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DSP

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It is not too late to register for NADSP’s Advocacy Symposium. On May 3 and May 4, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) will embark on its second national advocacy event to bring the direct support professional (DSP) perspective to the forefront of Congress and the Administration during a time of unprecedented workforce challenges. Hardships from the pandemic and recent legislation have provided new insights and opportunities for the direct support workforce that supports people with disabilities.

NADSP recognizes the previous absence and critical importance of lifting the voices of DSPs to federal policy-makers so that public policy can be informed by the people who are on the front-lines of supporting people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in the community. On April 13, 2023, NADSP will provide DSPs from all across the country comprehensive advocacy virtual training. (No worries if you are registering late, as this training was recorded.) This will lead up to the 1.5-day virtual event in May that will culminate with virtual meetings with Congressional leaders and staff to educate and advocate on NADSP’s public policy priorities for 2023.

Advocacy Symposium and Legislative Meetings Training

Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET

State Team Meetings will extend beyond 4:30 pm ET

Legislative Meetings

Thursday, May 4, 2023, Time will vary by state and district

After registering, all individuals will receive a confirmation that they have registered. Final meeting times will be shared on March 4 from Soapbox Consulting. Please note that your meeting time will depend on your Zip Code and Congressional District.

RCPA members participated last year, and the event was a great success. If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Carol Ferenz.

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May 1, 2023
12:00 pm ET

The Committee will collectively discuss emerging Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) issues identified by four PCPID work groups in the areas of direct support professionals, employment, community living, and federal support programs. This discussion will help develop a general framework for the preparation of the PCPID Report to the President.

If requesting accommodations for meeting participation, please send an email request by April 17, 2023. Both ASL and CART will be provided during the meeting. Register here.

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RCPA has partnered with other organizations representing intellectual disability and/or autism (ID/A) providers to send a letter to Governor Josh Shapiro asking him to invest an additional $430 million for IDD services in the 2023/24 state budget proposal. Governor Shapiro needs to hear from providers, families, individuals, and advocates for the IDD system that we are in critical need of this additional funding. This investment would enable providers to improve the wages for the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide care to individuals with ID/A. Improving wages will help to ensure services are available to the individuals and families who rely on these services.

Currently, thousands of Pennsylvanians with ID/A are not receiving the supports they are entitled to through Medicaid, and those individuals who are currently receiving services are in danger of losing them. The current rate system does not support the ever rising costs of providing services and paying the DSPs a wage that is reflective of their duties. Our workforce is not sufficient to meet the needs of everyone who requires care.

The additional investment into the Home and Community-Based Services rates will enable providers to give their DSPs a raise and a better starting wage to compete with other employers.

Please reach out to our Governor and ask for his support today! You can reach Governor Shapiro via this online form.

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In early March 2022, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) embarked on its first ever national advocacy event, the 2022 Advocacy Symposium, Amplifying The Voices Of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). Attendees participated in over 250 meetings with legislative staff to share the perspective of direct support professionals to the forefront of Congress during a time of unprecedented workforce challenges. The result of our attendees’ advocacy culminated in additional sponsors to the House of Representatives and US Senate bills regarding establishing a Standard Occupation Classification within the Bureau of Statistics for direct support professionals (S. 1437 / H.R. 4779).

NADSP is excited to announce the return of the Advocacy Symposium on May 3 – 4, 2023! Ahead of this two-day virtual event, attendees will receive comprehensive advocacy training along with planning sessions with state leaders. The success of our first Advocacy Symposium is directly a result of and informed by the people who are on the frontlines of supporting people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in the community.

We’re looking forward to amplifying even more direct support professional voices in 2023. This event is free and open to direct support professionals, frontline supervisors, self-advocates, family members, and people with disabilities. Registration for this event will open on February 28.

NADSP’s Current 2023 Policy Priorities:

  • Establish a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) for direct support professionals within the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
  • Assure effective implementation of workforce development initiatives authorized through legislation that leads to wages commensurate with the level of responsibility and the complexity of this work, as well as career ladder opportunities that lead to professional growth.

