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State Should Spend More On Direct Care For Disabled

Wisconsin State Journal :: OPINION :: A8

Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Gerry Born

Between 1995 and 2001, the number of people with developmental disabilities who live in their homes or small residential settings has tripled. At the heart of community care are the about 30,000 direct support workers whose job descriptions are as varied as people's needs: they help balance checkbooks, lend a hand in getting out of a wheelchair or help negotiate confusing forms and paperwork.

Let's put it boldly: There is no other factor that has as much impact on the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities than the commitment and competence of the people who care for them. Yet, according to a new study, direct support workers are paid less than other Wisconsin workers and, in some cases, earn less than a poverty wage.

A statewide study of direct care worker earnings, sponsored by the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities and the state Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services found median wages for community direct care workers are as low as $7.95 an hour, less than the poverty wage of $8.19 an hour. The median hourly wage is $9 an hour, or $18,720 a year, well below Wisconsin's per capita median income of $23,271.

Many people who want to make a commitment, as a direct care worker simply can't afford to do so. No surprise, the WCDD study found that turnover rates of direct care workers were higher than in other employment sectors.

It's the employers, you say. They should do more. The fact is, community agencies employing direct care workers are doing what they can. Some agencies, like New Horizons North in Ashland and Lori Knapp, Inc. in Prairie du Chien, are home-grown local agencies. Others, such as REM and Lutheran Social Services, are larger, statewide organizations. Many agencies were created by local parent advocacy groups like The Arc. All have worked to create a culture of service to people with developmental disabilities and have employed countless efficiencies to reduce costs. Still, budgets are cut to the bone as a result of frozen public funding.

It's our elected officials who must find the political will to do the right thing. Opportunities exist to increase the monies available for community care, through the Community Integration Program. This investment would increase direct care worker wages and provide some stability in their health insurance benefits. It wouldn't raise taxes.

When the time comes to consider a budget repair bill -- as will surely be necessary -- we need to insist that Wisconsin invest in a decent wage for the workers who provide critical direct support to individuals with developmental disabilities, something more than the poverty wages they are earning now.