ELICOTT CITY, Md. — After serving his country and community for 38 years, a Marine Corps veteran from Ellicott City says his most important mission has always been at home caring for his 37-year-old son.
WATCH: Marine veteran speaks out as Maryland budget cuts threaten disabled son’s care
Robbie Merle was born with the most severe form of cerebral palsy. He requires daily, hands-on care. For decades, his parents, Stephen and Nina Merle, have been his advocates.
Through Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), Robbie receives support under a program called Self-Directed Services. The program allows individuals with disabilities to stay in their homes and choose who provides their care, instead of moving into a group home or institutional setting.
For the Merle family, that choice is everything.
Robbie’s mother, Nina, left a more than 20-year teaching career to become his full-time caregiver. She says it was a decision rooted in stability and trust.
“Because he needed to be taken care of, we needed somebody reliable,” Nina Merle said.
But the family now faces uncertainty.
As Maryland addresses its state budget deficit, DDA is facing cuts and those reductions are impacting caregiver pay under the Self-Directed Services Program. Last summer, Nina’s hourly rate dropped from more than $43 an hour to just over $32. Officials have signaled additional fiscal changes could be coming.
Nina worries further reductions will limit services not just for Robbie, but for thousands of families across Maryland.
“Please reconsider these cuts. It’s going to leave a lot of families, not just ours, in bad situations,” she said.
For Robbie, staying home means spending time with family, watching the Orioles, listening to music, and simply “hanging out.”
His father, Stephen, who also served as a Capitol Police officer and Howard County Sheriff’s officer, says after decades in uniform, advocacy is now his calling.
“My new mission is to make sure that he gets the services he needs,” Stephen Merle said.
The Merles say they are speaking out not only for their son, but for other Maryland families who rely on the program to keep loved ones safe, supported, and at home. A final decision on the proposed budget changes is expected later in the legislative session.
