These advocates, people with developmental disabilities and their families are chanting for change, and chanting to get the state to fund services important to them.
“It’s important to me because as a woman who receives waiver programs herself, I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I am. I wouldn’t be able to do my job every day. I wouldn’t be able to do simple stuff, like bathing and going to the grocery store. These are critical services that people need to live as normal of a life as possible,” said Rickii Ainey, an advocate.
Rickii Ainey is one of many people across the state who rely on the state’s waiver program to live her life. Right now, there is a waiting list for people to get this service because the funding just is not there.
“I’m hoping that our legislators hear and understand what we need, and we won’t have those cuts happen to us,” said Ainey.
Different legislators also came out to meet with ralliers and hear their stories.
“Because of you, I have been an advocate for you, not only because of you, I am a parent of a child who is autistic,” said Democratic State Representative Barbara Carpenter.
Advocates have been fighting this battle for years, and it is a battle they will continue to fight until there is change.
“I think it is very important that we put names and faces to the issues that we are supporting. A lot of times, when our legislators are in meetings, they just see numbers on a page, but when they put a name and face to the issue, it makes them more aware of how important it is and that we’re doing something to help the people who need it,” said Konstance Causey, the mother of a child with disabilities.
Advocates said m ore than 15,000 people are waiting to get into the waiver program. Some have been on the waiting list for as long as 12 years.