From Desperation to Hope: Dungarvin Colorado’s Support Saves a Family in Crisis

Jo Daley and her husband Brendan Hackett were struggling to care for their son Sean, now 20, who had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at age 3. “We had been in crisis for three years, trying to figure out a new treatment for Sean, whose behavior took a dangerous turn when he was 15,” remembers Jo. “Dungarvin came into our lives at a time when we needed someone to tell us it was going to be OK.” For more on Sean’s transformative journey, visit ECT transforms life for teen with autism and catatonia – UCHealth Today.

It was in December 2023 that Jo called Dungarvin seeking respite options for Sean. “I had been looking for a year before I found Dungarvin,” Jo said. “Things were getting worse with Sean’s disruptive (and violent) behavior and we could no longer even leave the house.”

On that fateful day, Jo connected with New Development and Day Program Director, Lisa Taft. “We talked for almost an hour as Jo explained that she and her husband had not taken time for themselves in nearly a decade and they were desperate for a break,” recalls Lisa. “I asked what services Sean was currently receiving and ascertained he was on the CES (Child Extensive Services) Waiver. This waiver typically serves very high needs children using CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) services, which are administered via a Home Health Agency. Kids can stay on this waiver until age 18 but then are typically transitioned to the DD (Developmental Disability) waiver. I explained that the CES waiver was very limited with things like respite due to a general lack of agencies that provide that service.” 

But Sean was on the cusp of adulthood which meant the DD waiver was a possibility, including access to services like Family Care Givers or Host Home Providers for respite, exactly what the family was desperately seeking. “Jo told me she had never even heard of that program, expressing frustration that her current Home Health Agency hadn’t shared anything about these services,” Lisa said. “I remember Jo flat out stating, ‘Tell me how to make this happen.’ I did, and told her to call me back if she needed further guidance.” Lisa talks to many families about this process but seldom hears back. But almost six months to the day later, Jo called back to say she was done with her to-do list and that Sean had been offered the DD waiver! She then asked: ‘What’s next?’”

From here, Lisa called the case manager to confirm Sean’s enrollment into the DD waiver. Meanwhile, Jo was so impressed with Dungarvin (especially Lisa!) that she switched to Dungarvin as her family’s new agency. In less than 30 days, Jo was onboarded and able to start Family Care Giving services on July 1, 2024.

Jo never directly asked her how much she would be paid in this new configuration — to be Sean’s Family Care Giver — but Lisa shared that it would be more than what she received as a CNA with her old agency. At this point, her eyes filled with tears sharing that the compensation would be ‘life changing’ and she could finally take a step back from her job to dedicate more time to Sean and the rest of her family. A month later Jo, her husband and their oldest son were even able to take a long-deferred vacation together to Las Vegas. Since then, Jo has enthusiastically passed the word along to other families in similar circumstances.”

“It’s hard to put this experience into words; it’s like we were drowning, and Lisa threw us a lifeline,” said an emotional Jo. “Everything was happening at once. We were fighting with these renowned doctors trying to get a diagnosis for our son. But Lisa stepped in and opened up a whole new world by helping me navigate the system, getting access to the respite support we so desperately needed to be able to take care of ourselves and Sean’s older brother, Jake, too. Because of Lisa, our mounting stress was alleviated. Lisa’s support literally saved my family.”

Today, Jo’s family is doing well, thriving even! They receive monthly visits from Program Director Tammie Mellen for ongoing training and support. (“Tammie has been such a wonderful and dependable resource for the past year, providing both knowledge and resources for our family.”) Recently, Jo was able to leave her high-powered sales job to continue focusing on her family. “Because of Dungarvin, I was able to make the right decisions for myself, for Sean, and for the rest of my family. My son is finally back to us because of his new treatment and the consistent support we are fortunate to receive. I have to say, Dungarvin is really doing some amazing things for people out there. From families with basic needs of support to extreme situations like ours. Thank you so much; we went through more than three years of hell until Dungarvin saved us. We are so grateful to have you in our lives!”

For more information on supporting a loved one with I/DD, please visit our website at Home – Dungarvin.