The Providers’ Council submitted testimony at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) public hearing on 101 CMR 411.00, addressing rates for Certain Placement, Support, and Shared Living Services. Representing over 220 community-based human services organizations across Massachusetts, the Council emphasized the need for equitable reimbursement rates to ensure workforce stability and service delivery.
Key recommendations included:
- Adopting the Bureau of Labor Statistics 75th Percentile Salary Benchmarks: Urging EOHHS to set salaries at or above the 75th percentile to address turnover and ensure competitive pay for human services workers.
- Increasing the Cost Adjustment Factor (CAF): Advocating for a CAF of at least 4.26%, based on realistic economic projections, instead of the proposed 2.58%.
- Enhancing Fringe and Administrative Allocations: Recommending an increased tax/fringe rate of 32.48% to include retirement funding and advocating for an administrative allocation of 15-18%.
- Adjusting for New Overtime Regulations: Calling for rates to reflect increased costs resulting from the Department of Labor’s updated overtime thresholds.
The testimony underscored the equity dimensions of these proposals, highlighting the sector’s workforce demographics—80% women and 36% people of color—and the need for fair pay to support essential services for residents of the Commonwealth.
Contact Caroline O’Neill with any questions regarding these hearings.