As parents of two adult children with disabilities, aged 24 and 18, we rely on service facilitation to help us understand the ever-changing, complex system of services and support. We have been in this system since our oldest was born, and we have seen many changes: some for the better, many for the worse. We believe the proposed change to a broker system will most assuredly be the latter for a few reasons. 

It can be difficult to reach representatives from PPL or Consumer Direct. It has been our personal experience that, once we have reached a live person, we have often been spoken to in a less than courteous manner. I have no doubt that representatives are sometimes over-worked and stressed themselves, but to be treated rudely by someone who is supposed to be there to help you is adding insult to injury. I can't imagine the potential nightmare it would become for families — or, for that matter, anyone trying to contact PPL or Consumer Direct — once these agencies have become THE SOLE SOURCE OF CONTACT for help in navigating the already confusing, complicated waiver system. 

Please consider that families such as ours already have a great deal on our plates in trying to care for our loved ones. This would add another stressful complication to our lives. We currently have the right to choose our own service facilitator, but assigning a "broker" would take away our choice and control over our services. Our relationship with our service facilitator is built on trust, understanding, and their knowledge of our family’s individual needs. This relationship provides much-needed consistency, guidance, and advocacy that simply cannot be replaced by assigning someone new who does not know, nor care about, us. Our choice of provider is an essential part of our children's independence and self-determination. We STRONGLY urge you to consider the real and lasting impact this decision will have on individuals and families who depend on these services. Please protect our right to choose the providers who know us, understand our needs, and help us live our best lives.