While it is understandable some adjustments may be needed, the proposed changes are going to far. Who are they being seen to actually benefit?  The proposed new complexities and regulations will be exhausting and overwhelming for many parents/guardians.   

I am the mom to a wonderful, compassionate, brilliant young 23 son - he is also a nonspeaking autistic epileptic who - to his own admission - needs 24 oversight/attendant care for his OWN PERSONAL SAFETY.  Allowing a family member to be his attendant in the night time gives the rest of the family some sense of normalness, which is hard enough to do for so many reasons when there is a beloved and disabled family member. 

The proposed revisions are unnecessarily complex, limiting for families and would be exhausting to implement.   

Having to document ALL actions taken by an attendant when with a client is EXCESSIVE OVERSIGHT and micromanaging the clients and their families.  Doing so implies that things go on with members of this community "exactly as planned" which is contradictory to the actual and true nature of things for many within it.  Such mandatory documentation would  also take important interactive time from truly working with/being with the client due to needed to complete proposed tedious record keeping and input.  

A Family Member should be able to be the EOR. They are the ones closest to what is really going on and ready and willing to take on the task.  Is the state going to PAY the suggested non-family EOR?!?! We have a hard enough time finding qualified workers that we do pay (by the way with a salary that is really about HALF that of MD!?!).  How would we possibly find a VOLUNTEER to be our EOR?!?!? Simply put - that's preposterous!  

COME ON VA  - WE CAN DO BETTER!!!