Pulse brief · 1 cited source · July 15, 2026
Maryland delays $126 million in disability cuts; families brace anyway
Gov. Wes Moore's budget cut $126 million from the Developmental Disabilities Administration. Because state funds are matched by Medicaid, the agency's shortfall tops $250 million.
Maryland's Developmental Disabilities Administration is absorbing $126 million in cuts under the operating budget of more than $70 billion that Gov. Wes Moore signed. Because the state funds are matched by Medicaid, the agency's shortfall totals more than $250 million. Moore has since released a proposed second supplemental budget that includes $36 million to address the cuts. The cuts were meant to take effect July 1, but after pushback the Maryland Department of Health, which oversees the DDA, delayed them until the fall.
In Stockton, Shana Farlow, 48, works as a full-time nurse for her brothers Nathan Holland, 35, and Andrew, 43, both of whom have disabilities. Farlow said state funds allowed her brothers to stay at home instead of in institutions that she says were not able to suit their needs. "I worked hard to put into place staff during the day and the nurses overnight. I mean, all that's in jeopardy," she said. "And it scares families like ours." "I don't want to go back," Holland said. Farlow said she does not know when the cuts will actually take effect: "Are these pay cuts going to go through? Are they not going to go through? It's scary."
Christine Gott, one of two paid caretakers for the brothers and a single mother, said the cuts have forced her to take a second job to keep up with bills. "My mortgage has gone up, my property tax has gone up, my electric is skyrocketing, and now my pay is going to be cut," Gott said. "And it's like kind of a slap in the face because I didn't do anything wrong." She said people hold misconceptions about the work: "We're not glorified babysitters. We do actually care for people."
Evidence
Each statement shown below is a verified claim this source supports.
- Maryland's Developmental Disabilities Administration is absorbing $126 million in cuts included in the more than $70 billion operating budget that Gov. Wes Moore signed.
- The DDA cuts were meant to take effect July 1, but the Maryland Department of Health, which oversees the DDA, delayed them until the fall after pushback.
- Farlow said the situation scares families like hers: "And it scares families like ours."
- Because the state funds are matched by Medicaid, the DDA's shortfall totals over $250 million.
- Moore released a proposed second supplemental budget that includes $36 million to address the cuts.
- In Stockton, Md., Nathan Holland, 35, and his brother Andrew, 43, both have disabilities and are cared for by their 48-year-old sister Shana Farlow, who works as a full-time nurse for them.
- Farlow said state funds allowed her brothers to stay at home rather than in institutions she says were not able to suit their needs.
- Farlow said: "I worked hard to put into place staff during the day and the nurses overnight. I mean, all that's in jeopardy."
- Holland said, "I don't want to go back."
- Farlow said she is unsure when the cuts will actually go into effect: "Are these pay cuts going to go through? Are they not going to go through? It's scary."
- Christine Gott, one of two paid caretakers for Holland and Andrew and a single mom, said the cuts have forced her to get a second job to keep up with bills.
- Gott said: "My mortgage has gone up, my property tax has gone up, my electric is skyrocketing, and now my pay is going to be cut."
- Gott said: "And it's like kind of a slap in the face because I didn't do anything wrong."
- Gott said people hold misconceptions about her work: "We're not glorified babysitters. We do actually care for people."