I have remained silent on this issue for weeks.
Not because I didn’t care.
Not because it doesn’t affect my family.
But because I wanted to understand the facts before I spoke.
I have spent countless hours reading legislation, budget documents, news reports, public statements, and available information surrounding House Bill 2, House Bill 500, Medicaid funding, Lee Specialty Clinic, and the future of services for Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
After reviewing everything I could find, I can no longer stay silent.
This is not a Republican issue.
This is not a Democrat issue.
This is not a liberal issue.
This is not a conservative issue.
This is a Kentucky issue.
And for my family, it is personal.
Many of you know my son Mario.
You see him at Special Olympics events.
You see him cheering with GymTyme Superstars CheerAbilities.
You see him representing inclusion through Best Buddies.
You see him working, attending college, making friends, and proving every day that people with disabilities can live meaningful, productive, and independent lives when given the opportunity.
What many people don’t see are the challenges behind the scenes.
When Mario aged out of the pediatrician who had cared for him since he was two years old, finding a new provider was not simple.
We waited nearly TWO YEARS just to establish primary care through Lee Specialty Clinic.
Two years.
Not because we waited to make an appointment.
Not because we failed to follow up.
Because there simply were not enough resources available.
After finally becoming a patient, Mario was referred for speech services, dental services, vision care, and psychiatric services.
Today, he is still waiting.
And now we are learning that Lee Specialty Clinic may face significant funding challenges that could dramatically impact services and staffing for more than 1,000 Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Think about that for a moment.
If a young man who has a family advocating for him every day had to wait nearly two years just to establish primary care, what happens when resources are reduced even further?
What happens to the families already on waiting lists?
What happens to the adults with disabilities who have no one fighting for them?
What happens to the parents who lie awake at night wondering who will care for their son or daughter when they no longer can?
This is bigger than Mario.
This is about every child with autism.
Every adult with Down syndrome.
Every individual with Fragile X syndrome.
Every person with cerebral palsy.
Every Kentuckian with an intellectual or developmental disability who depends on specialized healthcare services.
These are not statistics.
These are our sons.
Our daughters.
Our brothers.
Our sisters.
Our classmates.
Our coworkers.
Our neighbors.
Our friends.
I am not asking anyone to pick a political side.
I am asking people to pick a human side.
If you believe people with disabilities deserve access to healthcare…
If you believe families should not wait years for services…
If you believe Kentucky should protect its most vulnerable citizens…
Then please help make sure our leaders hear our voices.
Share this post.
Talk about this issue.
Contact your legislators.
Contact the Governor’s office.
Contact local media.
Ask questions.
Demand answers.
Most importantly, help people understand what is at stake.
Because once services disappear, once providers leave, and once specialized programs are lost, rebuilding them is far more difficult than protecting them in the first place.
Mario’s future matters.
The future of thousands of Kentuckians with disabilities matters.
Today I am asking you, not as a politician, not as a public official, but as a father:
Please help us make sure Kentucky does not forget those who need us the most.
Source: Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/1675663081/posts/10227973866166752/