FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

“They are with my family 24/7. They live with them. They need the stability of the people to be consistent.”

AUSTIN, TX – This week, the Time To Care coalition is observing and celebrating Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week by highlighting the men and women who embody what it means to be a servant leader in serving Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Time To Care Coalition spokespeople Sandy Batton and Carole Smith issued the statement recognizing the invaluable work of DSPs and all that they do for Texans with IDD:

“This week, we are proud to honor and celebrate the hard-working men and women who serve our state’s most vulnerable population. Without these dedicated and passionate servants, the quality of life for Texans with IDD would be unimaginable. We are thankful for all DSPs who are called to serve their fellow Texans and improve the lives for families and communities across our great state. Their tireless work is the very foundation of our coalition’s conviction to fight for competitive wages that will help address the ongoing workforce crisis impacting community-based IDD services across Texas. We hope that our state leaders and the Legislature share our concern for the state of the DSP workforce in Texas and honor their incredible service by delivering the wage increase they need and deserve.”

For decades, services for Texans with IDD have been chronically underfunded, with an hourly reimbursement rate set by the Texas Legislature for DSPs of just $10.60. At a time when inflation is soaring and the cost of living continues to rise, community-based service providers are facing unsustainable staff vacancy rates and closures, undermining their ability to provide quality care for the most vulnerable Texans. However, without DSPs our state’s workforce would not be the same.

“Caregivers do everything from cooking to house cleaning, to giving them their medications and treatments to make sure that their care and needs are met daily. Their level of assistance can go from bare minimum to total assistance. Because of the high turnover of staff leaving for higher paying jobs with less responsibilities have caused the remaining staff to be overworked and leads to burn out.”

–Twila Walker, HCS Program Manager, Abilene, Texas.

Watch and listen to Twila’s story by clicking here or on the image below.

“She takes care of me and the other girls, and we’re not left. They don’t go off and leave us. We’re safe. They watch over us, they take care of us, and they are a blessing. I like to live with her and have her around because if there’s any problem, here she is.”

– Mylinda Hillhouse, an 18-year-long resident at ADVO and Texan with IDD. 

“One of my favorite, favorite memories with Mylinda is probably Christmas time because she gets to experience not just the gifts, but she gets to experience her elf of the shelf. She loves having her elf on the shelf.”

– Naomi, Direct Support Professional at ADVO.

Watch and listen to Mylinda and Naomi’s story by clicking here or on the image below.

“I can’t even express to you what [DSPs] mean to my family, my niece and nephew, and without them and the stability that they provide it would not be the quality that it is. They are with my family 24/7. They live with them. They need the stability of the people to be consistent.”

– Jodi Davis, family members of Texan with IDD.

Watch and listen to Jodi’s story by clicking here or on the image below:

To watch and hear more from DSPs, Texans with IDD and their families, click here.

A recent study published by the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute (TCCRI) outlined the critical need for a wage rate increase for community-based DSPs who serve Texans with IDD. In the white paper, TCCRI researchers recognize the challenges DSPs face on a daily basis, all at a wage rate of just $10.60 per hour:

“Direct support professionals (DSPs) at IDD community-based group homes are the people who work with the residents on a daily basis and ensure they are receiving the care they need. The wage rate for DSPs is set by the state at $10.60 per hour, although providers can vary the specific wages paid to workers. If an IDD community-based provider pays above the wage rate set by the state, it does so at a loss, because the state’s Medicaid program will not reimburse providers at a higher rate even if they spend more.”

“The work of DSPs is often stressful given the medical and behavioral challenges much of the IDD population faces, and benefits such as health insurance coverage and access to a 401(k) plan are not common.”

“It should be no surprise that IDD community-based group homes are experiencing severe staffing shortages as DSPs (and people who might have previously pursued a DSP job opportunity) flock to higher paying, less stressful jobs.”

“The staffing shortages at IDD community-based group homes and the related closures have serious implications for the IDD population that resides in them.”

To read the full study from TCCRI, 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/

###