I wrote this To Whom It May Concern, My name is Tiffany Atkins. I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed elimination of independent Services Facilitators. This change would have a devastating impact on families like mine who rely on consistent, knowledgeable, and trusted support to manage care.

As a caregiver for my mother, who depends on Medicaid for her daily care and medical needs, our Services Facilitator has been a critical part of keeping everything stable and functioning. They have helped ensure that services are properly coordinated, paperwork is completed accurately, and that we remain in compliance with program requirements. They have also been a reliable point of contact when issues arise—something that is especially important when dealing with complex systems that can easily become overwhelming.

In my personal situation, we have already experienced how fragile this system can be. My mother’s Medicaid coverage has had lapses and conflicting information, even after renewals and approvals were completed. There were times when her case showed no information or incorrect coverage dates, and it created confusion between agencies. During this time, I was not paid for caregiving services for weeks, which caused serious financial hardship in my household. My rent and essential bills were put at risk, all while I continued to care for my mother without interruption.

Our Services Facilitator has been one of the only consistent supports helping us navigate these issues—guiding us on what paperwork was needed, helping us respond to requests, and providing direction when different agencies gave conflicting information. Without that support, I would have been left to manage a complicated system on my own during a crisis.

The support we receive is not just administrative—it directly affects my mother’s health, safety, and quality of life. Any delay or mistake can result in missed care, medication issues, or loss of necessary services. Having someone who understands our situation and can respond quickly has made a significant difference in preventing gaps in care and resolving problems before they escalate.

If independent Services Facilitators are eliminated, families like mine will lose that trusted support system. This will create confusion, delays, and a higher risk of errors that could interrupt essential services. For my household, that could mean loss of caregiving income, inability to maintain housing, and increased instability for my mother, who relies on consistent care.

Additionally, eliminating independent facilitators would harm small agencies, including Miss Jada Meredith, LLC, that provide personalized, community-based support. These agencies understand the families they serve and offer a level of care and attention that cannot easily be replaced by larger, less individualized systems.

This change would not improve care—it would destabilize it. Families like mine are already navigating a fragile system. Removing independent Services Facilitators would only make it harder to maintain safe, stable, and consistent care.

I respectfully urge you to reconsider this decision and preserve independent Services Facilitators for the well-being of the individuals and families who depend on them every day.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Nicole Atkins, NA