I’ve been working in the field of developmental disabilities services for 36 years. I started as a direct support professional, was promoted several times, and now I am the director of residential services at my agency.
I’m here today to talk about the need to increase the salaries of direct support professionals (DSPs)—the staff who provide hands-on care to people with developmental disabilities. At the Legislative Breakfast in 1999, I stood right here and spoke about the same issue. It pains me to tell you that 17 years later, we are basically in the same position we were then. DSPs are still not paid nearly enough for the work that they do.
When I was a DSP, I was able to manage because I was still single and I lived with my parents. There was no way I could have paid rent on my salary. Today, a new worker at our agency makes $11.70 per hour. It’s just not possible to take care of your family and maintain your household on that salary. Most DSPs end up working two or even three jobs just to survive.
The work of a DSP is very challenging. You are required to get 2 full weeks of training about health and safety, medication administration, managing behaviors, and other issues before you even start work, and you must get a series of annual refresher courses. Your job is to make sure people are safe and that there are no hazards around them. You have to make sure that you give medication to them at the right time and watch for side effects. You have to make sure people have the right diet, like chopped or pureed food. When you are working with people who have behavior issues, you have to follow their behavior plans, knowing what will help or harm them. You are carrying a lot of responsibility, and it puts a mental strain on you. It’s very difficult to do that and at the end of the week, you’re not even bringing home a good $500.
Most DSPs love the work. They feel they’ve done something good for people who couldn’t do it for themselves. The work makes them feel better about themselves.
DSPs don’t want to quit, but many can’t survive on such low pay. When they do leave, the impact on the individuals can be devastating. For example, Rosa had been with us for 10 years as a DSP. She worked with John who has self-abusive behaviors, literally trying to injure himself by hitting his head against a wall and biting himself. Rosa managed to establish a rapport with John where she had him being able to communicate his needs and wants through gestures. She understood him, and he understood her, and his behaviors were almost nonexistent. Now she’s gone because she couldn’t afford to work there anymore. While we were trying to find another DSP match with John, his behaviors escalated: he was biting himself, pounding his head, and even hitting others. We had to seek help for him, and he ended up hospitalized in a psychiatric unit until he was stable. He was hospitalized multiple times because each time he returned home, he didn’t find what he needed, so the serious behaviors continued. This scenario is not at all unusual for people who have behavior issues. Several of our individuals have ended up in the hospital when their particular staff person left.
When a DSP leaves, the agency has to find, screen, and train a replacement. Then the whole cycle starts all over again. Because it will happen: staff will leave because we are not able to pay them what they deserve.
The Governor has proposed a higher minimum wage of $15/hour. This would be wonderful. But he has not included any funding for agencies to pay the higher rate. There is no way agencies can pay the staff more if government isn’t giving us the funding. The agencies have no other funding except from the government. If we had to pay the higher minimum without government funding, we would have no choice but to cut staff and maybe even to eliminate services.
Our DSPs deserve more than the minimum wage for the difficult work that they do. They already make a little more than the current minimum, and that should not change. They shouldn’t be tempted to leave for an easier, less stressful, less responsible job—for the same pay—at McDonalds. Their pay should not just meet but should exceed the new minimum wage to the same extent that it does now.
Instead of funding the higher minimum wage for our DSPs, the Governor proposed an increase of 3 cents/hour. That’s a slap in the face. It’s disrespectful. That doesn’t do anything for anybody. It does not.
We urge our legislators to increase funding in the budget so that we can afford to pay DSPs what they deserve, whether or not the minimum wage is raised.