Learn More

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ODP Announcement 23-016 announces that the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is requesting that qualified providers employing DSPs participate in the 2022 State of the Workforce (SoTW) survey. This important survey includes questions relating to the volume, stability, compensation, and benefits of DSPs serving adults 18 years of age and older. The data gathered from this voluntary and anonymous survey will help ODP, along with other policy makers and advocates, inform policy and program development regarding DSP workforce (DSPW) improvement initiatives and other important work in this area. Within the next two weeks, providers will receive an email from HSRI inviting them to participate in this SoTW survey.

In addition to the standard survey, ODP has added a series of questions to address several areas in which it has a specific interest. These questions are identified in the PA Supplement section and have PA attached to the question number. The data collected for these questions will not be analyzed by HSRI, but ODP will complete its own analysis.

Results of the survey will only be reported in the aggregate, and organizations will not be identified in any way. It is recommended that the Human Resources (HR) or Payroll Office complete the surveys and that answers should reflect DSPs who were on agency payroll during any period between January 1 and December 31, 2022.

The deadline to complete data entry is June 30, 2023. A copy of the survey is available to allow for preparation of data prior to completing data entry. It is a proprietary tool of NCI® and is to be used for reference only. ODP is eager to be a part of this important project again. Provider participation will help ODP to make sound policy decisions regarding Pennsylvania’s DSPs.

Any questions can be directed to Ms. Lee Stephens, ODP NCI Statewide Lead.

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RCPA has partnered with several other ID/A associations to develop a unified budget ask to send to Governor Shapiro. RCPA, The Provider’s Alliance, The Arc of PA, PAR, MAX, and The Alliance sent a letter asking the governor to include $430 million in the 2023/24 state general fund budget proposal to significantly improve the wage rates for the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide care to individuals with ID/A. This funding, along with its federal match, is crucial because the ID/A system is in crisis. Nearly 60,000 Pennsylvanians with ID/A are at risk of losing or experiencing a reduction of essential services because there are not enough DSPs to care for them. The letter outlines several specific challenges in the ID/A system.

The letter was also sent to Dana Fritz, Chief of Staff; Lindsey Mauldin, Deputy Chief of Staff; The Honorable Uri Monson, Secretary of the Budget; The Honorable Akbar Hossain, Secretary of Policy and Planning; The Honorable Mike Vereb, Secretary of Legislative Affairs; and The Honorable Valerie Arkoosh, Secretary, Department of Human Services.

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Workers Who Serve People With Disabilities Must Earn More
By Richard Edley, RCPA President/CEO
Read the print version in the Harrisburg Patriot-News, January 19, 2023

Providers who care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) are being pummeled by a workforce shortage driven by low wages and high vacancy and turnover rates.

RCPA partnered with The Arc of Pennsylvania and The Provider Alliance to have the Center for Healthcare Solutions examine the state’s ID/A workforce. The survey evaluated critical data on pay practices, hourly wages, scheduled positions, filled positions and separations for more than 9,000 employees representing 40 positions in 52 organizations.

The findings are stark.

Wages for direct support professionals who help ID/A children and adults with their basic daily living needs average $16.61 per hour, less than some fast-food restaurants. The turnover rate for DSPs is 38%, with providers reporting a vacancy rate of 28%. The numbers are similar for other residential and program supervisors.

The study also found that 14% of all DSP hours are paid at an overtime rate, and 41% of providers are now engaged in a more costly practice of contracting for staffing services to manage the workforce shortage.

Because human services like ID/A are funded primarily by Medicaid, providers cannot raise prices like private businesses to pay higher wages. So chronic underfunding by the state only
exacerbates these operational challenges.

ID/A providers simply do not have the staff they need to serve the thousands of Pennsylvanians receiving or waiting for critical services.

This is a system that is strained past its breaking point, and it needs our support now.

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