All people with disabilities have the right to live independently in the community. Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are necessary for people with disabilities to live independently. Sadly, a staffing shortage has created a crisis for the disability community. A few problems have created this crisis. One is the low wages offered to Direct Support Professionals. Colorado has recently raised the hourly rate to $15 an hour but that’s not enough. Many direct support professionals do not receive health benefits. The rising costs of health care combined with rising living expenses and the cost of childcare make it almost impossible to live off of wages given to direct support professionals.
HCBS [jobs] are treated as a vocation and it needs to become a career. It is not viable for people to support themselves or their families on the salary earned. Another problem is burn out. Many direct support professionals are burned out. They realize that many easier jobs are available with better pay. Some have learned it’s better to be on unemployment.
The COVID pandemic created a new problem: safety. Many direct support professionals were concerned about exposure. Working hands-on would increase the risk of contracting COVID.
Our country is facing an economic crisis, many people living with disabilities want to help but must have available HCBS to do so.
~Post by Jennifer Ochs, Vice President of our SABE chapter