years of age. Christopher is very blessed that these spasms did not severely blind him or cripple him over the years.
Christopher has been to special needs schools from the time we moved to Idaho, Christopher was placed in a special-needs class in the middle school along with going into high school. Christopher graduated in 2002.
At the age of 21 Chris has been going to a adult center for developmentally disabled adults and has received not only the confidence he needed to bring him out of his shell. Chris has made some really good friends.
Christopher has four brothers younger than him and he has been a shining example to his brothers in every way possible. At the age of 42 going on 43 Christopher has thrived with the help of some wonderful dedicated individuals who run the center that he is going to right now I have seen this young man blossom.
Christopher used to be very emotional by striking out not to others, but to himself hurting himself, he has grown and has developed greatly in every way possible he has learned to somewhat control his emotions. He is still learning, He has learned how to communicate with others he participates in his groups and work out in the community. He has a job that he has held for 10 years one day a week
Chris is still learning a lot. He may not be able to live on his own. He will live with me his mom, but I have seen great miracles with Christopher. It is through these services that Chris has learned greatly and continues to learn Medicaid DD services have helped give him the resources that he needs..
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? By losing these services, for these individuals would be a great hardship, not only for them, but for everyone involved, including their families and the people that work with these individuals. It hurts me to see that those individuals in government who sit and make decisions on things that they think is not important, but it is, for not only us as the parents and caregivers but these children and adults with developmental disabilities. This will cause more harm to these families
Maybe what our government needs to do is visit some of these places and see the help that these children and young adults are receiving. By cutting back the budget for Medicaid DD services, you will cause a great ripple just like throwing a stone into water and the affect it has.
I ask our leaders to not only think about what you were doing but to pray about what you are thinking of doing. If you do not have a child or a relative with certain disabilities, maybe you feel like you’re blessed but I do have a son with a disability and I am truly blessed. He is our angel. He is our light.
There are so many other Ways out there where government can cut tax dollars but to cut Medicaid services should not be one of them.
Holly Cox – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My name is Holly Cox. I am a grandmother and legal guardian, an advocate, and the primary caregiver of my nine-year-old granddaughter, who is autistic and has ADHD. Through Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability Services, she is able to access essential supports, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy.
These services address her unique developmental needs and help her build critical communication, behavioral, and daily living skills. Because of these supports, she has made meaningful progress in her ability to learn, interact with others, and function more independently.
This year, she participated with increased independence in Brownie Girl Scouts and Park and Recreation volleyball. These experiences represent major milestones for her—building confidence, increasing self-esteem, and allowing her to engage more fully with her peers and community.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Disability services funded through Medicaid do far more than provide therapy—they give children like my granddaughter the chance to reach their potential and participate fully in their schools, families, and communities.
As her caregiver, I see every day how consistent access to these supports preserves her progress and shapes her future. Without them, her gains—and her long-term outcomes—would be at serious risk. These services are not optional or supplemental; they are lifelines.
I also speak as a licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant. Cuts to Medicaid would not only jeopardize my granddaughter’s care, but would directly undermine my ability to provide therapy to other children and families who depend on these programs. Reduced funding means fewer providers, longer waitlists, disrupted care, and increased burnout in an already strained workforce. When providers are lost, families lose access—and children lose critical opportunities during the most important years of development.
I urge policymakers to protect and fully fund Medicaid community-based services. Children with disabilities cannot afford interruptions or rollbacks. These programs sustain progress, prevent long-term disability, and allow children to grow into more independent, engaged members of their communities. Do not cut services that work. Invest in care that changes lives.
Suzanne Brown – Nez Perce County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son Ethan is 24yrs now. When he was born, I had a great full-time job working with the Department of Justice.My intent was to work part time and share parenting with his dad. Ethan was born severely disabled, undiagnosed. He needs full 24/7 care so I had to quit my job to care for him.
Things didn’t work out for his dad and I so I moved back home to Lewiston and moved in with my parents. I had no income. My son started school and I began a part-time job, and we made things work. He had services after school, which helped with his ability to integrate into social activities limited by his disability.
Once he graduated I chose to become a certified home self direct on the DD waiver. This provided services in my home for my son. As a single parent, this was a great opportunity to give my son the best care at home.
