MIDLAND, Texas — Workforce shortages continue for organizations who support those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD.
West Texas non-profit Spectrum of Solutions has joined Time To Care TX, a state-wide coalition working to increase wages for direct support professionals, or DSPs.
“Nobody really wants to work for $10.60 an hour in any industry, and this is an especially tough industry," said Kayla Minchew, Executive Director of Spectrum of Solutions.
The IDD community needs help -- both for staff and those they serve.
“Not having adequately funded positions, like these direct care positions, significantly affects the amount of care we can provide, who we can provide it to – it’s creating a huge shortage here at Spectrum of Solutions but really across the entire state," Minchew said. "Clients aren’t getting served because there’s just not anybody there to serve them.”
DSPs handle a number of tasks for folks with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
“They are dealing with tasks of daily living skills, but also, they may be dealing with behavioral support," said Larry Hill, one of the founding members of Time To Care TX. "They may be doing medically related such as medication administration, they may change a colostomy bag, they may do a tube feeding.”
With low wages driving this workforce crisis, over 230 group home organizations similar to Spectrum of Solutions closed down in Texas in 2023.
“This is the most vulnerable population in Texas, and we need to take care of them," Hill said.
This partnership and many other organizations that have joined Time To Care TX are looking to get wages up to $15 per hour through state legislative support.
The hope is that will help those in need.
"If we have those appropriate wages for those direct care staff we're going to be able to provide better quality services, we're going to be able to reach more individuals with intellectual disabilities and they deserve the same great life that we all have," Minchew said.