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In a powerful and deeply personal interview with Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director of The Arc of California, parents and advocates Cathy and Jim Gott share their decades-long journey raising two sons with autism—and their rising alarm over looming federal and state budget cuts to disability services.
The Gotts reflect on their early experiences navigating the diagnosis and support systems for their sons, CJ and Danny, at a time when autism awareness was limited and inclusion rare. Cathy, a longtime advocate, and Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, credits regional centers and early intervention for helping both boys grow, with Danny now thriving as an adult in the Self-Determination Program, working his dream job at a bowling alley and living a life filled with purpose, friends, and community engagement.
But that hard-won progress is now under threat. The Gotts speak candidly about their fear that proposed cuts to Medicaid, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and regional center funding could unravel the very systems that allow their son—and thousands like him—to live safely and with dignity. Cathy describes the gut-wrenching possibility of a return to “the shameful, dark ages” of institutionalization and invisibility for people with disabilities.
Jim, a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1982 to 1995 on several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and now professional baseball pitching coach, highlights the ripple effects of inclusion, noting how young athletes from around the world learn empathy and respect by simply knowing and interacting with Danny. “These programs don’t just support our kids,” he says. “They change communities.”
Their message to policymakers is clear: these services are not luxuries—they are lifelines. As Cathy passionately states, “Do the right thing. Period.”
Watch the full interview now on YouTube and hear their story in their own words.