MISSOURI FAMILIES URGE LAWMAKERS TO REVERSE PROPOSED DISABILITY SERVICES CUTS

JEFFERSON CITY — Families of Missourians with disabilities, along with caregivers and advocates, are urging state lawmakers to reverse proposed budget cuts they say would severely impact services that allow people with developmental disabilities to live safely at home and remain active in their communities.

Dozens of residents packed a Missouri House Budget Committee hearing this week to oppose $80.7 million in proposed reductions tied to Gov. Mike Kehoe’s budget plan. The cuts would reduce pay rates for disability care programs by an estimated 21% to 29%, a change advocates warn could drive care workers out of the field and force vulnerable Missourians into institutional settings or unsafe care situations.

Under the governor’s proposal, Missouri would cut $28.6 million in state general revenue, triggering the loss of nearly twice that amount in federal matching funds. Department of Mental Health Director Valerie Huhn told lawmakers that if funding levels remain unchanged, waitlists for disability services could begin as early as late summer or fall, with residential placements potentially seeing waitlists by winter.

Lawmakers from both parties said they are committed to finding a way to restore funding. Republican Rep. Darin Chappell, who chairs the health and social services budget subcommittee, said lawmakers are working to protect disability services while looking for savings elsewhere in the budget. Other legislators echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that responsibility for the proposed cuts lies with the governor’s office, not the legislature.

The proposed reductions include cuts to self-directed supports, a Medicaid waiver program that allows individuals with disabilities or their families to hire their own care staff, as well as funding for adult day habilitation programs. Critics argue that comparing wages across different care settings fails to account for the lack of benefits typically associated with self-directed support positions, such as health insurance, paid time off, or mileage reimbursement.

Families testified that self-directed supports allow caregivers to build close, consistent relationships with the people they serve, often making the difference between living at home or being placed in a facility. Several warned that reduced pay would make it nearly impossible to retain qualified caregivers.

While some lawmakers expressed optimism that funding could be restored during budget negotiations, they cautioned that any changes remain subject to the governor’s veto power. A spokesperson for Gov. Kehoe said that if lawmakers propose restoring the cuts, they will need to identify alternative funding sources elsewhere in the budget.

Advocates say the outcome of the budget process will determine whether thousands of Missourians with disabilities can continue receiving care in their homes or face an uncertain future as services become harder to access.