Maine’s system for providing services to our fellow citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism is in crisis. Recently, an article in the Journal Tribune (“System in Crisis”) highlighted a history of rate cuts and an unprecedented workforce shortage that threatens the very viability of a system of care that thousands of Mainers with disabilities rely on for their health, safety and well-being.
Since 2007, the State of Maine has repeatedly cut rates for services. Today, rates are 30% lower than a decade ago when adjusted for inflation. Over those 10 years the need and costs for these services have grown. Importantly, central to an effective service system is a qualified workforce. Significant declines in reimbursement rates make it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain workers to provide these critical services. This crisis is a moral and economic imperative.
Community Partners, Inc. and Waban play important roles in meeting the needs of people with disabilities throughout York County. We also are significant employers in York County. Collectively, we serve over 600 adults with disabilities and employ over 400 caring professionals to meet these needs. We are very concerned with our ability to maintain these critical services as together we have over 80 vacant full-time positions as direct consequence of rate cuts.
The crisis in our system is a problem that we have an opportunity to correct.
House Majority Leader Erin Herbig (D-Belfast) has submitted emergency, bi-partisan legislation to rectify this crisis. LD 967, An Act to Ensure Access to Community Services for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism, recognizes the importance of competitive wages that allow providers to recruit and retain the direct support professionals the system of care depends on. Specifically, it instructs the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to restore funding rates to 2007 levels adjusted for inflation.
The State of Maine has an ethical and statutory obligation to care for our most vulnerable citizens. This is achieved through the work of direct support professionals who provide critical, life-sustaining services every day in communities throughout York County.
Maine’s integrity and economy demand support of LD 967. We ask our state legislators to provide it.
— Todd Goodwin is CEO of Community Partners, Inc., based in Biddeford. Neal Meltzer is executive director of Waban, based in Sanford.
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