State must do better on service for disabled

My message to the Illinois General Assembly is simple: “do better.”

Do better for the estimated 300,000 Illinoisans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. It shouldn’t be necessary to beg year after year after year for a dollar an hour increase for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide community-based support — helping people with IDD to get out of bed and go to their jobs, eat meals, take medication and have a good quality of life.

Illinois ranks 46th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in funding for community-based services. We’re not asking for the moon, but can’t we at least plan to move up to average? Don’t we owe that to Illinoisans?

I applaud the state raising the minimum wage; however, commensurate wages have not been provided to DSPs who are supporting people with IDD to be active community members across all Medicaid waiver programs. These jobs require a level of knowledge, experience, skill, professionalism and compassion that doesn’t appear to be of value to the state. I should know. I was one.

If nothing happens this spring, DSP wages will have only risen 37 cents more than minimum wage over the last five years. That is unacceptable.

The seven state institutions are well-funded, but that is not where the majority of people want to live. The fragile community system in this state will erode without prioritizing appropriate funding.

Advocates — please call your legislators today. Tell them what you’re going through. And implore them to do better.

Amie Lulinski

Downers Grove