WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the budget process continues in the Senate with Republicans pushing cuts to essential programs, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) spent this morning hosting a virtual roundtable where he was joined by parents of disabled children to discuss the realities of what cuts to Medicaid and other federally funded programs would mean for New Jersey and their children who rely on these services, funding, and assistance to live as independently as possible.  

“Disabled children and young adults across New Jersey are seeing school lunches eliminated, services like IDEA and PerformCare that make it possible for them to go to public school cut, and their independent futures taken away because President Trump and Republicans are choosing to look out for the wealthy instead,” said Senator Andy Kim.“Families are hurting because my colleagues lack the basic care and understanding of the realities of these ‘cost saving measures’ at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Education (DoEd) – we should be offering support and assistance to these families instead of throwing more hurdles with no care as to how this impacts those on the ground.”

This discussion comes as the country marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which has been fundamental for protecting and including disabled students in educational settings. With the program transitioning from Department of Education (DoEd) to Health and Human Services (HHS), IDEA is now at risk of being eliminated or being downsized which would cause extreme negative effects to the disabled community.  

New Jersey is currently expecting to receive $444 million in IDEA funding next year. Even a 15% decrease in funding would equal a loss of close to $70 million dollars for schools and families across the state and over 1,100 potential entry-level jobs which comes at a time when New Jersey is already navigating a teacher shortage.

Throughout the conversation, Senator Kim heard from roughly a dozen parents who have children with disabilities ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Cerebral Palsy (CP) to various mental and developmental disabilities that require individualized education plans (IEP’s), extra assistance during class time, and even 24-hour monitoring in some circumstances. They discussed why protecting IDEA is needed, the high costs of necessary treatments and classes for their kids to work towards independence, fears surrounding cuts to IEP programs, and the lack of alternatives to IDEA and other federal programs that would be readily available. They also spoke of their concerns that students who rely on Special Education services won’t have the needed assistance to attend public school if left up to individual states.

“New Jersey families, especially those with children and adults with disabilities rely on federal assistance for crucial programs that are now at risk,” said Julie Borst, Executive Director, Save Our Schools NJ Community Organizing. “The potential loss of federal funding and civil rights protections under IDEA and Medicaid would create severe hardship on these families.”

Senator Kim works to expand access to opportunity through education as a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). Kim also sits on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging. Learn more about Senator Kim’s service on behalf of New Jersey here.

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