As Texas faces a looming crisis in the care for its most vulnerable citizens, a coalition has stepped forward with a call for action. The group, Time To Care: Save Texas Caregivers Now, is demanding higher pay for direct support professionals (DSPs) responsible for aiding Texans with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). In a powerful push for change, the coalition is rallying for emergency funding from the state legislature to increase DSP wages from the meager $10.60 to a more substantial $15 per hour.

With a significant surplus in the state's budget, the group sees a prime opportunity to address the dire wages that have plagued care for the IDD community. According to a San Antonio Report, Texas is projected to have an over $18 billion surplus, not to mention the $23 billion already sitting in the State “Rainy Day Fund.” This contrast is stark against the backdrop of wages for community-based DSPs that have seen less than a 9% increase over the past 13 years, a period during which inflation has skyrocketed by more than 37%.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, the coalition urged state leaders to authorize emergency appropriations through the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). The advocacy extends beyond fiscal concerns, framing the wage increase as a moral duty towards the most vulnerable residents of Texas. "This is a crisis that needs to be addressed now in order to get the IDD service provider community through to next year," Sandy Batton, Executive Director of the coalition, emphasized in a statement. It was underscored that without these crucial wage adjustments, the quality of care for Texans with IDD could continue to deteriorate, potentially leading to more group home closures – a dire outcome for those in need of these services.

In Texas alone, over 500,000 individuals live with IDD, with approximately 40,000 receiving Medicaid services as of 2023. The coalition's campaign rests on the position that the state's surging budget surplus offers a beacon of hope for the dedication of DSPs serving the IDD community. "The revelation of a surplus budget serves as a beacon of hope for the IDD community and the dedicated DSPs who serve them," the coalition members stated in a letter addressed to state leadership, as noted by Time To Care: Save Texas Caregivers Now. This plea for action is not just about fair compensation, but reflects the core values and moral compass of Texas itself according to the coalition.

With this move, the coalition hopes to ignite action from policymakers to protect the livelihood of those who support society's most vulnerable, and in doing so, safeguard the very fabric of the state's care system. The conversation around equitable pay for DSPs takes on new urgency as the call for emergency funding highlights a crisis that can no longer be overlooked or treated with indifference by the powers that be in Texas.