Ohio Gov. Responds to Public, Backs Off Phasing Out Independent Home Care

Responding to a hornet’s nest of public criticism, state officials are reassuring people with developmental disabilities and others that they will still be able to choose the specific caregivers who see to their most basic needs at home. 

Members of the public concerned about the potential loss of choice turned out in droves in recent weeks to testify before legislators. They felt blindsided after Gov. Kasich’s administration tucked into last month’s budget bill a proposal to phase out potentially thousands of independent providers, citing concerns about fraud. 

Angry calls, hundreds of emails and more than 60 hours of testimony ensued.