Due to the current and further threatened cutbacks in coverage provided under both Medicaid and The Department of Disabilities and Special Needs in South Carolina; Lowcountry Voices for Special Needs together with The disAbility Resource Center are collecting the personal stories of disAbled individuals and their caregivers. This is a state wide effort. If you presently receive assistance, or require but have been unable to get any assistance we need to hear from you. Please share your needs as candidly as you are able, both the daily challenges and the impact that reduced services would have on you and your loved ones. If you have been unable to secure any services, please address this situation also. Our goal is to collect these stories in book form to present to legislators and other influential members of the broader community. Please tell your facts in story form of 1000 words or less. If you know of someone who may not have access to the internet or has difficulty typing, the disAbility Resource Center has offered to takes stories by phone or in handwritten form and transcribe them. Their address and phone are listed below: disAbility Resource Center 7944 Dorchester Road. Suite 5 North Charleston, SC 29418 843-225-5080

Here are some guidelines that may assist you in completing your story:

Name & age of special needs person

Name, relationship & age of parents or caretakers

Describe the nature and origin or cause of the disability in layman's terms

Describe special equipment and supplies used

Describe special methods of caretaking needed

How do others respond?

Describe a typical "day in the life" of the person

Describe in your own words the "story of my life" aspects of the situation