Advocates are urging Texas lawmakers to raise the pay for caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to prevent further care facility closures and ensure those in need receive proper care.
Advocates Urge Texas Lawmakers to Raise Caregiver Pay for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to Prevent Care Facility Closures
According to ABC 13, a group of advocates is asking the Texas State House Committee on Human Services to raise the caregiver pay who help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). These caregivers now make $10.60 an hour, much less than those working in state facilities, who earn about 60% more. The group says that if pay doesn’t improve, there will be fewer caregivers, which means Texans with IDD may not get the care they need.
A recent survey by the Time to Care Coalition shows that more than one-third of these caregiving jobs are unfilled, with many caregivers working an average of 59 hours a week. The survey also found that 229 care facilities closed between January 2023 and February 2024 because they couldn’t find enough staff, and 126 more may close soon if the problem continues. Advocates warn that without better caregiver pay, even more people with IDD will lose access to the care they rely on.
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1 in 3 Caregiving Positions Vacant: Texas Advocates Urge $17.60 Caregiver Pay for Assisting Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (PHOTO: UnitedHealthcare)
Advocates Push Texas Lawmakers to Raise Caregiver Pay to $17.60 an Hour to Support Those with Disabilities
Leaders like Charles Njuguna from the Center for Pursuit and Steve Vetrano from Avondale House say that Texas must do more to help those who can’t care for themselves. They are urging lawmakers to make this a priority in the next legislative session by raising the minimum caregiver pay to $17.60 an hour, the same as workers in state facilities.
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