On Monday, Jan. 29, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch convened a special meeting of the Indiana Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Task Force (IDD), which she chairs.
Lt. Gov. Crouch wanted IDD Task Force members and the public to hear directly from the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) regarding its proposed cuts to the Attendant Care program, which provides funding to parents and legal guardians who care for their medically complex children.
The proposed cuts are an attempt by FSSA to address a $1 billion shortfall in its Medicaid budget, the agency announced in December 2023.
Lt. Gov. Crouch made the following statement on Friday:
Crouch
“I’m deeply disappointed with FSSA, but it is hard to be angry when your heart aches for the families and caregivers of the precious children they are attending to. It truly is heartbreaking. Since the meeting Monday, more and more families are contacting my office asking what can be done to reverse, or at least pause, these cuts. A group of families even came to the Statehouse Monday to meet with me and lobby their legislators. I tell all of them the same thing, ‘Contact your state legislators immediately!’ I am doing all I can to bring awareness to the severity and magnitude of the situation. So, I strongly encourage all Hoosiers to contact their legislators. Tell them these cuts need to be paused until we all get more answers, and we are confident these medically complex children continue getting the care they need.”
Concerned Hoosiers can visit iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators to find their legislators and contact information.
Lt. Gov. Crouch ended the special meeting Monday of the IDD Task Force by saying, “We’re going to be judged by how we care about the most vulnerable among us. Let’s be judged in a positive way and a positive manner.”
Click here to watch a recording of the IDD task force meeting.
The Lieutenant Governor serves as President of the Indiana Senate, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, chairs the Indiana Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Task Force & Indiana Roundtable on Mental Health, and oversees four state agencies.