Director’s Corner

September

I was reading an interesting article from the Institute on Community Inclusion lately.  The article cited data from the Census Bureau for 2021.

The Census Bureau says United States has an estimated population 337,038,009 as of September 2^nd 2024 (1).  There is 1 live birth every 8 seconds, a death every 11 seconds, and 1 migrant added to our population every 27 seconds.  The net result is that every 15 seconds, our nation adds one more person to our total population (2).

According to research from the Institute on Community Inclusion (3), state funded Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) agencies provide publicly funded support for 1.58 million people with I/DD, of the estimated 7.39 million people with I/DD living in the US.  This article raised a question-Why are 21.4% of people with I/DD receiving publicly funded support services and the remaining 78.6% are not?  It could be several issues.

This is a tangled web to unwind when searching for a reason, as many factors come into play.  Many people rely upon family members for support, and do not search out and utilize state funded services.  Afterall, family knows their loved ones’ better than anyone else.  We can assume that many people take it upon themselves to care for their own, regardless of other factors.

People may also have accessed state support services at one time, but no longer want or need the services.  After all, it is a needs-based system!  Children diagnosed with I/DD may not need state funded support because they developed skills that eliminated the need for support services as adults.  We know that many young people utilize special education through high school but decline adult services after graduation.

Perhaps there are people with I/DD who don’t know about support services.  There are people that do not know that support is available but need and want the support. Having worked in support services for many years, I worked with many people in Fargo (where information about services in readily available) that did not know about available resources.  More can be, and should be, done to ensure that the people who can benefit from available resources are made aware of them.

Additionally, there are many who live in North Dakota who cannot access services due to the location they call home.  As I alluded to earlier, in the rural areas of North Dakota, knowledge of services and access to services are major issues.  My guess would be that rural areas across the United States face similar issues.  North Dakota is among the leaders when looking at dollars spent per capita on I/DD services, and if the issue exists here, it likely exists elsewhere in the nation.  I/DD providers in North Dakota who are willing to provide rural services frequently comment about the difficulty in finding staff to do the work- which involves an unreimbursed travel expense (covering greater distances) to provide the services, and to obtain the mandated training necessary to be a qualified direct service staff.

Staff availability is not only an issue in rural areas of our nation and state.  Providers in the largest cities in North Dakota are citing the same struggle. A lot of effort has been made to professionalize direct care workers who assist people with I/DD.  Direct care staff are referred to as Direct Support Professionals (DSP).  To work as a DSP, you must meet hiring and training requirements.  When faced with our challenge of promoting inclusion and equality for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, DSP positions are crucial.  We need skilled and qualified people in these positions.
How big of a factor is the DSP staffing shortage in the United States?  According to a report from ANCHOR (4) I/DD Providers report:

-83% are turning away referrals due to staffing shortage.

-63% are reducing programs and services.

-55% are considering reduction (or further reduction) of programs and services.

-92% state that they will struggle to meet quality standards due to staff shortages.

This data begs the question, how many people diagnosed with I/DD in the United States are not able to access support services due to the lack of DSPs?
Staff shortages are nothing new, however, some in the field have stated that it has never been this bad.  This one issue, in my opinion, has emerged as the primary issue that is impacting our I/DD communities.  The answer?  Using an often-repeated phrase- “All politics are local”.  If we feel that we want a qualified, professional DSP workforce, they need to be paid as such.  The DSP’ deserve to be paid a fair wage that reflects the importance of their work.  To achieve this goal, we are asking all supporters of The Arc of Cass County to get involved.  Write to your legislators!  Or, contact the Arc and let us know that you support this effort, and we will do the writing!  The Arc offices across the state of North Dakota work together to address this issue, and others, by providing testimony, raising public awareness, and by lobbying legislators.  This is an issue that will not go away and will continually need to be addressed in the future to ensure that DSP wages keep up with inflation and provide livable wages to the most important Service Provider positions.

Citations

1. US Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/popclock

2. US Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/popclock

3. Residential Information Systems Project Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, RISP, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration. Retrieved from: https://risp.umn.edu.

4. Retrieved from https://www.ancor.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/The-State-of-Americas-Direct-Support-Workforce-Crisis-2022.pdf

July

Greetings all! July is Disability Awareness month and I thought it appropriate to discuss a pivotal piece of legislation that impacted all people with disabilities, and our society at large.  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. This landmark legislation was a leap forward in the fight for equal rights and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and public accommodations.

People with disabilities faced numerous barriers and obstacles that prevented them from fully participating in society. They were often denied access to public buildings, transportation, and employment opportunities simply because of their disability. The ADA changed much of that by requiring businesses and government agencies to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities everyone else.

The impact of the ADA has been profound.  It has proven to be a societal and culturally changing piece of legislation that has affected the lives of millions.  It has opened doors for countless people with disabilities, allowing them to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential.

Before the ADA was passed, individuals with and by ensuring that they have equal access to the same opportunities as potential. Thanks to the ADA, individuals with disabilities can now participate in all aspects of society, from attending school, working, going out to eat, having a beer and a hotdog at a ballgame, utilizing public transportation, and accessing public services-like the library. And yes, people still go to libraries- a lot of them in fact!  Understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities has improved due to more people with disabilities participating in the life of their community.  

June

We have all noticed it. The lack of cashiers at our favorite grocery store, reduced store hours due to “lack of staff”, and longer lines nearly everywhere we shop or dine. Where have all the workers gone? One thing that I have noticed is the increased prevalence of people with disabilities in the workforce. It is not a new thing, but it is a big thing. 60 years ago, it was practically unheard of for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). At that time, many people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities lived in group settings, and their work options were limited to sheltered workshops, where they were frequently paid sub-minimum wages. The economic development we are experiencing in Cass County has created opportunities for higher paying jobs, increased average wages, and employment opportunities for all people in our community.

Curt Markel, Region 5 Program Administrator for North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation, states “Vocational Rehabilitation works with a diverse group of skilled individuals who may be entering the workforce for the first time, seeking a career change, or currently underemployed and looking for opportunities to fully utilize their potential. The demand for employees in southeastern North Dakota, driven by local business needs and the regional economy, has created opportunities for people with disabilities to explore fields they might not have previously considered working in and opportunities for advancement within companies. Employment opportunities are available for individuals who can demonstrate key work skills, such as reliability, responsibility, effective communication, and the ability to work well with others”.If you are an employer looking for labor solutions, or a person with a disability looking to increase their annual income, contact North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation at (701)298-4462 for more information.