{"id":8118,"date":"2025-12-10T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T15:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T09:00:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T15:00:31","slug":"federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Joyce, Lilly and Larry Opinsky participate in Ride to Unite, an annual 5K bike ride in St. Louis promoting accessible cycling, in August. The family uses a program called self-directed services to pay care staff for Lilly (Photo submitted).<\/p>\n

Families of Missourians with developmental disabilities are urging legislators to protect a Medicaid program that allows them to manage their loved ones\u2019 care as the state faces billions of dollars in federal cuts over the next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

The program, <\/span>self-directed<\/span><\/a> services<\/span><\/a>, lets people with disabilities or their family members hire, train and manage their own care staff, tailored to their needs. Missourians who use the <\/span>program<\/span><\/a> say it helps people with disabilities live more independently at home instead of going into costly institutional care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And they say that\u2019s a net win for people with disabilities, their families and the state.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the state\u2019s most vulnerable citizens,\u201d said Larry Opinsky, a disability advocate and steering committee member of the Missouri SDS Support Group, an advocacy organization that represents families who use the program. \u201cWithout this support, the only way for our loved ones to receive the level of care they need in order to be healthy and safe would be in an institutional setting, and those costs are astronomically high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With the state poised to limit spending in anticipation of federal cuts to safety net programs<\/span>, the group argued in a Nov. 11 online meeting with state lawmakers that the program is more economical and humane than state-operated treatment <\/span>facilities<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contributing to the state\u2019s budget woes are <\/span>over $900 billion<\/span><\/a> in anticipated cuts to federal Medicaid funding in the next decade \u2014 part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Congress passed in July. Missouri could lose 14% of its federal Medicaid funding, somewhere between $11 and $18 billion over 10 years, according to <\/span>KFF<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-directed services are an <\/span>optional<\/span><\/a> part of state Medicaid programs, which members of the group fear clouds the program\u2019s future.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Opinsky and Victoria McMullen, the group\u2019s steering committee chair, said self-directed services aren\u2019t optional for families who use them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opinsky said his 26-year-old daughter, who is non-ambulatory and nonverbal, can be active in her community because the self-directed services program enables the family to hire care staff for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

McMullen said the program allows her husband to be compensated when care staff aren\u2019t available for their 46-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy and autism.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Victoria McMullen, second from left, and Ron McMullen, third from right, out for dinner with friends in 2020 (Photo submitted).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOur point is to make legislators know, \u2018This is not the service to cut, because it will cost you more in the end,\u201d McMullen said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Data from the Missouri Department of Mental Health, which oversees self-directed services and institutional care, bears this out. The department <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> that in fiscal year 2025, self-directed services cost an average $48,534 per person, while care in state-operated facilities for developmentally disabled Missourians cost over $600,000 per person.<\/span><\/p>\n

Family members on the call said their worries stemmed partly from measures other states have already taken to reduce Medicaid costs and national conversations trending toward institutional care.<\/span><\/p>\n

Idaho<\/span><\/a> ended a service in July allowing family members to be compensated as caregivers for individuals with disabilities. <\/span>Arizona<\/span><\/a> added restrictions to a similar program in their state. U.S. lawmakers introduced a <\/span>measure<\/span><\/a> this summer that would reverse earlier incentives for states to invest in home- and community-based care over institutionalization.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf community supports aren\u2019t funded,\u201d Opinsky said, \u201cour population, the people that are on this call today, receiving self directed services, we\u2019re the ones that are going to be added to that [institutionalization] conversation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

Budget questions<\/h4>\n

\t<\/p>\n

Lawmakers attending the group\u2019s Nov. 11 virtual meeting expressed support for continued funding of self-directed services. But the uncertain<\/a> condition of the state\u2019s finances<\/span>\u00a0loomed over the discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am in rooms constantly where the language that people are using is, how do we cut from the state budget, not how do we make more investments,\u201d said state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Democrat from Springfield and ranking member of the House Budget Committee, in an interview with The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the meeting, Fogle said self-directed services could feature in tough budget conversations in the coming legislative session.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re talking about an optional program, I think that it is wise and prudent to understand that might be a place where the administration decides to cut,\u201d Fogle said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

State Rep. George Hruza, a Republican from St. Louis County on the House Health and Mental Health Committee, told The Independent that <\/span>while he doesn\u2019t anticipate that Missourians who use self-directed services will lose funding, higher state costs for programs like Medicaid could drive lawmakers to limit additional spending.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fiscal year 2025, Missourians applying for new self-directed services waivers were placed on a waitlist due to budgetary constraints in the mental health department.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy concern is that over the next two, three years, we may see a return of a waitlist for services,\u201d Hruza said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be pushing to make sure that disabled individuals are not left out in the cold,\u201d Hruza said. \u201cI think we can actually do it by encouraging more people to use those less costly and more humane ways to take care of disabled individuals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lawmakers during the meeting encouraged families to tell their elected leaders about the importance of the program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opinsky said the group is trying to identify a family in each county to help in efforts to approach each elected state official. But he\u2019s not convinced it will help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew darn well what we were going to get, and we got it,\u201d he said, \u201cwhich was, \u2018No, you should tell your stories, and we don\u2019t have a plan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

