Thank you for allowing this opportunity to be heard regarding the proposed change to the DD Waiver.  I am writing in particular to the proposal that parents of minors and spouses to adults on waiver services. The proposal states that these caregivers can continue to be paid caregivers BUT through agency only and at a cap of 40 hours. This would completely rid the consumer of provider choice and consumer directed care.This is a violation of provider choice rights and that is part of the procedural safeguards with the waiver services. Prior to COVID, I did call several attendant care agencies(in fact I called every agency that I could find in our area). I placed our name and contact information on each waitlist. We did not even get ONE return phone call. During COVID several agencies closed.  I have asked our case manager about other services and have been told that they're either short staffed, or not taking on new clients.  If a waiver client is given more than 40 hours of attendant care (let's just say for example  80 hours/week) and the parents can only get paid for40 of those (and that MUST be through an agency)....then they have to get at least one more attendant for the remaining 40 hours. If another attendant cannot be found, and the hours go unused/unpaid this is also an infringement on the waiver client's rights. And quite likely services/hours the next renewal would be reduced due to non-use...even though the client NEEDS them. Also I have heard that an attendant working through some agencies CANNOT transport the client. If the parent cannot transport their own child to events, appointments, etc. this is  a HUGE problem. Again, several agencies have closed so even finding one to get hired through as a parent/caregiver could be a problem and finding even yet another qualified attendant through agency (or anywhere for that matter) is quite difficult.