SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – Families across Missouri are voicing strong opposition to proposed cuts to the state’s Self-Directed Services (SDS) program, a vital lifeline for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. The proposed budget reductions threaten at-home care options, potentially forcing vulnerable individuals into institutional settings.
The SDS program allows families to directly manage the funding for in-home care for their disabled family members, providing a degree of autonomy and personalized support that many believe is crucial for quality of life. The program’s structure enables families to hire caregivers, including family members, to provide around-the-clock assistance with daily living tasks.
Patricia Sigman, a single mother from Missouri, exemplifies the program’s impact. She currently receives SDS funding to care for her 24-year-old daughter, Taylor, who has cerebral palsy and requires constant support. Sigman emphasized the program isn’t about financial gain, but about maintaining a stable and loving home environment. “This isn’t a program that people are getting rich on. It’s just not. It’s a program that’s allowing us to make it,” she stated.
The proposed cuts, according to Sigman and other advocates, would make it financially impossible for her to continue providing care for Taylor at home. “They’re literally putting their foot on the head of people who are already drowning,” Sigman said, expressing her fear that Taylor would be forced into a care facility if the funding is eliminated. “If they cut the funding, I have a house and vehicles that I can’t stay here for $15 an hour. I have to go out and get a job, which leaves nobody for Taylor here.”
The concerns extend beyond financial hardship. Advocates argue that the SDS program allows individuals with disabilities to live fuller, more integrated lives within their communities. Sigman highlighted the importance of these experiences for her daughter, stating, “We’re not line items. We’re human beings. Taylor laughs. I mean, I could share hundreds of pictures of us out in the community, at church, giving her a good life. And it just requires less of the government to allow her to do that in her own home.”
State Representative Betsy Fogle, a member of the House budget committee, confirmed that the committee is actively reviewing the Governor’s proposed budget and is hearing significant feedback from constituents regarding the potential impact of the cuts to SDS. “We are now working our way through that testimony with the departments where we’re holding them accountable, asking questions, making sure we’re providing oversight, and making sure that we’re funding to the appropriate level,” Fogle said.
Fogle indicated that the volume of constituent communication on this issue has been substantial. “We have all been floored by the amount of communication we’ve gotten from constituents across the state who have been willing to share their very heartbreaking and tragic stories with us. And I think that there will be a bipartisan effort to restore these funds through the House Appropriations process,” she added.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) is scheduled to present testimony to the committee early next week regarding the proposed budget. The outcome of these discussions will be critical in determining the future of the SDS program and the support it provides to thousands of Missouri families.
Recent updates regarding the SDS program, as of , involve a change in Fiscal Management Services (FMS). The contract for FMS has been awarded to Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), with a transition period underway from the current provider, Acumen. The DMH is working to ensure a smooth transition for those utilizing SDS, with guidance expected to be released as the transition plan is finalized.
The Missouri SDS Family Support Group, an advocacy organization, is actively mobilizing to protect the program. The group supports families navigating the complexities of SDS and advocates for policies that promote self-determination for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They emphasize the importance of institutional knowledge and resource sharing among families utilizing SDS services.
The proposed cuts to SDS come at a time when the program is already undergoing administrative changes with the transition to a new FMS provider. This adds another layer of uncertainty for families who rely on the program for essential care. The Missouri SDS Family Support Group and other advocates are urging lawmakers to consider the human cost of these cuts and to prioritize the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.
The debate over the SDS program highlights a broader discussion about the balance between fiscal responsibility and the provision of essential social services. As the Missouri legislature continues its budget deliberations, the future of at-home disability care hangs in the balance, with potentially profound consequences for vulnerable individuals and their families across the state.
