HCBS, the Home and Community-Based Services, is known as a Medicaid program that lets states provide long-term support in a person's with disability home or community instead of a nursing home or hospital. When getting Medicaid Waiver funds, that person waives the right to be in an institution.

My son has lived at Vanguard Landing, VGL, for a couple of months and this is how he lives. Today, he was transported by VGL to Special Olympics with another VGL resident. Earlier this week, his employment specialist picked him up for an interview for a job. Also, this week, he worked on a mosaic that he likes to do. He went to a farm to see animals and plants that he chose to go to with the VGL group. He went grocery shopping. He did a variety of activities involving science, movies, stories and art. He rides his bike whenever he wants to. This is not an institution.

Tomorrow, he gets picked up by a member of his church to go to his congregation which he loves to do. Another member of his congregation want to be his new grandma and spend time crocheting while watching a movie with our son at his home. People in his congregation are excited about Vanguard and want to volunteer to work and play alongside the residents. I am working with Vanguard to establish these types of community ties. Our son works on keeping his room tidy and doing his laundry. He has more choices than he has ever had in Virginia. This is not an institution.

Vanguard Landing is a one-of-a-kind place. I have looked all around this country to see what is offered and what would best meet our son's needs. Vanguard Landing is it.

I believe what Vanguard is doing is raising the expectations of what is offered to the disabled. Giving the client what they want and not what the vender deigns to give people with disabilities. By getting Waiver funding, Vanguard raises the quality of services for all the disabled, not only to those who are wealthy.

I have been told many times...

      "Your son must wait in "line" for a service." or "Accept what is being offered because nothing else is available." "You need to be grateful for what you get." "Don't complain." "Don't ask for individualized service, this is all we do." "We won't tell you what is going on with your son, too bad he can't tell you." "He chooses not to do anything all day."

I have been told these things and other things like these statements over the years by providers, case managers, DSPs and their supervisors. So, saying the rich are the only ones who should go to Vanguard Landing and the rest of you will have to settle with what is given and like it is another way of saying your son doesn't deserve what he needs.

Yes he does.

Let him choose how to use his Medicaid Waiver funds.