Direct Care Workers are underpaid. Over the past decade providers and advocates across the Commonwealth
have been lobbying the General Assembly to increase the salaries
of Direct Care Workers in the MH/MR field. Instead of allocating
more funding for existing services, Pennsylvania has continued
to increase appropriations for new services. While important,
this action has led to minimal increases for already existing
services and hampered providers' ability to offer appropriate
salaries and salary increases for direct care staff.
In February 1999 the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
(LBFC) released their salary study report, indicating the difficulties
in securing and retaining direct care workers in the MH/MR system
in part attributable to the poverty-level wages paid to persons
in these positions. According to the most recent study by the
LBFC, the turnover rate of direct care workers is 42%.
PCPA has joined with several other organizations to form The Direct
Care Partnership. The Partnership's mission is to support changes
that advance private provider direct care workers to a living
wage. To begin to address the issues with the General Assembly,
The Direct Care Partnership has formed the 1999 Salary Initiative,
requesting the General Assembly to appropriate a $90 million increase
in the Office of Mental Retardation budget to secure funding for
salary increases to direct care workers this fiscal year. Members
of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania
Senate have indicated initial interest in this proposal.
To make this initiative a reality, legislators must hear from
their constituents regarding the need to press for the increase
in funding. Enclosed is a brochure developed by The Partnership
to assist members in talking and writing to their representatives
about this issue. Please support the efforts of The Partnership,
including the membership of PCPA, by contacting your representatives
on this issue immediately.
More information is available from Kris Ericson.