I strongly oppose the proposal to eliminate Service Facilitators and require all individuals and families receiving disability services to utilize CDCN as the sole provider of these functions.

For years, families, individuals with disabilities, and Support Coordinators have experienced significant challenges when working with CDCN. Communication is often difficult, response times can be lengthy, and it is frequently challenging to reach someone who can provide clear guidance and timely assistance. As a result, many individuals and families are left feeling confused, frustrated, and unsupported while trying to navigate already complex service systems.

Service Facilitators play a critical role in helping individuals understand their options and receive individualized support. The relationships they build with families and individuals are built on trust, responsiveness, and person-centered practices. Removing Service Facilitators would eliminate a valuable layer of support that many families have come to rely on for advocacy, education, and guidance.

Most concerning is that this proposal would effectively strip individuals of their right to choose who provides these vital services. Individuals with disabilities deserve the same freedom of choice and control over their services as anyone else. Requiring every family to work exclusively with CDCN removes competition, eliminates alternatives when problems arise, and reduces accountability for quality service delivery.

This proposal also appears inconsistent with the principles established in the Department of Justice's final settlement and ongoing efforts to ensure that individuals with disabilities have meaningful choices, opportunities for self-determination, and access to person-centered services. Limiting provider options and forcing individuals into a single system undermines these goals and moves away from the values of choice, independence, and community integration that disability services should promote.

I urge decision-makers to preserve the role of Service Facilitators and protect the rights of individuals and families to choose the provider that best meets their needs. Rather than eliminating choice, efforts should focus on improving service quality, expanding options, and ensuring that individuals with disabilities remain at the center of decisions that affect their lives.

Thank you for considering this feedback.