A 32-year-old man with disabilities must take in a roommate or risk losing funds, the state of Tennessee says, even though his home is owned by his family.

Caleb Sorrels has chromosome 21q deletion syndrome leaving him with the mental capacity of a 5-year-old. He currently receives 24-hour care in his Lexington, Tenn. home courtesy of funds from a Medicaid waiver.

However, due to a change in state protocols, the state says Sorrels must take in one or two roommates before August 31. Otherwise, funding for Sorrels’ care will be reduced. The only alternative would be if the man’s family proves that independent living is medically necessary.

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Sorrels is territorial, his mother says, and she worries what will happen if a stranger moves into the house that the family built for him. But with a tight budget this year, state officials say there is not enough money to continue providing care to people like Sorrels on an individual basis, reports The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun. To read more click here.

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