Through the program I hire Community Service Workers to help me provide my son with his daily needs. Being a 24/7 caregiver is difficult. The CSWs help me provide care to my son which has given him a quality of life in his own familiar environment….home.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Providing 24/7 care is difficult as a single parent. My son is very small for 24yrs but lifting 60lbs several times a day wears on a person’s body. The CSW’s provide valuable assistance in helping with Ethan’s daily lifts and activities. Without funding I would not be able to afford to pay for help in the home. The program also allows me to earn an income by caring for my son.
Since my son is very small and with severe disabilities, he is unable to defend or protect himself from outside harm. If I had to place him in an institution, in order to earn an income, it would be unsafe and detrimental to his quality of life.
Sandra Moats – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? One of our daughters has struggled in being cared for. We could not take care of her for the safety of our whole family and for her personal safety. Because of DD services she is able to safely live in her own apartment with caregivers. We are so thankful for her being able to have the help she needs for her safety.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? My husband is 85 and has a failing heart. I am 80 and I am unable to care for our daughter who is constantly dealing with mental struggles. I don’t know where she could be cared for.
Brittni Strong – Idaho County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Not only has Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped our family but it’s been more like a life saver. My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and because of the DD services my son has gotten the help he needs and has made such incredible progress, and the family therapy we’ve been able to get has helped our family become stronger, happier, and healthier.
I’m scared to think how/where our family would be without these services and the amazing people it’s brought into our lives. Please don’t take this away from the family and kids who depend on them.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? It would be devastating to our family and especially my son who needs these services. We are a single income family, we can’t afford the services that he needs, but he needs them and has been making progress and I’m terrified to think of what will happen to us if we loose his therapies.
Liz Horsmon – Bonner County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I am an occupational therapist providing services to pediatric patients and adults with developmental delays (genetic disorders, cerebral palsy, autism). Most of the people I work with are highly complex individuals that require a multidisclinary team to help them participate in daily living.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? This change would directly affect the quality of care and the success of my care. When these individuals receive the wrap around services they require, the children, the families and all members on the care team are set up to succeed.
Without DD services and the access it provides to comprehensive care, all services are set up to fail. Cutting preventative services will not save money for the state or us tax payers. It will increase emergency room admissions for unsafe or aggressive behaviors.
This is already a major problem in the state because we lack the infrastructure for acute pediatric mental / behavioral health. My hospital (Bonner General) has had teens living in the emergency room for MONTHS because of their aggressive behaviors that were not treated in outpatient. These cases could have prevented with robust outpatient services, These hospitalizations cost Medicaid and our hospitals millions as well as takes up valuable space in our emergency rooms (which should scare us all). Cutting funding to DD services will only shift the costs and stress our already very stressed hospital systems.
Marie Aiman – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Been a blessing for my autistic son. He has benefited immensely from speech, occupational therapy physical and ABA behavior services.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Although improvements have been made as he ages new challenges are presented and losing access to having him continue therapy would be devastating.
North Idaho kids and adults need access to care and therapies . Please don’t limit or get rid of budgets . Affects so many of us .
Rocky Banks – Shoshone County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? I have an adult Autistic son that needs Medicaid DD services to get by, he has no other options.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? It is frightening to think where are son would end up with out Medicare DD services.
Bry Howe – Ada County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid DD services have been a lifeline for our family. These services give our autistic son the support he needs to feel safe, understood, and successful in his daily life.
Because of Idaho’s DD services, he is learning to communicate and regulate his emotions, and our home is calmer and more stable. This support allows our son to remain at home with his family and gives us hope for his future here in Idaho.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing Idaho Medicaid DD services would be devastating for our family. Our autistic son depends on these supports to feel safe, communicate, and succeed at home. Without them, his progress and our family’s stability would be at serious risk.
Bobbi Eller – Idaho County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My granddaughter has ASD and has been receiving services since she was 19 months old. She was non verbal until the age of almost 4. Thankfully she has been participating in speech and OT twice a week since her diagnosis. She is now 5 and in kindergarten. She’s still not where neurotypical children are but this fabulous little girl and her family wouldn’t be where they are without the extra services.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? No more services could mean a huge set back in progress, loss of connections for my grandchild, and loss of community for her family. I fear for regression if her private services were to be taken away.
