As the mother and caregiver of an adult son with special needs, service facilitation is more than just a service to our family. It is an essential part of ensuring my son receives the care, support, and resources he needs to live safely, comfortably, and with dignity in our home.

Caring for a loved one with special needs comes with many challenges, and navigating the complicated system of services can be overwhelming. Having a trusted service facilitator helps ease that burden and allows me to focus on what matters most: being his mother and providing him with the love and care he deserves.

These services play a vital role in making it possible for my son to remain at home, surrounded by family, rather than having to consider institutional placement. Keeping him at home provides him with stability, familiarity, love, and a quality of life that cannot simply be replaced by an institution. Service facilitation helps make that possible.

Our relationship with our service facilitator is built on trust, consistency, and an understanding of my son's unique needs. Taking away our ability to choose our own facilitator and assigning a broker would remove an important part of our voice and control over his care. Families like mine should have the right to work with professionals who know our loved ones and understand their individual circumstances.

I urge those making this decision to consider the real impact it will have on families who dedicate their lives to caring for loved ones with disabilities. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking to preserve the support and choices that help us keep our loved ones safe, supported, and at home.

Please protect our right to choose our service facilitators. For families like mine, this is not simply about choosing a provider. It is about protecting our loved ones' dignity, quality of life, and ability to remain where they belong—with the people who love and care for them.