FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 27, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

“Members of the LBB have the opportunity to shape the direction of the agency’s next biennial budget and ensure that community-based IDD services are adequately funded.”

AUSTIN, TX – Today, the Time To Care coalition released a statement ahead of a forthcoming Texas Legislative Budget Board (LBB) hearing on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) 2026-27 Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) on Monday, September 30th, 2024:

“While the HHSC LAR includes a placeholder appropriations request that encompasses community attendant services, it is critical to emphasize the need for specific attention on IDD services. Without a distinct focus on funding and resources for IDD services, the unique challenges faced by this community risk being overlooked. It’s vital to ensure that appropriations directly address the needs of individuals with IDD, as their care requires specialized support. The agency acknowledges ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining staff to serve Texans with IDD at current reimbursement levels. Its own workforce report released last month made clear that increasing wage rates to more than $17.00 per hour for those who work at State Supported Living Centers (SSLCs) noticeably impacted employee attrition rates and decreased turnover rates to the lowest in recent history.

“While we are glad to see some improvement within the broader IDD service infrastructure in Texas, community-based IDD services are still facing the highest vacancy and turnover rates in history. Roughly one-third of staff positions are vacant at Home and Community-based Services (HCS) group homes and Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs), and more than 200 have closed their doors in the past year alone. Members of the LBB have an important opportunity to shape the direction of the agency’s next biennial budget and ensure that community-based IDD services are adequately funded. We respectfully and strongly urge LBB members and the Texas Legislature to deliver wage parity for community-based DSPs with their counterparts at SSLCs when crafting the next biennial budget for the State of Texas.

“Texans with IDD cannot afford to be left behind due to inaction. Our legislators and state leaders must prioritize critical funding for community-based IDD services in Texas to stem the ongoing crisis that threatens the quality and continuity of care for our state’s most vulnerable.”

To read more about the current workforce crisis facing community-based IDD services, please click here.

To read HHSC’s full Legislative Appropriations Request, please click here.

Time To Care: Save Texas Caregivers Now is a coalition dedicated to securing competitive wages for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide essential care to Texans with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Through collaboration and grassroots efforts, the coalition strives to enact meaningful change at both the legislative and community levels. Learn more about how to get involved at https://timetocaretx.org/  

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