Jessie Garvey – Idaho County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? DD services allow my autistic sons to go to school and enjoy the social learning environment they would otherwise miss out on. Should we not be able to participate due to cutting this funding, the results would be detrimental to their growth and development.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Cutting this funding would seriously stunt their growth and development. They would miss out on vital social, community exposure they need.
Brittany Cowan– Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son Nathan is seven years old and is nonverbal autistic. He was diagnosed at two years old and has been doing speech, occupational and behavioral therapy since. Without these services we would’ve been lost trying to navigate this world.
He attends speech and OT outside of school once a week as well as having in-home behavioral therapy 2 to 3 times a week. This has been crucial in the progress that he has made.
We went from hand leading to everything and big frustrations to try to tell us what he wanted to being able to use an AAC device to communicate simple things like what he wants to eat or where he would like to go in the house or if he would like to swing outside. To some this would be small but to us it’s huge. He is now using it at school to count up to 40, create small words & knows the alphabet.
Idaho Medicaid DD services has allowed us to see this progress. If these services were to be taken away, our son would be deeply affected as well as our family and many other families throughout Idaho! When our son thrives the family thrives.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? If we were to lose access to Idaho Medicaid developmental disability services, this would deeply impact our family. We could no longer afford many of the services that he is provided since he needs them on a weekly basis. His behavioral plan suggests up to 40 hours a week of therapy…that’s a full time Job! I’ve already had to cut back on working at the hospital due to his high demanding needs not anyone can just watch my son. This would be a huge disservice to our disabled community and simply not right.
Just because my son is unable to speak up for himself doesn’t mean the many families and friends that know and love him won’t. Please reconsider your actions and keep our kids potential and well being at the forefront!
Kelsey Heintz – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Our family has utilized many of the systems available to children with disabilities in Idaho. My son is 13 years old and has Down syndrome.
We began in the Infant Toddler Program and later transitioned into school-based services, as expected. While these programs are designed to educate children academically, they are not equipped or trained to address the behavioral, developmental, and functional needs that accompany complex disabilities.
Before, and even during, our participation in Home and Community-Based Services, we repeatedly attempted to rely on school-based supports and other available programs. Unfortunately, these efforts consistently fell short. School settings lacked the specialized training, consistency, and individualized behavioral support necessary for my son. They also only allowed around 20 minutes a week, which is nowhere near what he really needs. Rather than helping him progress, these environments often resulted in increased frustration, heightened behaviors, and regression in critical skills.
Once my son began receiving consistent Medicaid-funded Home and Community-Based Services, the difference was significant and measurable. Through specialized behavioral intervention, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, he learned how to communicate more effectively, regulate emotions, improve motor skills, and increase safety awareness. These services focused on real-life skills, not just academics, and were delivered in a way that met his individual needs.
As a result, my son is thriving. He is more independent, better able to participate in family and community life, and more regulated in his daily routines. These services have provided him with tools that will support long-term independence and reduce future reliance on crisis services and institutional care. The impact on our family has been stabilizing, sustainable, and life-changing.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing access to Idaho Medicaid Developmental Disability Services would cause serious and immediate harm to my son and our family. We have extensive experience navigating Idaho’s education-based systems, and they cannot replace the specialized therapeutic services provided through Home and Community-Based Services.
School-based programs are designed to teach academic skills. They are not trained or resourced to address complex behavioral needs, emotional regulation, safety skills, or functional independence. Our past experiences relying on these programs resulted in increased behaviors, frustration, and regression. Not because of lack of effort, but because the system is not structured to provide this level of care.
If Home and Community-Based Services were removed and school-based services became the only option, my son would lose access to the supports that allow him to thrive. Skills related to communication, emotional regulation, independence, and safety would deteriorate. Behavioral challenges would increase, creating instability in our home and increasing the likelihood of crisis-driven interventions.
The loss of these services would also directly impact our family’s ability to remain in the workforce and engaged in our community. Without appropriate supports, unmet needs do not disappear, they escalate. This shifts costs to emergency services, institutional care, and other higher-cost systems that are far less effective and far more expensive.
Idaho Medicaid DD Services are not duplicative of education-based programs. They fill a critical gap and provide specialized interventions that schools cannot. Eliminating these services would reverse years of progress, increase costs to the state, and reduce the independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities like my son.
Carolina Watson – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? My son Leonardo who has autism and is non verbal. He receives behavioral intervention therapy and that help him to overcome sensory issues, learn to be around others, learn to self regulate etc. as a single mom this help is extremely important. It’s our only support system since we don’t have any family near us.
