PHOENIX — It took them three years, but Arizona mothers of disabled kids are now celebrating a huge victory for their children.
Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Monday that the Biden Administration will allow parents like Brandi Coon of Queen Creek to be their child's full-time caregiver - with pay.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Madres de Arizona con niños con discapacidad ahora pueden recibir un pago como cuidadoras de tiempo completo
Coon said that, since 2021, she and a group of moms did a lot of knocking on doors and heard a lot of "no's." Finally, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the Biden administration will allow parents like Coon to be their child's full-time paid caregiver.
Coon, a former school teacher, was already providing round-the-clock care for her 9-year-old son, Tyson. Tyson has complex medical issues, including cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
As Coon tells it, a few parents got together on Facebook three years ago to brainstorm ways to make permanent the "Parents As Paid Caregivers" program that started during the pandemic.
A change.org petition didn't do the job, but their hard work, research and persistence paid off.
Coon explained why she teared up when she spoke at Hobbs' news conference Monday.
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"I've heard thousands of stories from parents on how this program has made a change in their lives the last few years," Coon said during an interview.
"Knowing that this program being permanent for them, brings them so much relief and stability and consistency in their lives knowing that they're going to know how to pay their rent next month, they're going to be able to put food on the table themselves, they're going to be able to get out of government services that they've otherwise relied on through their own employment and work ethic is really powerful."
The Biden Administration also approved Gov. Hobbs' expansion of KidsCare, the state's Medicaid program for children.
On April 1, the upper-income limit for KidsCare families will increase to 225% of the federal poverty level — $70,200 for a family of four.
An estimated 10,000 more children will become eligible.
For the Parents as Paid Caregivers program, disabled children must be enrolled in the Arizona Long-Term Care System.
Parents must get training as caregivers from a provider that will hire them through the state-funded program.
About 3,600 severely disabled children are eligible.
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