With impending policy changes slated to reshape Arizona's approach to disability assessments, prominent state lawmakers have stepped into the fray. House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby and State Senator Janae Shamp are pushing for a pause and a return to discussions between state agencies and the disability community – the very essence of a calls to action that is ringing across families and service providers throughout the region. These policies, expected to kick in starting today, have become a source of concern for those fearing potential adverse effects on vulnerable residents.
The lawmakers, having recently engaged with a cross-section of community voices including parents, self-advocates, and direct care workers, have expressed their own concerns regarding the absence of substantial dialogue in the policy's creation. "Families are desperate to be heard," Representative Willoughby stated in a release, noting the gravity of decisions that "directly affect vulnerable Arizonans and their families," according to the official press statement. Senator Shamp echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the voices advocating for lives at risk and the necessity of timely action "to ensure our disability support system functions for the best possible outcomes."
Voices from within the community have raised red flags about the new assessment model, pointing out that it could overload families and healthcare systems that are already struggling to meet existing demands. According to what parents and service providers have shared, hospitals and clinics are not equipped to take on additional responsibility, which they warn could result from the policy changes. They also warned that shifting to an age-based model for habilitation services, as proposed, stands to diminish early intervention efforts and potentially lead to lifelong consequences for children, thus incurring even greater costs for the state.
In a strong pushback against the new policy, Representative Willoughby and Senator Shamp are urging the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to "pause these harmful changes and sit down with families and providers to develop an approach that works." They stress the importance of including those with real-life experience and expertise at the table to "ensure the best possible outcomes for our people," as stated in their joint press release. The call for a more evidence-based and reasonable assessment protocol reflects a deep-seated recognition that policy creation, especially in the delicate realm of disability support, cannot be done in isolation from those it most deeply affects.
