“They deserve more:” DSP workforce crisis

By Mindy Ragan Wood/Editor                                                                                                    Commentary

There’s a research paper about low pay for direct support professionals by a professor who understands the intellectual disability world.

Direct support professionals can be a paid parent acting as a caregiver or what we call in Oklahoma, an HTS —habilitation training specialist who provides direct support for independent living skills to PWD in homes run by an agency.

James Gould, of McHenry County College knows firsthand how detrimental it is for families whose loved ones can’t get good or consistent support workers. His son has a range of disabilities for which he needs considerable support for daily life.

We learn in his research paper, “They Deserve More: Social Justice and the Disability Support Workforce Crisis” that this problem is not limited to Oklahoma, but is a global issue.

As a policy shortfall, this problem interests me as I watched a high turnover rate negatively impact my son. I witnessed it again for a young woman with an intellectual disability who lived in a daily living support (DLS) home. Who could blame someone for leaving a job for as little pay as $9, or if they’re lucky up to $15 an hour?

As Gould notes in his paper, the turnover rate for DSP workers is 43%, according to a 2022 finding by the U.S. National Core Indicators workforce report.

Gould writes about an adult with disabilities who meets yet another caregiver. The resident experienced turnover so often, he knew to tell the worker that it would take a year to remember their name.

But that’s just one story Gould includes in his paper. They’re worth reading and the conclusions are worth considering for policy advocacy and future housing decisions.

The idea that one can move out of a family household into a house of workers and all will be well for all? I recommend you read this paper before you make that decision for yourself or your loved one.

One thing is sure and certain: anyone who moves into such a home will need consistent support from someone outside the daily living support home.

As to advocating for policy for higher pay, that clearly hasn’t panned out as a trend. However, advocates should consider petitioning their lawmakers for better agency regulations or laws that ensure direct support professional pay is higher through stipulations on how those Medicaid dollars are spent.

You can read Gould’s paper here.