Disabled people and advocates in Nova Scotia say they still feel uneasy even after the provincial government canceled its planned cuts to disability support programs. Disabled people and their families who rely on day programs, respite services, and other services see the reversal as necessary but not comforting, since it highlights how much these essential services are based on political decisions.
Anne Boudreau, whose 49-year-old son with autism relies on these services said she “can’t rest” knowing how easily those supports could be threatened again. Boudreau is a single mother and cares for her son Brian who attends a day program.
The reversal came after widespread public protest when the government proposed a budget that included $130 million in cuts to discretionary grants along with additional reductions related to job cuts. About $53 million was eventually restored, which included funding for disability supports, seniors, and programs for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students. Premier Tim Houston admitted the government “got it wrong,” but caregivers say their trust remains damaged.
The anxiety caregivers feel in Nova Scotia mirrors concerns in the United States, where proposed and ongoing Medicaid cuts have sparked similar fears among disabled people and their families. Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans who depend on it for long-term care, in-home support, and essential health services. Nationally, people have warned that cuts would eliminate the very supports that allow disabled people to live at home and avoid institutions.
One caregiver in North Carolina described living in “constant fear” that cuts would dismantle the system her family relies on. In Iowa, families recently received notices that private companies managing Medicaid plans plan to cut nearly 40 percent of funding for in-home caregivers.
In Colorado, disabled people and caregivers gathered at the state capitol to protest proposed Medicaid and healthcare cuts, warning lawmakers that cuts would directly harm people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Across the U.S., experts warn that federal Medicaid cuts could limit access to healthcare for both caregivers and the people they support. This may lead to millions more Americans becoming uninsured. These pressures add to existing challenges in long-term care, where chronic underfunding and staffing shortages already threaten the stability of nursing homes and home-based services.
The experiences in Nova Scotia and the United States reveal a common global pattern: services for disabled people are often seen as expendable budget items rather than vital infrastructure. When funding is threatened, even for a short period, families face ongoing uncertainty. The emotional toll does not fade when funding is restored, since the underlying instability continues.
Sources:
Grant, Taryn. “‘I Truly Can’t Rest’: Disability Caregivers Say Their Relief Is Incomplete after Budget Cut Reversal .” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 11 Mar. 2026, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/disability-caregivers-say-their-relief-is-incomplete-after-budget-cut-reversal-9.7124595.
O’Connell-Domenech, Alejandra. “Medicaid Changes Will Hurt Family Caregivers, Experts Warn.” The Hill, Nexstar Media Inc. 27 July 2025. , https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5421325-medicaid-cuts-caregivers/.
Leys, Tony. “Trump’s Cuts to Medicaid Threaten Services That Help Disabled People Live at Home.” KFF Health News, KFF, 5 Mar. 2026, https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-cuts-disabilities-home-community-based-services-iowa/.
Wood, Liv. “Parents Caregivers Rally at Colorado Capitol to Protest Proposed Medicaid Cuts.” KOAA, The E.W. Scripps Company. 3 Mar. 2026, https://www.koaa.com/news/local-news/parents-caregivers-rally-at-colorado-capitol-to-protest-proposed-medicaid-cuts.