A meaningful life<\/h4>\n

\t<\/p>\n

McMullen said she worries about decisions her family would have to make if her son\u2019s self-directed services budget is reduced.<\/p>\n

Currently, he attends physical therapy once a week. Even though he still needs care staff, it allows him to do more for himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a reduction, McMullen said, \u201cwe\u2019ll have to make a decision. Maybe it\u2019s physical therapy every other week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Opinsky said self-directed services allow him and his wife to work. With a personal care assistant, his daughter goes to the gym, volunteers at a preschool and takes music therapy and horseback riding classes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter lives a beautiful life right now because of these programs,\u201d Opinsky said. \u201cShe\u2019s active in her community. She volunteers. She knows more people around St. Louis than I do. She\u2019s healthy, she\u2019s safe, she has a community to be a part of.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end,\u201d Opinsky said, \u201cas a Missourian, as a U.S. taxpayer, that\u2019s what I want my public resources to do, is help provide people a meaningful life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This story was updated on Dec. 10, 2025 at 3:07 p.m. to say that Ron McMullen attends physical therapy once, not twice, a week.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Joyce, Lilly and Larry Opinsky participate in Ride to Unite, an annual 5K bike ride in St. Louis promoting accessible cycling, in August. The family uses a program called self-directed services to pay care staff for Lilly (Photo submitted). Families of Missourians with developmental disabilities are urging legislators to protect a Medicaid program that allows…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nFederal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Joyce, Lilly and Larry Opinsky participate in Ride to Unite, an annual 5K bike ride in St. Louis promoting accessible cycling, in August. The family uses a program called self-directed services to pay care staff for Lilly (Photo submitted). Families of Missourians with developmental disabilities are urging legislators to protect a Medicaid program that allows...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WestplexNews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/missouriindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brad Hildebrand\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brad Hildebrand\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brad Hildebrand\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/86ac6e2a917ca881b22f6d55d1b955f0\"},\"headline\":\"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\"},\"wordCount\":1166,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\",\"name\":\"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":614},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/\",\"name\":\"WestplexNews.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"WestplexNews.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-Westplex-News-MASTER-PNG-CLEAR-CROP-690-X-242.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-Westplex-News-MASTER-PNG-CLEAR-CROP-690-X-242.png\",\"width\":690,\"height\":242,\"caption\":\"WestplexNews.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/86ac6e2a917ca881b22f6d55d1b955f0\",\"name\":\"Brad Hildebrand\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc2f8931c569b15114c958f40a15bda5a2ae504b7f31d3ecf1c2227aa19e0071?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc2f8931c569b15114c958f40a15bda5a2ae504b7f31d3ecf1c2227aa19e0071?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Brad Hildebrand\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/Westplexnews.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/author\/bradh\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com","og_description":"Joyce, Lilly and Larry Opinsky participate in Ride to Unite, an annual 5K bike ride in St. Louis promoting accessible cycling, in August. The family uses a program called self-directed services to pay care staff for Lilly (Photo submitted). Families of Missourians with developmental disabilities are urging legislators to protect a Medicaid program that allows...","og_url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/","og_site_name":"WestplexNews.com","article_published_time":"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/missouriindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614.jpeg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Brad Hildebrand","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Brad Hildebrand","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/"},"author":{"name":"Brad Hildebrand","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/86ac6e2a917ca881b22f6d55d1b955f0"},"headline":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program","datePublished":"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/"},"wordCount":1166,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/","url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/","name":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program - WestplexNews.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg","datePublished":"2025-12-10T15:00:31+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/opinskys-1024x614-QMzJe3.jpg","width":1024,"height":614},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/federal-state-budget-pressure-threatens-missouri-at-home-disability-care-program-2\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Federal, state budget pressure threatens Missouri at-home disability care program"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/","name":"WestplexNews.com","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#organization","name":"WestplexNews.com","url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-Westplex-News-MASTER-PNG-CLEAR-CROP-690-X-242.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-Westplex-News-MASTER-PNG-CLEAR-CROP-690-X-242.png","width":690,"height":242,"caption":"WestplexNews.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/86ac6e2a917ca881b22f6d55d1b955f0","name":"Brad Hildebrand","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc2f8931c569b15114c958f40a15bda5a2ae504b7f31d3ecf1c2227aa19e0071?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc2f8931c569b15114c958f40a15bda5a2ae504b7f31d3ecf1c2227aa19e0071?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Brad Hildebrand"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/Westplexnews.com"],"url":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/author\/bradh\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}