I am writing you regarding the budget cuts for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Maryland. While I live in Virginia, I have a brother who lives in LaVale.

My brother, David Rice, was diagnosed with Down Syndrome when he was born. He lived with our family until seven years ago when my mother passed away. My sister and I are single and would not have the ability to give him full time care he needs.

In the state-funded residential facility where he was placed, he has had full-time attention and care beyond what my family would be able to provide. There are two other ladies of like disability living in the home.

The staff members are with the residents 24 hours a day. They cook, buy groceries, do laundry, clean and take care of personal needs of each house member. The staff makes sure each resident has medication, which requires them to be certified to dispense the meds.

The staff members make sure residents go to their doctor appointments and if necessary, to the hospital. The staff members also take residents to Friends Aware, Special Olympics and any other event that is available.

Because there is a full staff, my brother and countless others have had excellent care. Budget cuts would affect the staff in their pay as well as the size of the staff, necessary education for employees, and the care of my brother as well as meeting his medical needs.

If there isn’t enough staff or the pay is less or the budget to provide needs is lowered, the quality of my brother’s care becomes threatened. Budget cuts would also affect the provision that my brother has.

My brother has no choice in his situation. Not everyone has a heart in caring for individuals with these types of disabilities. If pay or staff is cut, morale is lessened and in this type of job the treatment of David and others may in turn be less compassionate.

If provision is lessened, my brother and others like him will have to do without even more. If medical care for him and others is cut, his health and life will be under threat. He has never had what the rest of us have or could have.

If you take away the crumbs he has now and give him and others in his situation even less, while you live freely, how does that make the state’s decision a wise one?

My brother needs medical attention on a regular basis. State funding makes that possible.

It is difficult for families to care full-time for their family member who is intellectually and developmentally disabled.

Most families have to work or they don’t have the capabilities to care for such an individual. The assistance we have had in the past has been so wonderfully helpful to us.

There are still more families waiting for care. Cutting the budget in this area hurts all of us. In the cases where families are waiting they would have to wait longer.

There are many areas where the state budget can be cut. I understand that we are struggling as a country, and it affects every individual.

However, I am sure the powers that be need to reconsider cutting the budget in this area, which will in turn affect those who can do nothing on their own to better their situation.

If they must cut the budget. they need to cut it in area’s that are less necessary, i.e. the arts and such.

Jena Rice

Chesapeake, Va.