Georgia's Govenor is being accused of balancing the budget on the backs of families caring for disabled children.
Parents say lost funding could be a matter of life or death.
Governor Sonny Perdue is proposing to make parents pay up to 400 dollars a month for services they now get for free.
The money is for people who are not poor, but still can't afford the cost of caring for a disabled child.
The cuts could have a big impact on Brandon Goins.
His grandmother Donna Spies says, "He only weighed 2 pounds 11 ounces when he was born. He has cerebral palsy, autism, and he's just extremely mentally retarded."
The Governor's plan is to stop paying for services like day care which help Brandon's family keep him out of an institution.
Spies says "He's used to being with his friends here. If he had to stay at home everyday or stay in an institute--I don't believe he would last long. A lot of these kids are that way." Potiphar Miles agrees that by keeping his 27-year-old daughter Princess at home, he can make sure she is happy.
"I like to play music for her. Sometimes she wants to jump out of the chair. The louder it is the better it is for her."
Miles has been caring for his daughter alone since 1990.
"That's a promise my wife and I made with each other. That which ever of us went first she would never go to an institution."
But caring for the disabled is an expense almost no one but the wealthy can afford. For example, special chairs can cost up to 5-thousand dollars.
Wthout help, many families would have to skip therapy which can help children reach their highest potential.
Mother Wendy Ericson says, "She would not grow. She would not improve. We will do all we can afford, but that's all we can do. I will not put my child in an institution. It's not fair to her. It's taking my child away from me. It's a miserable life. Put a dog in a cage and leave it there until it dies."
Once cuts are in the Governor's budget they are close to reality.
That's why advocates hope to rally enough support to get lawmakers to change their minds. Advocates will be going to Atlanta on February 11 to testify before the Department of Community Health.
If you'd like to voice your opinion to state lawmakers, the program which helps these families is called the Katie Beckett Waiver program.
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