Families and Guardians,
Group homes, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, are struggling to hire staff. Providers are calling it a crisis, with funding from the state among the lowest in the country. The Arc of Alabma is seeing some of our local chapters starting to close group homes and certain services. Your individual ‘s home and services could be next!
What we’re seeing, recently in a pandemic and now coupled with a staffing crisis — we’re not able to bring the staffing in or hire on new individuals to provide programs and services. So, while it’s great that the ID Divison in the Governor’s Budget will receive 5.5 million to help with staff hirings. , it is no where close to the 17 million needed to even the playing field as the rate study suggested and short from the 11 million the Commissioner of Mental Health recommended.
The typical wage of a provider at a local chapter is $11 an hour. As you are driving you see “For Hire” and “Employees Wanted” signs across town.”You see it every day. You pass McDonald’s and Wal- Mart and a lot of other big-name stores that are starting folks out at $14, $15 an hour. We basically just want to be able to provide some sort of livable wage for the folks that are providing these services to our most vulnerable population.”
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Talk to your Senators and Representatives and ask for more funding to help hire staff to stop this crisis. If funds are not made available, more group homes will close and it could be your individual’s home or local program services.
Tim Cooper, Executive Director
The Arc of Alabama