INDIANAPOLIS — April is World Autism Month, and in light of Indiana's uncertain fiscal future, disabilities advocates gathered at the Statehouse to express their concerns. The disabilities community is worried that looming budget cuts could jeopardize critical services for individuals with disabilities.
Karly Sciortine-Poulter, whose son Andy has been diagnosed with autism, emphasized the impact of Medicaid on her son's life.
"He was part of that generation who had to wait 10 years before he finally got help," Sciortine-Poulter said. "Once he got that help it was an absolute game changer."
Without assistance from Medicaid, she believes her 24-year-old son would not have been able to find a job or enjoy greater independence.
"Because of those services, he has had, he is able to work, he is able to manage his own money. He arranges his own transportation to and from work. And it's all thanks to those skills he has learned over time through those waiver services," she added.
Organizations that support individuals living with autism stress that early intervention is crucial for achieving a higher-functioning life.
Jason McManus, president and CEO of Wabash Center, underscored the long-term benefits of investing in services for those with disabilities.
"Investing in the front-end — while it may seem unpopular — investing on the front-end really does save the state of Indiana and Hoosiers a lot of money down stream," he said.
Meanwhile, on the fourth floor of the Statehouse, lawmakers were engaged in conference committee discussions about the state budget. While Republicans did not make themselves available to the press following the meeting, Democrats did voice their concerns.
House and Senate Democrats emphasized the importance of fully funding Medicaid programs and shared ideas for generating additional revenue. Rep. Gregory Porter (D-Indianapolis) discussed a proposal to implement a $2 cigarette tax.
"Our conference committee report does include a 2 dollar cigarette tax, which we talked about. They said it was on the table; we have been talking about it in our other budget that would generate 800 million dollars," he said.
State Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) proposed delaying income tax reductions.
"We would just be placing a freeze for two more years that would generate about 300 million dollars," he stated.
Democrats also seek to revert school choice voucher eligibility guidelines to the rates established in 2020-21. There has been no indication yet from Republicans on whether they support these proposals. However, GOP members have indicated that "everything is on the table" regarding the budget discussions.
