Preserve and Protect the DSP Workforce!
Help Us Prevent an $87.7 Million Cut to Disability Services
We need your help to ensure that the state of Illinois does not eliminate millions of Direct Support Professional (DSP) service hours. Community service providers are already experiencing a DSP staffing crisis, and if the new CILA rate calculator is implemented, it will cut about 10% of all DSP service hours (2.5 million) from the system. It is the equivalent of an $87.7 million cut to home and community-based services. We need YOU, our grassroots advocates, to tell the state that eliminating DSP staff during a crippling DSP staffing crisis cannot happen without causing unprecedented harm to the system.
Providers and advocacy organizations have already proposed a 4-step plan to avoid this massive cut to the system and preserve DSP staffing at the current levels. First, we must delay implementation of the rate calculator until January 1, 2025. Second, we must include funding for the current staffing levels in the FY25 budget. Third, updated rate sheets must be provided so organizations can understand how they will be impacted by any proposed staffing cuts. Finally, we need to continue regular meetings of the Ligas Oversight Committee to avoid implementing any other proposals that eliminate crucial resources from the system. TAKE ACTION NOW to urge your legislators to preserve and protect the DSP workforce.
Background
In February of 2023 the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) announced a new Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) rate calculator as recommended in the Guidehouse Study. This rate calculator was supposed to redistribute DSP hours so that individuals with higher support needs would receive additional staffing while individuals with lower support needs would receive less staffing. However, the announcement from DDD was that 3.7 million DSP hours would be eliminated from the system, which is the equivalent of more than 1,700 full time DSP positions, or 12% of all DSP hours.
This announcement shocked providers, as it was never communicated that any hours would be eliminated from the system. We responded clearly and emphatically that this would cause unprecedented harm to community-based services, and any reduction in hours would not be acceptable. DHS-DDD prudently paused implementation of the rate calculator to propose a less-harmful solution. That pause was extended several times with the current pause in place until the end of March 2024.
During the long pause, there has been little transparency or communication from DDD concerning this issue. Community providers have not been able to plan out adjustments to their staffing plans, as they were unaware of what changes would be made to the system. After 10 months of waiting, DDD unveiled three potential implementation scenarios, which would cut 2.5 million DSP service hours, or 10% of all hours. None of these scenarios are acceptable and all would result in fewer individuals being served, services being cut, facilities closing or consolidating, and fewer resources available to individuals with disabilities.
Disability services have been overlooked and de-prioritized for many years in Illinois. Recently, investments have been made to improve the system, but a long road lies ahead. The system is fragile, and staffing continues to be the greatest obstacle facing providers. If these DSP cuts take place, many providers will be forced to cut programs and deny services to individuals with disabilities.
We cannot allow this to happen. For years we have been telling the state that the DSP staffing crisis is the top issue impacting disability services. Recently, they have listened and made significant investments into the workforce, for which we are grateful. However, it is not possible to eliminate 10% of DSP service hours during a DSP staffing crisis, not allow providers ample time to adjust their staffing plans, and expect no consequences. We must act now to inform the General Assembly of these proposed cuts, and urge them to delay this implementation and fund the current staffing levels in the FY25 budget. Take Action Now!
Preserve and Protect the DSP Workforce!
Help Us Prevent an $87.7 Million Cut to Disability Services
We need your help to ensure that the state of Illinois does not eliminate millions of Direct Support Professional (DSP) service hours. Community service providers are already experiencing a DSP staffing crisis, and if the new CILA rate calculator is implemented, it will cut about 10% of all DSP service hours (2.5 million) from the system. It is the equivalent of an $87.7 million cut to home and community-based services. We need YOU, our grassroots advocates, to tell the state that eliminating DSP staff during a crippling DSP staffing crisis cannot happen without causing unprecedented harm to the system.
Providers and advocacy organizations have already proposed a 4-step plan to avoid this massive cut to the system and preserve DSP staffing at the current levels. First, we must delay implementation of the rate calculator until January 1, 2025. Second, we must include funding for the current staffing levels in the FY25 budget. Third, updated rate sheets must be provided so organizations can understand how they will be impacted by any proposed staffing cuts. Finally, we need to continue regular meetings of the Ligas Oversight Committee to avoid implementing any other proposals that eliminate crucial resources from the system. TAKE ACTION NOW to urge your legislators to preserve and protect the DSP workforce.
Background
In February of 2023 the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) announced a new Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) rate calculator as recommended in the Guidehouse Study. This rate calculator was supposed to redistribute DSP hours so that individuals with higher support needs would receive additional staffing while individuals with lower support needs would receive less staffing. However, the announcement from DDD was that 3.7 million DSP hours would be eliminated from the system, which is the equivalent of more than 1,700 full time DSP positions, or 12% of all DSP hours.
This announcement shocked providers, as it was never communicated that any hours would be eliminated from the system. We responded clearly and emphatically that this would cause unprecedented harm to community-based services, and any reduction in hours would not be acceptable. DHS-DDD prudently paused implementation of the rate calculator to propose a less-harmful solution. That pause was extended several times with the current pause in place until the end of March 2024.
During the long pause, there has been little transparency or communication from DDD concerning this issue. Community providers have not been able to plan out adjustments to their staffing plans, as they were unaware of what changes would be made to the system. After 10 months of waiting, DDD unveiled three potential implementation scenarios, which would cut 2.5 million DSP service hours, or 10% of all hours. None of these scenarios are acceptable and all would result in fewer individuals being served, services being cut, facilities closing or consolidating, and fewer resources available to individuals with disabilities.
Disability services have been overlooked and de-prioritized for many years in Illinois. Recently, investments have been made to improve the system, but a long road lies ahead. The system is fragile, and staffing continues to be the greatest obstacle facing providers. If these DSP cuts take place, many providers will be forced to cut programs and deny services to individuals with disabilities.
We cannot allow this to happen. For years we have been telling the state that the DSP staffing crisis is the top issue impacting disability services. Recently, they have listened and made significant investments into the workforce, for which we are grateful. However, it is not possible to eliminate 10% of DSP service hours during a DSP staffing crisis, not allow providers ample time to adjust their staffing plans, and expect no consequences. We must act now to inform the General Assembly of these proposed cuts, and urge them to delay this implementation and fund the current staffing levels in the FY25 budget. Take Action Now!