POST FALLS, Idaho — Parents across Idaho are advocating for changes to Governor Brad Little’s proposed budget cuts that would eliminate home and community-based services for adults and children with developmental disabilities.
The potential impact of these cuts is evident at facilities like the Learning Garden in Post Falls, an early childhood education center and developmental disabilities agency that helps children develop life skills.
Seven-year-old Jackson has been coming to the center for more than half his life, working one-on-one with an occupational therapist once a week. He practices on cognitive, motor and social skills through activities like cutting paper and identifying colors.
Jackson was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. Before he came to the Learning Garden, he didn’t speak. Now, his transformation has been remarkable.
His mother, Tiffany Klauba, credits the staff at Learning Garden for her son’s newfound independence.
“Because of the services he’s received, his life has changed immensely,” Klauba said. “I don’t know where my son would be without these services.”
However, recent budget discussions in Boise suggest disability services like those offered at the Learning Garden may be at risk. Clinical supervisor, Cathy Kowalski said she immediately recognized the threat when the governor’s budget proposal was announced.
“When Governor Little proposed his budget and he proposed to not fund home and community-based services, and that’s when I knew that we were heading towards a crisis,” Kowalski said.
The proposed cuts would mean community clinics may not be able to offer the services and therapies children need. For families like the Klaubas, the implications are overwhelming.
“The impact is beyond words for these families. And it’s terrifying,” Klauba said.
The proposed cuts would compound challenges families are already facing from recent Medicaid reductions that affected service providers.
“They’ve already done a 4 percent cut across for providers, so this is just another blow,” Klauba said.
Service providers warn the additional cuts could force some clinics to close. Holly Cox, a certified occupational therapy assistant at Periwinkle Children’s Therapy, said the financial reality is concerning.
“78% of our caseload is Medicaid. That’s going to make it very difficult to continue to keep doors open,” Cox said.
For families, losing these services would mean losing independence, stability and critical care. The potential elimination of services would create difficult financial decisions and force parents to make sacrifices that could impact their entire household.
“It’s so expensive. I can’t even explain, the impact it will have. Parents are going to have to get other jobs, which then takes them away from their families,” Klauba said. “If these kids can’t get these services, they will regress.”
For parents like Klauba, these services represent far more than medical treatment.
“It’s not a luxury. It’s a lifeline. It’s very important that these kids have this ability so they can have the best opportunities in life,” she said.
Idaho’s budget will not be finalized until later in March, giving parents and local clinicians time to advocate for maintaining these services. They are urging community members to contact legislators now.
“We didn’t choose to have these struggles in life. But we do all want our kids to have a successful future. And unfortunately, if they cut these services, it’s not going to be the case,” Klauba said.
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