Responding to the Ethan Kelly article as it appeared online March 29, we can certainly empathize with the family. We, too, are one of the thousand families on the Maine Department of Health and Human Services list for direct caretaking services.

As we plan for our son’s future upon completion of high school, we are in limbo, not knowing what will happen. Both of our children have recently been denied in-home support services, for which they have been eligible since they started school. They certainly didn’t make a miraculous recovery and no longer need services. They are both globally developmentally delayed and are mentally retarded due to a genetic disorder.

With due respect to Ricker Hamilton’s comment, “We know what these parents are going through,” I ask, do they really?

Have they done in-home visits with any of those families? Have the people who are making cuts walked a mile in our shoes? Have they heard the voices of those families?

The families mentioned in the article should not need to be placed under extreme financial strain because the system has let them down.

I know of people who are on disability because of drug abuse and receive daily free transportation to a free clinic. Is there something wrong here?

Our children didn’t “choose” to be multi-handicapped, mentally retarded, medically challenged, etc.

State officials need to see firsthand that these individuals exist and they need to hear us.

Jennifer Lyons, Sabattus

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