Families could lose thousands in income if Indiana reduces payments to parents of kids with disabilities

Jackson Dewitt is one of around 1,600 children who receive services through the Attendant Care Program. The stipend his mother, Jennifer, gets for providing around-the-clock care for him helped the family stay afloat. (Elizabeth Gabriel / Side Effects Public Media) 15-year-old Jackson Dewitt has big dimples and a snaggletooth smile. He enjoys listening to music and his mom said he loves giving hugs. “When I describe him to new nurses when we’re in a hospital, I describe him as basically being the human equivalent to Olaf [from the Disney movie& Frozen], except that instead of an orange nose, we have red hair,” his mother, Jennifer Dewitt, said. In 2008, Jackson and his twin brother Matthew were born 13 weeks premature. Jackson had a massive brain bleed that led to severe cerebral palsy. He is considered blind, unable to eat by mouth, has severe scoliosis, respiratory issues and can have daily seizures due to a severe form of epilepsy. Jackson needs constant care, but it’s difficult for the family to reliably find qualified home health workers due to a dire workforce shortage. So, his mother, Jennifer, provides him with hospital-level care around the clock while also helping Jackson be an active...