To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Daniel Barnhart. For the past 22 years, I have received independent living and consumer-directed care services through Valley Associates for Independent Living (VAIL). I live with a complex disability—spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy—and I am writing to express my strong opposition to the brokerage model of facilitation currently being proposed.

VAIL is far more than an administrative service provider; they are an essential part of our community infrastructure and personal support networks. Through group outings, such as trips to the movie theater, VAIL provides direct assistance that allows people with disabilities to go where they want to go and participate fully in public life. Their advocacy extends to the highest levels: they have argued in front of the Virginia General Assembly to ensure that attendants and personal care workers receive fair compensation for their labor. Furthermore, VAIL actively educates a new generation of advocates, works directly with the public school system on essential life skills like meal preparation, and offers peer counseling resources from which I have personally benefited. Because VAIL was founded on the vision of parents of children with disabilities, they operate on a fundamental truth: individuals with disabilities are not short-term problems to solve, but human beings with endless possibilities for growth who require steady guidance for a more independent future. A major reason for their deep understanding and success is their structure—I remember how excited I was to learn that VAIL maintains a board comprised of at least 51% of people with disabilities.

Because of the daily reality of my complex diagnosis, the proposed brokerage model of facilitation will simply not work. The buzzwords surrounding this model are ”hands-off approach," "short-term goal setting," and "optimization” feel like corporate speak for: "We will help you for a little while, and then you are on your own." Living with a complex disability can often lead to feelings of isolation, but VAIL has never made me feel alone.

Under state mandates, I am required to complete a SIS assessment to detail my level of functionality and required support. Why should I be forced to disclose deeply personal, sensitive information to neurotypical individuals who lack an understanding of my disability and what I am capable of achieving? My current case worker spends hours working to understand my unique challenges and craft solutions around them. Can Consumer Direct Care Network genuinely guarantee that same investment of time and individual attention under the proposed model?

We have a foundational saying in the disability community: "Nothing About Us Without Us." Do you truly believe in and practice this motto? Will your proposed model honor this commitment, or are we being treated as short-term problems given short-term solutions that disregard our voice and agency?

This issue does not impact only individuals receiving care directly but also it effects our personal attendants and employees. In my time as an Employer of Record, I have frequently encountered urgent timesheet issues that required an immediate, personal, local response from a dedicated caseworker to ensure my employees were paid on time. A prompt response from a familiar case worker can mean the difference between paying rent on time or facing severe financial hardship for an employee living paycheck to paycheck.

I ask you to give individuals with disabilities and those who support them the right to choose the support system that works for their lives. For these critical reasons, this proposal should not be allowed to move forward.

Sincerely,

Daniel Barnhart

Advocate & Consumer, Valley Associates for Independent Living