04/27/2026
A NOTE FROM OUR CEO:
Recent remarks by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a House Committee hearing, echoed by CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, reflect a troubling pattern of mischaracterizing Medicaid and the essential role of home and community‑based services (HCBS) that are provided by agencies like Abilities Services, Inc . For families across Indiana, these services are not abstract policy debates—they are what make it possible for people with disabilities to live at home, hold jobs, and stay connected to their communities. While Hoosiers agree that public funds should be used responsibly, broad and unsupported claims that HCBS—particularly services provided by family caregivers—are “rife with fraud” risk causing real harm to people who rely on these supports every day.
Here in Indiana, we see the value of HCBS firsthand—in small towns, rural areas, and growing cities alike. For too long, people with disabilities were separated from their families and communities and placed in institutions far from home. That history still shapes the lives of many Hoosier families today. Home and community‑based services helped change that by allowing people to remain close to their families, participate in local workplaces, and stay rooted in their churches and neighborhoods. Some individuals prefer care from a family member they trust. Others might not be so fortunate, and depend on direct care workers who help with daily routines—getting ready for work, managing medications, attending appointments, and staying actively engaged in community life. Both are essential, especially in a state like Indiana where workforce shortages and transportation barriers can make options limited. For many families, a family caregiver isn’t just the best choice, it’s the only dependable way to keep a loved one at home.
These comments strike at the heart of our work at Abilities Services, Inc. Our mission is simple and deeply local: Abilities Services, Inc. assists people with disabilities or similar disadvantages to live and work in the community. That mission plays out every day across our community as well as Indiana, as we support individuals who want the same things as anyone else—a place to call home, a job with purpose, and the ability to participate fully in their local community. Medicaid and HCBS provide the backbone that makes this possible.
When national leaders make sweeping claims about fraud without context, the ripple effects reach right into Indiana communities. Families begin to worry about whether services will be cut or changed. Individuals fear losing the supports that allow them to stay employed or remain at home. Organizations like ours are left trying to reassure people while navigating uncertainty that distracts from our core work—supporting Hoosiers with disabilities to live and work in the community.
We hear these concerns directly from the people we serve. Parents worry about what will happen to their adult children if supports disappear. Caregivers fear being labeled or scrutinized simply for helping a loved one. At a time when Indiana is already facing a serious shortage of direct care workers, rhetoric casting suspicion on lawful services only makes recruitment and retention harder and threatens the stability of the entire system.
We urge policymakers—both at the federal level and here in Indiana—to pause and consider the real‑world impact of their words. Fraud should be addressed where it exists, but it must be done carefully, using evidence and precision, not broad accusations that harm families and providers doing the right thing. We call on leaders to work in partnership with people with disabilities, family caregivers, and community organizations to strengthen Medicaid and HCBS through thoughtful oversight, workforce investment, and policies that protect choice and independence.
The path forward is clear. Indiana has made progress toward supporting people with disabilities in the community, and we cannot afford to turn back. At Abilities Services, Inc., we see every day what works when people have the right supports in place. We ask policymakers to listen to Hoosiers with disabilities and their families—and to commit to protecting and strengthening the services that make community living and working possible across Indiana.
Michelle Smith, CEO
