For the past few years, some parents across Virginia were getting paid by the state to take care of their kids, and spouses, who have severe developmental disabilities.
The disability waiver program for legally responsible individuals went into effect during the pandemic when outside-hired caretakers weren’t going in and out of people’s homes.
Now, it’s been four years since the pandemic started, and parts of the program are about to expire in March, but not without pushback from legislators and advocates.
I’m digging deeper to learn what this disability waiver program is all about, what the new requirements are, and why there’s backlash over the change.
The conversation starts in Virginia Beach with the Mauro family and 9-year-old Giovanni.
“Vanni’s on the go from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed,” says his dad, Antonio.
The elementary schooler has down syndrome and is nonverbal.
“[I’m constantly watching him], feeding him, ensuring he doesn’t choke, ensuring he doesn’t put objects in his mouth, ensuring he doesn’t run out the front door, ensuring that he doesn’t do all these things – that he doesn’t flood the home – he’s done all these things,” says Mauro. “[…] If you leave a door open just by accident, he’s gone, he’s running, he’ll run out the front door [and] up the street. He doesn’t understand looking left and right for traffic, he did these things. And putting your trust in somebody at $13 an hour to come into your home, it’s not realistic.”