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Are low pay rates causing a shortage of workers to assist developmentally disabled?

Observer-Dispatch - 8/28/2021

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, David Rich's day program was canceled and he spent all day, every day in his group home, said his mother, Audrey, of New Hartford.

"He's relying even more on the staff to give him attention, to give him the care that he needs and also to make life not so boring and scary," she said. "And they have done a beautiful job."

But Rich is aware that as she ages, she might not be able to visit every weekend or take him home for special occasions, leaving David even more dependent on the staff.

Rich is worried about her son's future because of the high number of vacancies and frequent turnover among the direct support professionals who take care of David and others with with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Advocates for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, including agencies, individuals, family members and state politicians, staged a regional virtual rally on Thursday, one of several being held across the state. The rally was held to draw attention to the issue and the threat it presents to the programs that provide care, jobs, recreation and outside socialization to thousands of individuals with disabilities.

The problem, advocates argued, is that direct service professional jobs don't pay enough money or offer enough opportunity for advancement to recruit and retain workers.

"To say that we are in the midst of a hiring crisis is an understatement," said Chris Evans, chief operating officer of the Arc of Madison Cortland, who began her career as a direct service professional.

"We are now," she added, "paying fast food workers more to serve a cheeseburger than we're paying our staff."

And that's a big problem, Rich agreed.

"It's not just and it's not fair," she said. "And I think we need to encourage everyone to support their raise in salary."

In an April survey, nonprofit agencies said that almost one in four direct support professional workers jobs was vacant and about three out of four agencies said their vacancy rates had gotten worse during the pandemic, said Paul Joslyn, executive director of AccessCNY. And 93 percent of agencies said they were getting fewer job applicants than before the pandemic, he said.

Almost half of agencies said the worker shortage had forced them to cut programs or reduce services — and the problem has undoubtedly gotten worse since April, Joslyn said.

It was a relief, said Ellen Weinstein, whose daughter Lisa lives in residence in and attends a day program in Onondaga County, when she got a call saying Lisa's day program was going to start in-person again after going virtual for the pandemic. But then Weinstein found out that Lisa could only go in person one day a week because of a staffing shortage, she said.

"So we went, as you can imagine, from euphoria to reality," she said.

Advocates for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities have been pushing for several years for higher wages for caregivers, many of whom have said they love their jobs, but had to leave the field to support their families. The agencies are paid by the state for services they provide through Medicaid.

More: Caregivers of developmentally disabled seek higher pay

The state did increase its payments to cover salaries by 3.5 percent in January and again in April of 2018. And it raised some payments by 2 percent in January and again in April of 2020.

But if hasn't agreed to advocates' call for cost-of-living adjustments so that veteran workers earn more than new hires. And advocates are now calling for a "living wage' that would recognize the importance of care for some of the state's most vulnerable residents.

Advocates at the rally called for support for the Better Care Better Jobs Act now before Congress that supports a Biden Administration proposal to invest $400 billion to strengthen home and community-based services, including by improving working conditions for direct service professionals.

Toan Nguyen of Clinton has an unusual perspective on the situation. He receives services from The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, but also works for the agency in a group home as a peer mentor.

"(Agency staff) are my heroes and helped me become the person I am today," he said. "Sadly, some of my staff have left over the years. This made it difficult for me."

Someone in the group home where Nguyen works recently asked him if he was going to leave because others have left. New staff confuses residents and can lead to behavioral issues, he said.

"It's hurtful for me to see this and it's not fair to them," he said. "I don't understand why the people in fast food or retail make more money than (direct support professionals)."

"I worry about the future," he added. "I'm scared for the people I support. I'm asking our new governor to be a hero and take care of DSPs like me."

Amy Roth is the health and education reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Amy Roth at aroth@gannett.com.

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