As you read this, more than 3,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism in Massachusetts are desperately waiting for services. According to a recent Workforce Metrics Survey by the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP), programs like Adult Long-Term Residential, Day Habilitation, Shared Living, and Adult Foster Care have a “24% overall staff vacancy rate.”
When staffing is only at 76%, services cannot be fully implemented, resulting in the long waiting lists and lack of services plaguing our community today.
As advocates for this community, we fear the state government doesn’t fully embrace how urgently change is needed to improve the lives of thousands of people with IDD here in Massachusetts.
Many of you or your loved ones have been placed on disability services waiting lists, despite being deemed eligible by Massachusetts agencies. My own family, having recently settled on the North Shore, continues to struggle with getting any kind of in-home support. With no sign of when those on waiting lists will be served, we need to gather stories of the pain and suffering Massachusetts families are experiencing being unserved or underserved.
There are thousands of you out there and each of you has a story to tell, so please share it with us so we can help the Governor’s office and your state representatives and senators understand and embrace why fully addressing lack of services is urgently needed.
Jose Lopez
Policy Officer