According to Stein, “We have a real crisis with support services to people with disabilities…Wage levels are not competitive with retail companies, fast food restaurants and others. The funding levels have been constrained for many years.”
A MALA survey found “the average turnover rate for agencies providing staff is 37 percent, the starting wage is $10.46 per hour and the average number of open positions for full-time staff is 12 percent, 20 percent for part-time staff.”
Although the legislature “approved $64 million in additional funding in the fiscal 2018 budget to increase the average hourly rate by 50 cents..”, the panel characterized this as a “drop in the bucket”.
The article quotes Robert White, a parent advocate who has two adult sons with autism, as commenting that "Paying [direct service professional] $2 above the minimum wage (of $10 per hour) prevents more people from leaving the system. …We also need a supplemental budget in the lame duck session and future budgets to come [that] must have non-negotiated budget items. We can't kick the can down the road. It is an infrastructure requirement, a civil and constitutional right to have these services like good roads, good education and clean water to drink." [emphasis added]
Here is a quote from State Rep. Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, the Michigan House Democratic Floor Leader:
"I get really frustrated by state government and how we fund things,…We talk about integration. We should be talking about great quality care, not about money. You start from an outcomes standpoint. What does the provider, patient need in services. The money flows from that."
[I agree, and I wish more legislators and advocates would support this approach to funding services, rather than promoting the idea that full inclusion in the “community” is the highest and only worthwhile goal of our our system of services.]
The panel also discussed the kinds of things that direct care givers do:
Robert White says in response: ”My older son has high medical needs, 24-7 supervision, in taking the meds he needs, bathing ... nutrition, safety, socialization in the community…The home he is in is currently understaffed. Managers are actively taking shifts. Many caregivers work many shifts. There is mental and physical fatigue, possible errors. It is not their fault. They are truly their lifeline."
John Williams, executive director of Progressive Lifestyles Inc., pointed out that "A lot of staff work two and three jobs. It is unattractive to get involved. …in many cases, it is a very physical job with wide spectrum of disabilities. One day you will lift somebody from a wheelchair to a bed. (The next day) help people move in, repair a stove, fix a washing machine. It's a very demanding job."
According to the article, Stein said MALA and others are “starting a grass roots effort to lobby state legislators to add a line item in the Medicaid supplemental budget that would amount to an increase of 75 cents per hour.”
A MALA survey found “the average turnover rate for agencies providing staff is 37 percent, the starting wage is $10.46 per hour and the average number of open positions for full-time staff is 12 percent, 20 percent for part-time staff.”
Although the legislature “approved $64 million in additional funding in the fiscal 2018 budget to increase the average hourly rate by 50 cents..”, the panel characterized this as a “drop in the bucket”.
The article quotes Robert White, a parent advocate who has two adult sons with autism, as commenting that "Paying [direct service professional] $2 above the minimum wage (of $10 per hour) prevents more people from leaving the system. …We also need a supplemental budget in the lame duck session and future budgets to come [that] must have non-negotiated budget items. We can't kick the can down the road. It is an infrastructure requirement, a civil and constitutional right to have these services like good roads, good education and clean water to drink." [emphasis added]
Here is a quote from State Rep. Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, the Michigan House Democratic Floor Leader:
"I get really frustrated by state government and how we fund things,…We talk about integration. We should be talking about great quality care, not about money. You start from an outcomes standpoint. What does the provider, patient need in services. The money flows from that."
[I agree, and I wish more legislators and advocates would support this approach to funding services, rather than promoting the idea that full inclusion in the “community” is the highest and only worthwhile goal of our our system of services.]
The panel also discussed the kinds of things that direct care givers do:
Robert White says in response: ”My older son has high medical needs, 24-7 supervision, in taking the meds he needs, bathing ... nutrition, safety, socialization in the community…The home he is in is currently understaffed. Managers are actively taking shifts. Many caregivers work many shifts. There is mental and physical fatigue, possible errors. It is not their fault. They are truly their lifeline."
John Williams, executive director of Progressive Lifestyles Inc., pointed out that "A lot of staff work two and three jobs. It is unattractive to get involved. …in many cases, it is a very physical job with wide spectrum of disabilities. One day you will lift somebody from a wheelchair to a bed. (The next day) help people move in, repair a stove, fix a washing machine. It's a very demanding job."
According to the article, Stein said MALA and others are “starting a grass roots effort to lobby state legislators to add a line item in the Medicaid supplemental budget that would amount to an increase of 75 cents per hour.”
