The Arc of Indiana & Self-Advocates of Indiana
Disability Policy Issues Questionnaire
District 6
Dr. Cinde Wirth – Democrat
Question 1 – Would you support federal legislation to make Home and Community-Based Services a mandatory Medicaid benefit? Why or why not?
Response: Yes. I support making Home and Community-Based Services a mandatory Medicaid benefit. People should not have to wait years for the support they need to live safely at home, work, attend school, and participate in their communities. It is wrong that nursing facility care is guaranteed through Medicaid while most community-based services remain optional, leaving families on long waiting lists and forcing people into institutional settings. Federal legislation should guarantee HCBS, fully fund the transition, and help states recruit and retain the direct-care workforce through fair wages, benefits, and training. Family caregivers also need respite and support. Living in the community should be a right, not a privilege determined by a state waiver or a waiting list.
Question 2 – Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Do you believe the current SSI resource limits should be increased, indexed for inflation, or otherwise reformed? Why or why not?
Response: Yes. SSI resource limits must be raised and indexed to inflation. The current $2,000 limit for an individual and $3,000 limit for a married couple have not changed since 1989. That is not enough to cover a car repair, medical expense, accessible housing need, or broken appliance. No one should lose essential benefits because they saved a small emergency fund. As a teacher, I know financial instability affects every part of a person’s life. We should support independence, not punish people for modest savings. I support increasing limits to at least $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for couples, with automatic inflation adjustments.
About SSI
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides a modest cash benefit for low-income individuals who are elderly, blind, or have disabilities. While costs for basic necessities have increased over the years, SSI’s asset limits have not kept pace with inflation and have remained largely unchanged since 1989. An individual on SSI generally cannot have more than $2,000 in countable resources at any time. Married couples are only allowed $3,000. Resources that count towards the SSI asset limit include cash, money in bank accounts, stocks and bonds, and certain other assets.
Question 3 – Direct Support Professional (DSP) Crisis
What federal policies would you support to strengthen the Direct Support Professional workforce, including recruitment, retention, compensation, and support for family caregivers?
Response: Direct Support Professionals help people with disabilities live independently, yet too many earn poverty wages, lack benefits, and leave due to burnout. That is unacceptable. I support federal Medicaid funding tied to higher wages, health coverage, paid leave, and career pathways through training and apprenticeships. We must recognize DSPs as a distinct workforce and hold providers accountable. Families need support too. I support expanded home- and community-based services, paid family caregiving, reliable respite care, and caregiver training. People with disabilities deserve stable care. DSPs deserve fair pay and respect.
About the DSP Crisis
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide essential support that allows individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, work, and participate in their communities. However, the profession continues to experience chronic workforce shortages driven by low wages, limited benefits, and high turnover. Nationally, DSP turnover exceeds 40% annually, and many providers report vacancy rates that leave critical positions unfilled. These workforce shortages contribute to service disruptions, increased caregiver strain, longer waiting lists for waivers, and reduced access to Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).
Question 4 – Seclusion and Restraint
What would you do to address issues of seclusion and restraint in schools for students with disabilities?
Response: Students with disabilities deserve safety, dignity, and a school environment built for their success. Seclusion and restraint should never be used as punishment, discipline, or a substitute for adequate staffing and support. I support federal standards that prohibit seclusion and mechanical or chemical restraints, while limiting physical restraint to true emergencies involving imminent risk of serious harm. Schools must notify families immediately, document every incident, and report data publicly. We must invest in trauma-informed training, de-escalation, mental health staff, and positive behavioral supports. As a teacher, I know prevention, relationships, and proper resources protect students far better than isolation or force.
About Seclusion and Restraint
Seclusion and restraint are crisis intervention practices used in some schools across the nation. Seclusion generally involves involuntarily confining a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. Restraint may involve physical, mechanical, or chemical interventions that restrict a student’s movement.
Students with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to seclusion and restraint practices. Disability advocates have raised concerns regarding safety, trauma, transparency, accountability, and the use of these interventions when less restrictive alternatives may be available.
Question 5 – Housing
What federal policies would you support to expand safe, affordable, accessible, and integrated housing opportunities for people with disabilities?
Response: People with disabilities deserve the freedom to choose where and how they live, in safe, affordable homes that are part of their communities. I support major federal investments in Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 811 supportive housing, and affordable housing construction. New federally supported housing should meet universal-design and accessibility standards, not force people to fight for basic accommodations. We must enforce fair housing laws and invest in community-based supports that help people live independently, rather than segregating them in institutions or isolated settings. Housing is not a luxury. It is the foundation for health, employment, community, and dignity.
About Housing
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face a housing crisis, with many contributing factors, such as a serious lack of safe, affordable, accessible and integrated housing, and significant housing-related discrimination. Access to stable housing is essential to community integration, employment, health, and quality of life.
Question 6 – What actions would you take to improve the availability, accessibility, reliability, and affordability of transportation options for people with disabilities?
Response: Transportation is freedom, and without it, people with disabilities can be shut out of work, school, health care, and community life. I support federal investments in accessible public transit, safer sidewalks and crossings, and reliable, affordable paratransit. Transit systems receiving federal dollars must meet ADA standards and provide service that is dependable, timely, and easy to use. We also need more transportation options in rural communities, because gaps there can be significant. Federal funding should support driver training, accessible vehicles, travel training, and coordination among transit, health care, and disability-service providers. People with disabilities deserve the independence to be able to get where they need to go.
About Transportation
People with IDD lack sufficient access to reliable, accessible, and safe modes of public and private transportation. Every mode of transportation, including air, water, road, rail, and even pedestrian transportation, presents barriers for individuals with IDD. These barriers prevent people with IDD from meaningful participation in everyday activities that promote high-quality community living experiences.
Reliable and accessible transportation is essential for people with disabilities to access employment, education, health care, community activities, and other opportunities. Transportation limitations can significantly restrict independence and community participation.