I am writing in regards to the proposed changes to the EOR and hour limits for parent care attendants. It does not make sense for the EOR to be outside of the home. They would be required to meet monthly with service facilitators that ask questions like when are upcoming doctor’s appointments and the patient’s health status that they would not necessarily be privy to. It is also discriminatory to military families or those that do not have relatives or close friends nearby. It takes time and energy to be an EOR and it is an unpaid position. Families do not want to provide sensitive data to complete strangers if there is no close relative nearby. As far as the 40 hour work limit, how will this impact the parent care attendant if you have more than one child with the CCC Plus waiver? The idea that children only need 40 hours of care a week is naïve and should be apparent in the amount of children who have been approved for more than 40 hours. Parents are in a unique position to provide this care as they know their child best. The hourly rate is offensively low that it is almost impossible to find a skilled care attendant willing to work for minimum wage. It is even hard to find skilled nursing providers who earn a higher hourly wage. My family has been through 4 nurses in the past two years. In the past two years, this program has given my family a lifeline to be able to care for my twins while also earning some income. I had to quit my job to stay home due to their complex care needs and multiple doctors’ appointments that would make it challenging to keep a job outside of the home. Please consider the extent this may move more families into financial hardship which then increases reliance on public services. Is that worth the cost savings?