Opinion: I fear for my disabled daughter. Her services may be stopped due to lost state funding.

Wiesner is a retired salon manager and the mother of a client in Home of Guiding Hands’ Community Living Program. She lives in El Cajon.

I’m not just a concerned citizen; I’m a frightened parent. I’m scared of what happens when the world doesn’t see the value in supporting the community of souls with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Among them is my daughter Taylor. I’m Taylor’s mother, and I am writing to bring attention to an issue of critical importance — the fear that comes with a potential $1 billion budget cut from Gov. Gavin Newsom to this community.

The intellectual and developmental disabilities community is not merely a matter of inconvenience; it is a lifelong story of silent struggles and the ache of exclusion. My daughter, Taylor, who faces the world as a disabled adult, confronts her limitations and heartaches with direct support and guidance from organizations like the Home of Guiding Hands and its compassionate staff. But in the shadow of underfunding, those hopes are dimming.

Inclusion is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. It is the bridge that connects Taylor to the world around her. Taylor has been part of the Community Living Program at Home of Guiding Hands for over 10 years. This program has consistently aided Taylor with practical tools to improve her daily life, such as shopping and paying bills, or using public transportation and cooking. Likewise, Taylor, and those like her, struggle to understand the ways to access essential health care services. If not for the aid she receives from the Home of Guiding Hands, Taylor’s health would further deteriorate along with her quality of life.

Moreover, Home of Guiding Hands has provided a variety of avenues for Taylor to meet and interact with her peers. They nurture those in the intellectual and developmental disabilities community through emotional and practical support.

Home of Guiding Hands has been a beacon of hope for families like mine. It has offered a sense of normalcy in a world that often overlooks the needs of those who cannot always speak up for themselves.

If organizations like Home of Guiding Hands were increasingly unavailable after ever-deepening cuts, we would be left to fill the void as best we can, but we’re not the experts, nor her peers. We’re just loving parents, doing our best in a situation that feels increasingly desperate.

The lack of support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is a complex issue that can exacerbate the challenges faced by this vulnerable population. I further suspect that the larger societal expenses associated with emergency care, law enforcement involvement and other crisis services often surpass the costs of providing preventative and supportive services. Ultimately, the failure to provide adequate funding for intellectual and developmental disabilities support services can lead to increased long-term costs.

But of course, there is a personal toll of financial neglect. Every cut in funding feels like a cut to Taylor’s lifeline. It’s not just about numbers on a budget; my daughter’s world, and the world of so many others, shrinks with each program that is reduced or staff that is lost. The guidance that helps her cope daily, the activities that help her grow, the companionship that tells her she’s not alone — without funding, these are just out of reach.

For myself, I’m scared. I’m scared of a future where my daughter has to navigate an even more challenging world because the support she relies on has been stripped away, due to funding cuts.

The narrative of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities must change. It is not one of pity or charity; it is about recognizing that diversity in abilities is a natural and valuable part of the human experience.

Let us not wait for another family to feel the desperation and fear that comes with watching a loved one struggle unnecessarily. Let us act now to fortify the intellectual and developmental disabilities support systems that not only aid individuals like Taylor, but also enrich our society as a whole. It is time for us to step up and be the guiding hands that lead the way to a more inclusive and compassionate world. If you share my concerns, please take action. Reach out to your local legislator now and oppose Gov. Newsom’s proposed $1 billion budget cut to the intellectual and developmental disabilities community.