I sincerely hope you’ll continue to support the parents and the families who are in the trenches each and every day with these patients. Please, hear us. The relief we collectively felt when Virginia decided to support parents during COVID was immense. Last summer, when the budget was passed to continue to find parents as caregivers, that relief continued. For once, we could breathe. We are the best caregivers for our children, and our ability to care for them is what keeps them out of the hospital and out of long-term care facilities, which, ultimately, would cost the state a great deal more money. This is not a scam. We are not trying to weasel money out of the state. We need help, and we need compensation so that we can keep our kids safe at home with their families. 

I know the options are still there, but the hoops we will now have to jump through are insulting. Please trust us. We are not asking for more than we need.