On Wednesday, October 8, The Arc of Massachusetts CEO Maura Sullivan testified before the Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development in strong support of The Arc’s legislation that would address the workforce crisis and raise the Chapter 257 benchmark for human service workers. Non-livable wages are causing a recruitment and retention crisis, creating long waitlists for those who need services. We must ensure that our essential Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are paid livable wages to provide individuals with IDD and autism with high-quality and consistent care.
Here is an excerpt from Maura’s testimony:
“Providers are facing tremendous, recruitment, and retention challenges caused by low rates of pay for a demanding, high skill job that requires a compassionate and an intuitive workforce. As a parent of two young adults with autism and intellectual disability, I encourage you as lawmakers to value this role. Together, we must find a way to increase wages for our direct support workforce. Period. Due to the workforce crisis, there are over 2,000 people with disabilities waiting for access to programs, often isolated, losing skills, or ending up in the Emergency Department. With the current federal landscape, we face the consequences of dismantling systems, Medicaid cuts, and immigration policy. Losing immigrants who are on TPS will be devasting and we will have significant vacancies.
I wish I could show you a day in the life of my son and the amazing supports he gets from his staff. They’ve learned to communicate with Neil even though he doesn’t speak; they manage his life threatening epilepsy; they monitor him for triggers in the environment that will set off dangerous behaviors, like aggression, self-injury or bolting. But most of all, they build trust and connection and they help give Neil a good life.
The Arc’s goal is to bring chapter 257 workforce rates to the 75th percentile of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We recognize the current landscape limitations but we are deeply concerned that people with disabilities will be left behind and decades of progress will unravel. Thank you and The Arc is always available to work with you toward a solution.”
Thank you Senator Paul Feeney, Representative Sean Garballey, and Representative Simon Cataldo for their leadership on this bill. We also would like to thank Chairs Jacob Oliveira and Paul McMurtry for holding this important hearing.
