The FY25 $58 billion State Budget was released by the Chairs of Conference Committee on July 18. The Arc is grateful to Governor Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka, Speaker Ronald Mariano, Chairman Michael Rodrigues, Chairman Aaron Michlewitz, and the entire legislature for historic investments in the human services workforce. There is also significant funding for Department of Developmental Services (DDS) line items and programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism and their families.
This budget will help bring human service workers to a median average of $20 per hour, which is approximately a 20% increase in wages. The Arc is certain that this investment will have a significant impact on recruitment and retention of staff. It is a strong foundation to build on. As we celebrate these wins, The Arc will continue to advocate for salaries closer to $24 per hour. We are still facing waitlists and thousands of individuals who need access to programs and care.
The Arc is equally grateful for the strong and persistent advocacy of our community. In order to accomplish these advocacy wins, thousands of letters were sent to the Governor and the legislature by constituents through The Arc’s Phone2Action system. The Arc’s Government Affairs team educated hundreds of advocates on these issues and empowered them to contact their legislators. The Arc’s leadership held important meetings with the Chairs of Ways and Means and other key lawmakers on Beacon Hill. We communicated our Budget Ask to every Representative and Senator throughout the House and the Senate debate. Alongside several other advocacy organizations, our community’s voice has been strong and united.
All of The Arc’s budget “asks” were successful:
- A historic increase in human services workforce rates with Governor Healey’s $485 million investment in Chapter 257, which will ensure the median benchmark for direct care salaries will be no less than $20 per hour.
- Increases in DDS line items for programs and services. Many key areas of the DDS budget received significant funding increases to match the growing needs of our community. Day and Employment received an increase of 26%, Turning 22 17%, Autism Omnibus 18%, Family Support 22%, and Transportation 19%.
- Personal Care Attendant (PCA) cuts were halted. Along with partner organizations, The Arc advocated successfully to reverse proposed eligibility and other cuts to the PCA program. The legislature acted and turned around these PCA cuts with language that requires eligibility to remain the same as this past year (FY24). There is also language to convene a working group of key community and government stakeholders, including The Arc of Massachusetts, to review the scope of services and eligibility thresholds of the personal care attendant program. This language will also affect the implementation of the Independent Assessment Entity (IAE) since the PCA program is to be included in the IAE, as reflected here: “the current state of any structural change initiatives related to pre-admission counselling, screenings, assessments and coordination of care and any other component of the personal care attendant program…”
- Language to allow transferability within DDS line items.
- Language to require a report comparing wages between community-based human services workers and state workers in the same job roles.
- We have earmark funding for important programs and provider training, including Operation House Call and AFAM’s ABA Training pilot. The funding for Operation House Call will help maintain and grow our unique, inclusive healthcare training program. The ABA Training pilot will provide ABA training for staff working in Day programs with participants who have complex, challenging behaviors.
Please take a moment to appreciate the power of our united advocacy and to thank your legislators for listening and taking action. We must continue this momentum to end the workforce crisis and the waiting lists for thousands of adults with IDD and autism.
Stay connected to The Arc of Massachusetts for next steps!
