CROWN POINT, Ind. — Nearly a $1 billion budget gap has caused Indiana to drastically cut and change a program this summer designed to pay parents who take care of their children with disabilities.
Back in December, Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) presented the shortfall, prompting fears social service programs involving Medicaid could be cut.
The agency began developing strategies to combat the budget gap and last week they released a new plan . Under the current program called attendant care, which started before the pandemic, parents are paid per hour to be at home caring for their son or daughter with disabilities.
Last week, FSSA announced changes to the program in an effort to fix the budget gap. Effective July 1, parents and guardians will no longer be able to get paid per hour through the attendant care program. Instead, if parents want to continue being their child’s care provider, they will need to transition to structured family caregiving.
Based on their child’s level of need, parents will be provided a flat rate per day. This has raised fears for families caring for their loved ones that their paychecks will be drastically cut.