I am a parent of a child with developmental disabilities who receives services through Virginia's DD Waiver program.

I oppose the proposed 56-hour weekly soft cap on Personal Assistance services.

Every individual with developmental disabilities has different needs, and some require extensive or continuous assistance with daily living activities, communication, personal hygiene, toileting, and safety.

I strongly believe that Personal Assistance hours should be determined by each individual's disability, functional limitations, safety needs, and actual level of required care, rather than by a standardized weekly limit.

For individuals with significant disabilities, 56 hours per week may be far from sufficient. Some may require substantially more hours of assistance to remain safe and receive appropriate care in their homes and communities.

I respectfully urge DMAS to adopt a more flexible, individualized approach that allows sufficient support hours, including significantly more than 56 hours per week when justified by an individual's assessed needs.

If a soft cap is implemented, the exception process must be clear, accessible, timely, and fair. Necessary services should not be interrupted while exception requests are being reviewed.

Families should not be forced to compromise the health, safety, or well-being of their loved ones because of a standardized limit.

Thank you for considering the needs and concerns of individuals with disabilities and their families.