Leo has improved in some ways but needs continued support and his therapists and routine are essential in his life. We haven’t been able to get respite care since there’s a lack of providers. Leo is non verbal and receives speech therapy and OT once a week.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? If any portion of the therapies Leo receives were reduced or cut, it would be devastating for Leo and myself. He needs to receive support to acquire life skills, manage sensory issues etc. learn how to be safe in the community ( ex. He is not aware of danger, cars, etc) He loves getting to the center and seeing his therapists. He needs his routine. They work with him to overcome his frustration, implement the use of his communication device, etc.
Leo is making progress and losing access to therapy would cause him to regress and he and I would be very stressed out. I’m very exhausted already even having the therapies for Leo. I don’t have any family members in Idaho. Leo’s father is in another state.
Mona Zucker – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? our son Nicholas currently resides in a residential habilitation utilizing home and community based services. Nicholas requires caregiver services 24/7 for health and safety issues. Without this, he would be at risk for residing in an institutional setting in which would severely and negatively impact his life and also be moved away from his family.
We urge you not to sacrifice individuals like Nicholas who would suffer in order to balance a budget or make budget cuts.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Losing services would severely impact our family and we would most likely loose our son to a system that cannot handle his needs and has already failed our disabled community in the past which is why Medicaid created home and community based services.
Marc Poeschel – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Our daughter has been diagnosed with multiple disorders including autism, ADHD, ODD and more. She is 20 years old and cannot hold a job, shop for herself, follow diet restrictions, follow common hygiene practices and has no one but family and support staff from DD services. She is not able to live in our home and has to be watched 24/7. Her medications cause mood swings from severe depression to violent outbursts and self harm.
Without DD services we will not have any source of support for her. We would be struggling on one income and no means of taking care of her needs daily while working and taking care of other family members who need us also. Her care is all consuming and very difficult, we are not mental health professionals and that is what DD helps provide for her.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? Budget cuts are necessary for good government. However cutting services for those we should be protecting (vulnerable and without support) should be last. Do your paper coffee cups have logos? Does the senate pay a stipend for everything from parking to licensing for vehicles? Where are the dollars going if the cuts for mentally, physically and emotionally dependent people are made? Does the additional money taken from a disabled child or adult sound better paying for more staffers? It’s going to be hard to justify this cut to us and thousands like us when we can’t afford new cars, nice homes or vacations and live paycheck to paycheck. But we pay our taxes every day and ask for little but this.
If you want to see how your cuts will affect Idahoans, walk the walk. Spend time in residential homes. Talk to families. Be a face of Idaho, not the bureaucratic process that is impersonal and without feeling. We are watching as well as listening and hoping and praying.
Debra De Zarn – Kootenai County
How have Idaho Medicaid DD Services helped your family? Idaho Medicaid DD Services provided my son the opportunity to achieve his full potential and is credited for his successful integration into society as he enters adulthood. At three years old he was significantly impacted by Autism, he received speech therapy, OT therapy, family support services and attended an Idaho Developmental Preschool (The Learning Garden). His services continued into high school and was supported by his IEP.
Today he is a seventeen year old in his senior year; he is set to graduate this spring, has a drivers license and a car, he also has a job and a girlfriend. He has played on a hockey team for four years without anyone knowing of his diagnosis. His story proves what Idaho Medicaid DD Services provides for our children’s futures and how his success strengthens our community.
Without DD services we will not have any source of support for her. We would be struggling on one income and no means of taking care of her needs daily while working and taking care of other family members who need us also. Her care is all consuming and very difficult, we are not mental health professionals and that is what DD helps provide for her.
How would losing access to Idaho Medicaid DD Services impact your family? I am now raising my six year old granddaughter who has Autism. Today she receives the same services my son did and attends the same Idaho Developmental Preschool (The Learning Garden). If she loses access to those services, she would be being denied the opportunity to achieve the incredible outcome that her uncle has had.
I am disabled and our family does not have the income to afford her much needed services. She would regress without Medicaid DD Services, caring for her without the support of her team would negatively impact my health, and her relationships including with her little sister would suffer gravely. My granddaughter deserves a happy, healthy and fruitful life with a successful outcome, and the Idaho Medicaid DD Services provides her that opportunity.
