Families are struggling to find staff for their loved ones (kids and spouse) or to staff the full schedule or hours they need. It is harder now as many other employers are finding out and with few benefits and low pay & hard work - this job doesn't attract many applicants or people you can trust especially if you have a nonverbal child or an aggressive child (or worry about someone stealing from you).  Allowing parents & spouses to be paid helps them to compensate some of pay they would miss from a job when they care for their loved one. Agencies cannot staff for families needs now & being agency directed is a hardship for families when consumer directed is their choice and they are monitored by Service Facilitators and Case Coordinators and timesheets so fraud is reduced/prevented already.

Forcing an individual to use Agency directed only is taking away their Right to choose and they have Human Rights to choose Agency or Consumer Directed to what is best for their needs. And to choose who they want to provide their care.  Adding more hardship on to families in a time when it is difficult to find caregivers will result in many individuals not being able to remain in their homes and their communities - which is not the best choice for the individual nor their family.  Please reconsider this change as this results in Virginia moving backwards instead of forwards and will not improve the qualify of life for those with disabilities in Virginia especially in the rural areas and will certainly not help with the DOJ settlement and conditions.