For more than ten years, Donald Bryant, a nonverbal adult with disabilities in Indiana, has been denied consistent and medically necessary dental care while under the care responsibility of RSI.

Dental care is an essential healthcare need. When it is delayed or denied, individuals face unnecessary pain, increased risk of infection, difficulty eating, and serious long-term health consequences. Yet despite repeated requests from his family over the course of a decade, Mr. Bryant’s dental needs have not been adequately addressed. As a result of this neglect, Donald now suffers from an extreme case of severe gingivitis, which has the potential to cause other medical issues. 

In Indiana, adults with disabilities receive services through the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS) as part of the state’s Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services. These programs are intended to support people through person-centered planning that identifies and provides for all essential medical needs, including dental care. When such care is repeatedly denied, it raises serious concerns about accountability and oversight within the system.

People with disabilities deserve the same standard of healthcare and dignity as anyone else. No one should wait ten years for relief from preventable pain or untreated medical conditions.

We, the undersigned, call on:

• RSI to immediately provide comprehensive, medically necessary dental care for Donald
• The Indiana Bureau of Disabilities Services to investigate this case and ensure proper oversight
• State oversight and advocacy entities to take appropriate action to prevent similar failures in care. 

This petition is not only about one individual. It is about ensuring that Indiana’s disability care system upholds its responsibility to protect health, dignity, and basic human needs.

Please sign and share to urge immediate action and accountability.
  
Call to Action

Donald should not have had to wait ten years for essential dental care.
Add your name to demand action now.