Wage hike for caregivers to disabled is important

We congratulate our state leaders for coming through with a budget, and appreciate that additional support addressing the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been included in this important legislation. We understand that reaching this compromise required many difficult decisions, and we are encouraged that this budget starts to address critical priorities.

In particular, we commend those legislators who championed our cause by ensuring that a wage increase for caregivers was included in the budget. We also extend our gratitude to those elected officials who took some extremely tough votes to put this budget into law. They set political expediency aside for the good of the state.

Individuals with disabilities rely heavily on the personal and professional help provided by their caregivers. Before passage of this budget, it had been nearly a decade since these direct support professionals (DSPs) received an increase in their starting wages, which averaged just over $9 an hour.

This lack of funding has led to devastating outcomes for those who rely on DSPs for daily care and support; community homes have closed, hundreds of caregiver positions have gone unfilled, and nearly 20,000 children and adults with disabilities have languished on a state waiting list for services.

This state budget includes an important first step in the right direction - a 75-cent per hour raise which will help us provide a much-needed increase in starting wages for DSPs. But it is only a first step. As we move forward, we hope that state leaders will make good on their intention to make the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities a priority. That includes ensuring that we address the ongoing workforce crisis facing DSPs by funding a living and competitive wage of $15 per hour.

Kim Zoeller

President and CEO, Ray Graham Association