Addressing the Needs of Caregivers of Children with Disabilities**

Dear Members of the Colorado Task Force Subcommittees,

I am writing to you as a mother of two children with disabilities and as a community advocate for caregivers on the Western Slope. While the topics addressed by your subcommittees are crucial, I believe they could be more inclusive of the unique challenges faced by caregivers of children with disabilities. These families are often overwhelmed and lack the time and resources to advocate for themselves, yet they face extraordinary hardships beyond typical families.

Before moving to Colorado, I was running a full-time business. However, after relocating, both of my children—aged eight and 18 months at the time—were diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Due to their high needs, I cannot work outside the home, which has significantly strained our family financially. My husband works a full-time job four days a week, with a ten-hour shift and a one-hour commute, leaving me to manage most of our children's care alone.

Each year, we face the constant risk of homelessness due to the high cost of living and our low credit score. Before our children’s diagnoses, we had to rely on credit to meet our basic needs. Now, despite our best efforts, we struggle to get ahead financially. Our income is $52,000, and while we only receive $100 in food assistance for a family of four, we still prioritize paying rent and utilities and providing for our family.

Despite never missing a rent payment, we struggle to find housing due to our credit score. We owned a home for ten years in Texas, but since moving to Colorado, our children have experienced instability, attending multiple schools and living in unsafe areas. Our daughter, who has never known a stable home environment, cannot share a room with her brother due to their different needs, so we require a three-bedroom home. Yet, even when a rental becomes available, there are often ten other applicants ahead of us, and our credit score continues to be a barrier.

Living on the Western Slope, we qualify for respite and homemaker services through disability waivers, but due to staffing shortages, the support we receive is minimal. My physical and mental health are deteriorating, placing an even more significant burden on my husband. Our daughter’s sleep disturbances often require him to wake up at night, adding to the strain on his ability to work. Though it could be done remotely, his job only allows one day of remote work per week. As a result, I am left managing both children alone for much of the day, which profoundly impacts my ability to care for them and myself.

Given these challenges, I would like to propose several considerations for the Task Force that could greatly benefit caregivers of children with disabilities:

1. **Adjust Housing Application Requirements**: Caregivers of children with disabilities should not be penalized for low credit scores, especially when they have proven rental histories. Many of us have fallen into debt due to the overwhelming costs associated with our children’s care. Removing the requirement for a credit score and focusing on landlord references could provide much-needed housing stability for families like mine.

2. **Increase Remote Work Opportunities for Caregivers**: Caregivers should be allowed remote work options where feasible. Studies have shown that remote work can increase productivity, especially for those caring for loved ones with disabilities. This flexibility would reduce the strain on families and allow caregivers to continue working while meeting their children’s needs.

3. **Expand Food Assistance**: Families caring for children with disabilities should receive additional food assistance. The current support we receive is inadequate, especially considering the financial burdens of caring for children with high needs.

4. **Create Housing Vouchers for Families with Children with Disabilities**: Though we applied for a housing voucher, we were not approved, and the waitlist is two years long. More immediate solutions are needed to ensure families with children with disabilities have access to safe and stable housing.

5. **Promote Safer Housing Options for Children with Disabilities**: Many children with intellectual disabilities are non-verbal, prone to elopement, and have difficulty making safe decisions. Families should have safer, more secure housing options in these situations, ensuring their children’s well-being is prioritized.

I appreciate the work that the Colorado Task Force is doing, but I urge you to consider these additional issues that impact so many families. The caregiving community is in crisis, and many caregivers are too overwhelmed to advocate for themselves. I hope these suggestions can spark meaningful changes to better support families like mine who are struggling to survive.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jerrica Thurston

Community Advocate for Caregivers on the Western Slope