Significant Statistics: Quality of Life at Risk for Americans with Disabilities

• There are nearly 4.3 million Americans with intellectual and development disabilities, many of whom rely on private supports and services. The disabilities include mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and other related conditions.
• There are an estimated 874,000 direct support professionals meeting the demand for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Approximately, 463,573 direct support professionals work in residential settings nationwide where people with these disabilities live productive and meaningful lives - working and volunteering in their own communities.
• In addition, 39,556 direct support professionals assist individuals in nursing facilities.
• Also, approximately 161,000 direct support professionals work with vocational and day program participants.
• By 2020 demand for direct support professionals is expected to increase by 37 percent to 1.2 million among the people with disabilities living at home with parents who are aging. These parents are in their 70s and older. When they become too frail or die, the pressure on these states to provide community-based services will become even more acute.
• The additional 19,000 direct support professionals who are expected to join the field each year will make up only 4 percent of the total 1.2 million required.
• This nationwide community-based support system is at risk. The current rate of turnover for direct support professionals is approximately 50 percent.
• These community-based programs face a severe workforce shortage because of wages that have increased only $0.82 over the last nine years - representing a nine-percent increase.
• Increases for comparable workers in the public sector and for fast food workers have been three to four times higher.
• This workforce shortage significantly threatens the expansion of community inclusion. Many direct support workers average a median wage of just $8.68 an hour - compared to the median wage of $11.87 for all U. S. workers. As a result, many of these workers are forced to work at two jobs in order to feed their own families.
• The turnover rate ranges from 40 to 75 percent.
• Many providers are curtailing services. At the same time waiting lists of thousands of people who need various levels of support and services exist in a number of states.
• Private direct support professionals are the backbone of community living arrangements.
• Health care, long term services and supports, including community-based services provided by Medicaid are among the most important ways that the United States demonstrates that it values all of its residents.
• Medicaid services help to keep people healthy and enable individuals to lead personally enriching lives by contributing to the communities around them.
• Medicaid provides a vital-and sometimes the only-funding source for critical supports services.
• Without quality and continuity in these direct support services, disabilities can become more severe. People become more isolated, productivity and self-esteem spiral downward.
• State funded systems, including those that rely on Medicaid, are held to fixed appropriations based upon state public policy choices and economic conditions and are not as responsive as the private sector in adjusting to labor supply and demand factors.
• Working mothers who graduate from federal welfare-to-work programs are unable to take these jobs in many states because the jobs do not meet welfare to work wage minimums.
• Both the dollar amount and percentage increase in hourly wage rates for private direct support workers are far below that of comparable job categories as well as the national minimum wage.
• Health insurance premium increases far exceed general inflation, forcing providers to eliminate coverage or seek or increase the employee contribution.
• Many private direct support professionals cannot afford to pay the employee portion of health insurance premiums - meaning fewer employees participate in this benefit than in other industries.
• More federal and state funding is needed to bring the wages of direct support workers in line with comparable jobs in related sectors. Other potential solutions are for additional funding to provide for childcare and transportation vouchers, health care coverage and tax incentives for these workers.
• The American Network of Community Options and Resources represents and advocates on behalf the 800+ providers of services and supports for 365,000 Americans with disabilities. If you would like to view the study or download a copy of "The Growing Crisis in Recruiting and Retaining the Direct Support Workforce, visit www.ancor.org