For more than a decade, the state has chronically underfunded health and human services and the individuals who provide the care. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made a dire situation worse."

Question

Accepted Answer

Since the onset of the pandemic, the workforce shortage has affected all types of human services and settings and individuals of all ages. Direct support professionals and mental health practitioners who remain on the job are working longer hours, nights, weekends, overnights, and overtime. Many are burned out and moving on.  Mental health practitioners are trained to assess and support individuals with mental health involvement and aid in their self-management of their recovery.  Direct support professionals help children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, severe and chronic health-care conditions, and complex medical needs to live in their community by supporting them with their basic daily living needs, ensuring their health their and safety, administering medication, providing job and life-skills training, and more.  Many family members have had to quit their jobs to fulfill the role that direct support professionals once provided. With fewer mental health practitioners, many individuals in crisis are finding it harder to access care or going without services entirely.  Recently, the state received authorization to spend federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to shore up portions of home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities. But the allocation doesn’t fix the problem, especially after years of chronic underfunding, and given current and future financial needs to recruit and retain essential staff.  LAWMAKERS NEED TO ACT. CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKER TODAY.  Tell lawmakers to take this workforce crisis seriously by increasing funding to support human services workers in your community.

THE ISSUES

Chronic Underfunding.

Unlivable Wages.

Quality & Availability of Care.

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