My wife provides an extraordinary amount of daily care for our daughter, and the burden on our family is already significant. Caring for a child with substantial needs is not a normal work shift—it is a responsibility that continues day and night, while we are also trying to raise a family, work, and maintain some sense of stability.

The changes being made and proposed add even more stress and administrative burden to families who are already stretched thin. My wife should not have to prove through additional tracking and bureaucracy that she is caring for our daughter in the home where they both live. These requirements have a real impact on our time, finances, and quality of life.

Families like ours need support and flexibility, not additional obstacles. I strongly urge DMAS and Virginia policymakers to consider the real-world impact these changes have on parents providing essential care to their own children.