As the debate in Washington and state houses across America is focused elsewhere, the health and quality of life for millions of Americans is endangered by an alarming shortage of professional caregivers. Even more troubling, demand for services among people with disabilities and aging Americans is rising dramatically. Two leading national disability organizations have launched www.WhoWillCare.net to raise public awareness about this largely ignored crisis.

Professional caregivers, also known as direct support professionals, are the key to quality community-based health care services. They assist people with disabilities and aging Americans with their daily affairs, including getting dressed, taking medications, personal hygiene and preparing and eating meals. With the help of direct support professionals, individuals with disabilities work, volunteer and contribute to their communities.
Nationwide, the direct support professional turn-over rate is between 40 to 75% every year because of poor wages and increasing job demands.
Hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are already waiting for services and the Bureau of Labor Statistics says demand for caregivers will grow 62% through 2010 as Americans grow older. Also, more than 100,000 people with disabilities in the workforce depend on direct support professionals.

WhoWillCare.net is an Internet-driven campaign created through a partnership between the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), two of the nation s largest non-profit health organizations whose respective members and affiliates provide services to hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities.

American families already know the impact of the direct support professional shortage, and those who don t soon will. Thousands of families are waiting for help, and millions make do with little more because there are simply not enough direct support professionals, said Renee L. Pietrangelo, CEO of ANCOR. WhoWillCare.net is about getting this issue on the radar before it s too late.

A 2003 national report found that direct support professionals earn an average of only $8.68 per hour, a wage clearly unequal to their responsibilities. Support professional wages, which are almost entirely publicly financed through Medicaid, are increasing well below comparable jobs and even the minimum wage. According to the Department of Labor, the wages of personal and home care aides increased only $0.82 from 1992-2000 versus $4.11 for fast food workers.

WhoWillCare.net recognizes that direct support professionals make a difference, and that it s time they make a living too, said Stephen Bennett, President and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. We entrust direct support professionals with tremendous responsibility yet we expect them to work in jobs that don t even meet welfare-to-work wage minimums.”

In its first phase, WhoWillCare.net calls on supporters to urge their Members of Congress to cosponsor the bipartisan Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act H.R. 1264 to protect millions of Americans who depend on direct support professionals for daily assistance and support.
Introduced by Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Lois Capps (D-CA), the legislation promotes fair support professional wages in an effort to stabilize the high turnover and vacancy rates. Increased wages and lower turnover rates will improve support for people with disabilities to live in the community and provide families with assurances that their loved one s health and independence is ensured.

Visitors to www.WhoWillCare.net can also learn more about the issue, read stories about direct support professionals and sign a petition calling on state lawmakers to take action on this important issue.
For more information visit www.WhoWillCare.net or download the factsheet.

About the Author

See www.ancor.org for more information on ANCOR.

See www.ucp.org for more information on United Cerebral Palsy.