Imagine you go to sleep and don't wake up tomorrow.

Now imagine you are the sole parent of a developmentally disabled adult child who lives with you and depends on your care 24/7, and you do not wake up tomorrow.

This is a constant worry for aging parents of special needs adult children around Connecticut. There is no organized state plan to insure that these special citizens have an opportunity to live their best lives after their parents are gone.

Lawmakers need to hear from citizens about this. They need to hear parents' stories.

An organization of Connecticut parents, Our Families Can't Wait, has been lobbying in Hartford to establish organized programs to plan for housing and support for intellectually disabled adults. A fully funded Department of Developmental Services (DDS) will make these programs a reality.

This is also a civil rights issue for the developmentally disabled. No other group in society is told they must live with their parents until their parents die.

Concerned residents can make their voices heard by asking their state representatives to fully fund DDS. For more information, check out Facebook at "CT DDS - OUR FAMILIES CAN'T WAIT."