‘In jeopardy,’ family feels impact from DDA cuts

Stockton, Md. – 35-year-old Nathan Holland’s room is decorated with Baltimore Ravens figurines and posters, and even has a Baltimore Ravens PlayStation. His brother, 43-year-old Andrew, likes to draw and has one of his pieces — detailed, vibrant with color and made in a cubic style — framed in his bedroom.

Both of them have disabilities and receive care from their big sister, 48-year-old Shana Farlow. Farlow works as a full-time nurse for her brothers. She said state funds allowed her brothers to stay at home when they used to go to institutions that she says weren’t able to suit their needs.

However, after Governor Wes Moore signed an over $70 billion operating budget, which included $126 million in cuts to the state’s Developmental Disabilities Administration, Farlow says she feels like people like her brothers and their caretakers are under attack.

“I worked hard to put into place staff during the day and the nurses overnight. I mean, all that’s in jeopardy,” Farlow said. “And it scares families like ours.”

“I don’t want to go back,” Holland said.

Despite the governor releasing a proposed second supplemental budget that includes $36 million to address the cuts, the state funds are also matched by Medicaid, which would mean the agency’s shortfall totals over $250 million.

“This isn’t a line on the budget, you know, this is a priority issue,” Farlow said.

Cuts were meant to take effect July 1, but after immense pushback, the Maryland Department of Health, which oversees the DDA, delayed them until the fall. Farlow said she is unsure of when the cuts will actually go into effect.

“What’s going to happen? Are these pay cuts going to go through? Are they not going to go through? It’s scary,” she said.

Farlow says the anxiety she and the caregivers she has hired feel is constant.

Christine Gott is one of two paid caretakers for Holland and Andrew, and a single mom. She said the cuts have forced her to get a second job to keep up with bills.

“My mortgage has gone up, my property tax has gone up, my electric is skyrocketing, and now my pay is going to be cut,” Gott said. “And it’s like kind of a slap in the face because I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Gott says people have many misconceptions about the type of work she does.

“We’re not glorified babysitters. We do actually care for people, the fact that the people that we care for are people,” she said. “They have opinions. They have voices. They want to be heard.”