I am overwhelmed, and I know I am not the only one. I was approved for Social Security disability based on my bipolar, my cognitive problems, and my thoracic outlet syndrome, and one of the hardest parts of all of this has been trying to advocate for myself when my brain does not work the way it used to. Reading paperwork is incredibly hard for me now. I keep telling people I need an actual person to help me with all this medical stuff, because trying to figure it out alone feels impossible.

This is exactly what happens when someone is struggling and there is no real support system to help them navigate appointments, referrals, insurance, and medication questions. Getting a new insurance card in the mail should not turn into confusion, panic, and more barriers. When you have cognitive impairment, every form, every phone call, and every online portal can become one more wall.

That is why I am calling on health plans and disability service agencies to provide trained care navigators for people on disability who are living with cognitive impairment and serious mental health conditions. We need a real person who can help us understand benefits, schedule specialty care like neurology, sort out paperwork, explain what coverage actually means, and connect us to support before we fall through the cracks. This is not extra. This is access.

If you have ever tried your best while your own brain was working against you, then you know how real this is. Please sign this petition and help demand care navigators for disabled people with cognitive challenges so getting help does not depend on being able to do everything alone.