The legislative session has begun in Salem. One vital issue that readers may not be aware of is the need to pay parents to provide in-home care to their minor disabled children. During the public health emergency of the pandemic, the state allowed payment to parents, but that exception is now expected to expire this spring. After that, the state is willing to pay anyone to provide this care support except for felons and parents.

Paying parents to do this work would improve the health outcomes for disabled children, financially stabilize their families and keep kids out of institutionalized settings, saving the taxpayers a lot of money. In other words, it’s good for children, it’s good for families and it’s good for the state. Two bills are being presented on this issue during this session. Sen. Tim Knopp’s Senate Bill 646 covers the most disabled children and provides the taxpayer with the greatest “bang for their buck.” The other bill is Senate Bill 91. For more information, readers can look up Advocates for Disability Supports on Facebook.

Gabriel Triplett, Mulino

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