State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) joined disability advocates Thursday to voice opposition to proposed cuts in Indiana’s Medicaid waiver program that would sharply limit recreational therapy services for people with disabilities.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration has proposed capping recreational therapy under the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) waiver to six hours per month. Advocates say the change would significantly harm individuals who rely on the therapy to build confidence, foster social connections and increase independence.
Garcia Wilburn said the cap would force families to choose between essential therapy and basic needs such as groceries and gas.
“Recreational therapy services are not optional,” Garcia Wilburn said at a press conference in Fishers. “They are a vital part of ensuring Hoosiers of all abilities lead their richest, most vibrant possible lives. We simply cannot ‘do more with less’ when we essentially have been left with nothing.”
She was joined by Ashley Searcy, the mother of Sadie, a Medicaid waiver recipient, and certified recreational therapeutic specialists Tyler Neimeyer and Lori Schweyer. Supporters filled the room to call for the proposal to be scrapped.
Public comment on the proposed changes closed last week after dozens of Hoosiers submitted testimony opposing the cap. Garcia Wilburn noted that a similar attempt to impose limits on therapy services was previously found in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act because it risked segregating people with disabilities from their communities.
The legislator also criticized what she described as misplaced state budget priorities. She argued that despite claims of financial necessity, the state has continued to allocate money for expanded government oversight roles while cutting direct services.
“The money is there – it’s just a question of whether we have the bravery to spend it where Hoosiers really need it or whether we will continue bending to the will of special interests,” Garcia Wilburn said.
She urged Gov. Mike Braun and his administration to reverse course, saying Indiana can be a place where residents with disabilities live their fullest possible lives — but only if the state prioritizes funding for essential services over other expenditures.