BOISE, Idaho — A bill is moving forward in the Idaho Statehouse that would allow some parents to be paid for serving as the caregiver of their severely disabled children.
The legislation — sponsored by Rep. Ilana Rubel (D) — finally received a hearing and a formal bill number in the House Health and Welfare Committee.
"I have never seen a group of families work harder to get help from their legislature, so I hope they get their day," Rubel said.
WATCH | Hear from Rubel and an Idaho mother about the bill—
As previously reported, the Family Personal Care Services program — which paid families instead of outside providers to care for severely disabled children — was terminated last year by the Department of Health and Welfare, citing fraud and abuse. Rubel’s bill aims to revive the program, adding new guardrails.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Idaho lawmaker works to revive program that paid parents to care for their disabled children
"Establishing fraud controls within the department, setting a cap on the number of participants at 1,000 families, and setting a cap on the number of hours at 25 hours per week," she said.
Jessica Godsill, who cares for her son Liam, said she's excited to see progress on the bill.
"It's like a little light at the end of that tunnel finally, for us," Godsill said. "I just truly hope that we keep pushing this bill and getting it the recognition that it needs so it can get it passed because opening up these 1,000 jobs so that these families can provide the care would be a really great turnout for everybody."
The next step is for the bill to be scheduled for a public hearing in the House Health and Welfare Committee, where lawmakers will decide whether to advance it to the House floor.
