HILLIARD, Ohio — Kelly Maynard finds inspiration in her son, Jackson.
“I get my strength from him because he never gives up; he never quits,” she said.
Jackson, 14, is a freshman at Hilliard Davidson High School. At five, he was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is a genetic disorder that breaks down the muscles. Since he was nine he’s been in a wheelchair.
She’s hoping this story makes a difference.
“That would certainly relieve a lot of burden on the system and families like ours,” she said.
Before the pandemic, she says the number of at-home aides was going down. Now, with her husband going back to work and Jackson going to school, she says additional help just isn’t there.
“I tried for weeks before that to get a home health aide and they just don’t have any,” she said.
Through Medicaid, she says Jackson is eligible for up to 56 hours a week for an aide, but she’s having trouble getting someone for even a few hours a day.
Jed Morison is the superintendent with the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
“We certainly acknowledge this is a problem, but we’re trying to do everything we can across the state,” he said.
He says there are about 150 agency providers. Competition for employment, especially during the pandemic, he says, has taken a toll despite incentives offered by some providers.
This year the state legislature has increased in its budget a 4% hike for provider rates, which goes into effect in January 2022. FCBDD also just established a new program connecting families with providers who are looking for more work.
“We just started about a month-and-a-half ago and it’s been very successful and I think we have about 30 connections already,” Morison said.
Maynard helps run two businesses. Jackson has a reduced school day due to his disease and he’s home by 2:30 p.m. ultimately stopping her workday to tend to his needs.
“When he comes home it’s very difficult to do any work from 2:30 on, which you can imagine is really challenging to schedule your workday,” Maynard said.
She doesn’t mind, saying it’s what needs to be done as a mother. She knows there are other families in the same situation.
“Gaps in services and the need sort of becomes a glaring siren that you can’t ignore,” she said. “And, like I said, if we’re going through it then there’s so many other families going through it as well.”
Jackson doesn’t quit, so neither does she. She keeps pushing knowing her inspiration needs her.
“It’s just what you do for the love of your children,” she said.