Care for Maine people with disabilities has reached a crisis. Over 75 group homes have closed, with another 30 scheduled to close soon. Agencies have closed center-based programs, leaving clients with little opportunity to be with their chosen friends in safe, supportive environments. There is a waitlist for housing and programming services of over 2,000 Maine citizens with disabilities.

In the search for solutions, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a lifespan waiver, a new service model that will be a seismic shift away from the care Maine now provides. The last time such a shift was implemented, there was a mandated, well thought out and funded plan designed by providers and state employees with direct experience in the field of disability care. In the lifespan waiver, housing and programming for Maine people with disabilities will be in large part provided by family members.

This model is not sustainable as parents are aging and unable to provide the 24/7 care that is required. When a family member is no longer able to provide care, their loved one is thrown into the crisis system and often placed in an out-of-state facility.

Lifespan has positive aspects, but it sacrifices the safety and care of people with complex disabilities who are already served appropriately under their current waiver. A better solution would be to keep in place supports that provide an opportunity for an individual to thrive, and add infrastructure in terms of funding and personnel to eliminate the waitlist.

Kathy Rickards
Brunswick