Direct support professionals is crucial

Better pay for

The Sept. 3 article “Wanted: Caregivers Seeking a Rewarding But Lowpaying Job” masterfully captures the critical function that direct support professionals provide to thousands of individuals right here in our region.

They shoulder immense responsibility and bring stability and respite to families striving to maintain their loved one’s full participation in the community and remain connected to family and friends while maintaining a balance in their families overall. They are a unique brand of skilled, caring individuals, as the article points out. These respectful, trusted relationship builders provide a broad range of individualized support that enables people with disabilities to live meaningful and productive lives.

Direct support professionals, direct care workers and in-home support workers are the primary providers of publicly funded, long-term supports and services for individuals with disabilities, helping them avoid more costly institutional care.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the sole funder of the wages of direct support professionals. The state budget has grown by more than $6.3 billion since 2009, yet rate increases for services and already low DSP wages have flat-lined. While a modest increase is proposed in the 2017 state budget, it still hasnot been approved.

This presents enormous challenges to the individuals with disabilities and their families, direct service professionals struggling to maintain a reasonable wage for their own families, and organizations like NHS Allegheny Valley School that provide innovative and supportive ways to deliver care.

According to the American Network of Community Options and Resources, research shows that better pay is critical to ensuring the adequacy and stability of the direct care workforce. These are the jobs of the future. They can’t be outsourced and are recession-proof.

The quality of life and quality of care for millions of Americans with disabilities and chronic illnesses hang in the balance as our long-term care system faces a huge recruitment challenge made more difficult by the poor pay of many direct care professionals. GARY HOFFMAN Regional Executive Director RONI ERATH Assistant Regional Executive Director NHS Allegheny Valley School, Western PA Coraopolis