AUSTIN, TX – Today, the Time To Care coalition released the following statement on the recent release of a new study from the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute (TCCRI) examining the critical need for a wage rate increase for community-based direct support professionals (DSPs) who serve Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD):

“We are deeply encouraged by the important economic and policy analysis that confirms what we have long known: the crisis facing community IDD service providers in Texas is real. This is the reality that providers, DSPs, and Texans with IDD are facing daily. We can’t expect to maintain and deliver quality care for Texans with IDD if the Legislature fails to make the necessary investments to address recruitment and retention of this essential workforce. We hope that our legislators and state leaders understand the critical and urgent need to utilize the state’s robust budget surplus to perform the most basic function of government – protecting the most vulnerable Texans.”

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.

In the white paper, TCCRI researchers wrote:“A cornerstone of conservative policymaking is recognizing that people respond to economic incentives. Accordingly, 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. Inexperienced and/or exhausted workers are more likely to make mistakes, and staff turnover is disruptive to IDD clients even under the best of circumstances. People with IDD who do not receive the care they need may seek admission to more expensive

SSLCs, or they may eventually require intensive medical care such as hospitalization or admission to a nursing facility. In any of these scenarios, increased costs to the state and its health care system will result.”

The study concludes by offering two concrete policy recommendations for the Texas Legislature to consider during the upcoming 89^th Legislative Session:

1. Policymakers should take immediate action to appropriate emergency funding that equalizes the pay of DSPs at IDD community-based group homes with DSPs in SSLCs. Waiting to address this issue until FY 2026-more than 12 months from now- is untenable. This pay increase would require a significant investment by the state- approximately $255 million in general revenue for the 2026-2027 biennium. But the funds required to make this critical adjustment should be available given the current biennium is expected to end with a healthy budget surplus of an estimated $21 billion. Any appropriation for DSP compensation should be contingent on the appropriated funds being used for that purpose, with any provider who fails to comply with established accountability measures being subject to recoupment; and
2. Policymakers should direct the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to improve its data collection regarding IDD community-based group homes. Doing so would allow HHSC and the public to better evaluate the quality and capacity of these settings and make more informed decisions. Additionally, collecting data on facility closures and employee retention and turnover would allow policymakers both to measure the effects of their policies and to detect concerning issues before they become critical problems.

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/

###