In May 2009 I had to have Urgent Brain surgeory due to A.V.M.{Arterial Vain Malformation} I forgot alot bout how life worked until My sister contacted Brain Injury Services for me once in this program I flourished, with understanding of my brain injury. I was able to understand how to live. they taught people with different types of brain injuries , how to adapt to the outside world, where the outside world was very cruel to people like we are with brain injuries , some would say we were retarded or slow those words hurt more then going through 10 hours of brain surguory. We just have a different way of learning. Brain Injury Services gave us books, classes and helped people like myself. We got to talk about our injuries our lives and what we were going to look forward to in our now bright futures. Im getting ready to go back to work buying my first home and YES IM driving again for the first time in 14 years!!!! THATS WHY YOU MUST KEEP BRAIN INJURY SERVICES FUNDED!!We are more than our brain injuries. God Bless and Thank you Loretta C. Mullins Bristol Va.

I am the mother of a daughter who was diagnosed with an ID who was born in 1970 but passed away in 2000. She had a waiver and benefited from the Valley and Region Ten CSB services. I am currently the stepmother of 53 year old Chrissy who benefits from services provided by a Waiver at Region Ten. I have been a Region Ten Board member appointed for the second time by my county supervisor. I am once again Chair of a CSB Board. It amazes me how there has been so little CHANGE in the needs and services provided too our most venerable citizens with disabilities living in VA. And sadly to say, so little CHANGE in the funding and availability of the services to meet the overwhelming needs of these citizens these past 23 years. I guess I could even go back as far 1985 when I was a CSB Board member and Chair for the Valley CSB. Very little change since then too. The lack of the much needed funding to provide services to address the crisis we are facing in mental health field in VA is also impacting the need for a trained and qualified work staff to work in the CSB system. Without adequate (increased) funding and better opportunities to create a trained workforce, the needs of the thousands of Virgoan's with disabilities will ONCE AGAIN be left behind. In today's world in our country the lack of leaders who are willing to do the work to meet the needs of our most venerable citizens is mindboggling. It is not "Rocket Science!" Do you want to be remembered as just ANOTHER one of Virginia's State Legislators who did NOTHING to improve the lives of Virginia's most venerable population OR do want to be known as one of our CHAMPIONS that "Made A DIFFERENCE in VA???? YOUR CHOICE! Virginia can be the leader OR just another "failed" state who does NOTHING to improve the lives of it's most venerable citizens. Take a CHANCE....BE A LEADER!!!! Respectfully Submitted, Barbara Barrett 1220 Red Pine Court Crozet, VA 22932\434-823-1643

Comments Document

Thank you for your time and the opportunity to speak at today's Budget Hearing for the Western Region. As mentioned, I am including a digital copy of the 2023 Child Care Aware of VA Public Policy Agenda in Brief on Recommendations for General Assembly to promote safe settings for children and quality choices for families. Margaret Hurst, Regional Manager Child Care Aware of Western VA

Home Care Workers are requesting a 10% increase in pay, 240 additional Respite hours, an additional 5 sick days (totaling 10) and allow an increase in the number of waiver slots. Thank you.