The importance of investing in Home and Community Based Services

All people with disabilities have the right to live independently in the community. Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are necessary for people with disabilities to live independently. Sadly, a staffing shortage has created a crisis for the disability community. A few problems have created this crisis. One is the low wages offered to Direct Support Professionals. Colorado has recently raised the hourly rate to $15 an hour but that’s not enough.  Many direct support professionals do not receive health benefits. The rising costs of health care combined with rising living expenses and the cost of childcare make it almost impossible to live off of wages given to direct support professionals.

HCBS are treated as a vocation and it needs to become a career. It is not viable for people to support themselves or their families on the salary earned. Another problem is burn out. Many direct support professionals are burned out. They realize that many easier jobs are available with better pay. Some have learned it’s better to be on unemployment. 

The Covid pandemic created a new problem, safety. Many direct support professionals were concerned of exposure. Working hands on would increase the risk of contracting Covid. 

Our country is facing an economic crisis, many people living with disabilities want to help but must have available HCBS to do so.

I want to mention that I rely on HCBS to live independently. Medicaid pays for me to have 8 hours a week of HCBS. I currently have a CNA three days a week and a housekeeper on the other two days so I’m visited each day during the week. I like to keep my weekends free for me time and get togethers with family and friends. My CNA helps me walk laps with my walker, we joke that she’s more like my trainer. Both the CNA and my housekeeper make my bed, do my laundry, clean my food bottles and help me with chores that I can’t do alone. Besides assistance they also provide companionship. I’ve become very close with my CNA and housekeeper.

That’s why I’m so passionate about the HCBS crisis. I want people with disabilities to be able to be as independent as possible and HCBS are essential to make that a reality.