Getting rid of our Service Facilitators would be a tremendous disservice to the very population they are supposed to serve.

Our Service Facilitators are so much more than a governing or administrative force. They know our loved ones personally. They know their needs, their strengths, their challenges, their history, and the services that have—or have not—worked for them. That personal knowledge matters tremendously when you are supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

They don't simply check boxes or monitor services. They help families navigate a complicated system that can be incredibly difficult to understand. They assist us when issues arise, help us work through changes in services, explain new requirements, and help us find resources and avenues of support when we have exhausted everything we know to try.

There have been many times when an app, a website, a phone number, or a "time keeper" could not solve the problem we were facing. A person who knows our family could. Our Service Facilitator has been someone we could turn to when we didn't know where else to go.

They also provide continuity. When policies, procedures, systems, or services change, they help families understand what those changes mean and how to navigate them. For families already carrying a tremendous amount of responsibility, having someone knowledgeable who understands the system and knows our loved one is invaluable.

I cannot imagine navigating this system without our Service Facilitator.

If the goal is to save money or streamline services, I would strongly encourage looking elsewhere before eliminating the people who provide this kind of direct, individualized support. For example, the Coordinated Care positions that were implemented several years ago have not been nearly as valuable to my family as our Service Facilitators have been over the years. While I appreciate the individual we have, the practical, day-to-day value of our Service Facilitator has been far greater.

Please don't mistake a position that may look administrative on paper for a position that is not essential.

For families like mine, our Service Facilitator is a real person who knows our loved ones and helps us navigate a system that can otherwise feel impossible to navigate.

Before eliminating these positions, I ask that you listen to the families who rely on them.

Please protect our Service Facilitators and the vital role they play in the lives of the individuals and families they serve.