Empowering ReachOut e-Diversity News - December 2022

Empowering ReachOut Empowering e-Diversity News News ReachOut e-Diversity An Ohio Developmental Developmental Disabilities Disabilities Council Council An Electronic Electronic Publication Publication of of the theOhio

December 2022 Edition | Volume 2, Issue 1

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5 Key Forces Fueling the Direct Support Professionals’ Crisis The following five forces are key to the escalation of this crisis.

#1 Workforce Shortage Continually Increasing Decades of severe shortage of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)* is continuing to increase due to the workforce not keeping pace with the increased demands including more people entering retirement years wanting to age in place, and needing support, more people are served at home and in community-based services of which 67% require round the clock supervision and support or daily support. Also, as the parents and informal caregivers age and become infirm, the demand for support increases. Likewise, the aging trends are affecting the DSP workforce, adding to the existing high turnover and vacancies. By 2024, it is estimated 1.1 million workers will need to be added to meet the nationwide demand.

#2 Inadequate Pay for Worker Requirements & Below Livable Wage Pay is not reflective of the wide range of skills and knowledge needed to meet the work demands and below a livable wage. The knowledge and proficiency of skills required includes, but is not limited to, behavioral, medical, clinical, social, community engagement, relationship building, decision-making and with activities and instrumental activities of daily living. The national average Direct Support Professional earns $12.98 per hour. While this wage is not commensurate with the expected work requirements it is also below a livable wage.

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#3 Inadequate Funding and Competition Inadequate funding, stagnant reimbursement rates, increasing demands for workers in fast food, retail, and convenience stores, and the inability of providers to offer wages that are competitive contributes to the difficulty in attracting workers to meet the demand for DSPs. Due to the national workforce shortages, there are increasingly more employment opportunities that pay more, provide better benefits, and demand less knowledge, skills, availability.more employment opportunities that pay more, provide better benefits, and demand less knowledge, skills, availability. #4 No Standard Occupational Classification There is no standard occupational classification (SOC) for direct support professionals. This classification is necessary to help all levels of government identify employment trends, design policies, define approaches to rate-setting in Medicare programs. None of the existing occupational categories accurately or adequately describe the work of DSPs. Without a SOC that accurately reflects the DSP workforce, there is no comprehensive mechanism for collecting data on DSPs and policymakers cannot make informed decisions to assist with recruiting, retaining, and paying DSPs adequately. Additionally, the Direct Support Workforce is not homogenous. While there are common skills used and expectations, there are differences in the types of places they work, people to whom they provide support. These unique aspects need to be recognized to ensure sufficient training, support, clear expectations, and adequate compensation. #5 Lack of Coordination Lack of a coordinated system. Individuals in need of direct support receive support from different state agencies (Department of Aging, Department of Developmental Disabilities, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Department of Education, etc.).

Lack of coordination results in decrease in productivity, complicated processes, delay, and interruption in receiving services, lack of timely completion of tasks, duplication of effort, increased cost. The lack of coordination is worsening the crisis.

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DATA SOURCES The following data sources informed the identification of forces fueling the Direct Support Professionals Workforce Crisis.

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Stabilization and Beyond, Ohio’s Workforce: A Call to Action.

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The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, Ohio Statewide Disability Needs, Survey Report (2022)

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The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2022

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National Core Indicators ® Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 2020

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StaffStabilitySurveyReport,CommunitySupportsinCrisis: No Services

No Staff,

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This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 17OU01FA22 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy.

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Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.

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