Protect Idaho Children with Disabilities
Tell Lawmakers to Stop Proposed Medicaid Cuts
27,000 Idaho children with disabilities could lose essential therapy and home-based services.
Proposed Medicaid cuts could eliminate speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral supports, and Home & Community-Based Services — programs that help children remain with their families instead of being institutionalized. Click below to email Idaho lawmakers now.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Idaho Is Considering Cuts to Disability Services
State leadership is proposing Medicaid reductions that may affect:
- Speech & Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Behavioral Intervention
- Crisis Support
- Home & Community-Based Services
These services help children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other developmental disabilities learn, grow, and live at home.
Confirmed by News Reporting!
According to reporting from Idaho Capital Sun via Yahoo News, Governor Brad Little’s budget proposal includes potential cuts or eliminations to Medicaid services, including disability support and home- and community-based services — programs that help people with disabilities remain in their homes instead of being institutionalized.
This means thousands of Idaho families could soon face reduced care, fewer therapy options, and greater financial and emotional strain.
How You Can Help Idaho Children?
Email Idaho representatives to show your support and protect disability services.
Not Sure What to Say? Here’s a Guide
When emailing your representative, consider sharing:
- Your child’s name and disability
- How you learned about their diagnosis
- What therapies or services helped
- How losing services would affect your family
- A personal request to protect disability care
Suggested opening:
Please prevent the Governor from cutting Home and Community-Based Services and disability therapies for Idaho children. These services are essential to families like mine.
WHY THIS MATTERS
This Decision Will Impact Idaho Families
There are approximately 27,000 Idaho children with disabilities who rely on Medicaid-funded care.
These services help children:
- Communicate and learn
- Build independence
- Reduce behavioral crises
- Develop life skills
- Progress toward adulthood and employment
Without support:
- Families may face emotional and financial strain
- Children risk losing progress
- Institutionalization becomes more likely
- Long-term state costs could rise
This isn’t a political issue. It’s a moral issue.
Do we protect Idaho children — or take away the services they need?
Recent legislative projections show Idaho may have a budget surplus, raising serious questions about why services for children with disabilities are being targeted.If Idaho has the resources, children should not be the ones to pay the price.
Children with developmental disabilities are protected under U.S. civil rights law. Eliminating essential services risks discriminatory harm and undermines equal access to care.
Idaho Children Need Your Voice Now
Children with disabilities can learn, grow, and become independent — but only if we protect the services that support them.