The House and Senate struck an agreement today on a $3.7 billion Economic Development bill that will include $225 million for human services workers through Chapter 257 supplemental payments.
According to the bill’s language, no less than $100 million shall be provided in FY ’23 to human service providers whose rates are subject to Chapter 257, and payments in FY ’23 “shall be provided solely to increase payments to direct care, front-line and medical and clinical staff, which may include, but shall not be limited to, hourly rate increases, wraparound benefits, shift differentials, overtime, hiring and retention bonuses or recruitment.”
The bill also states that the remaining $125 million will be used to increase rates for service providers at a sustainable level above the 50th percentile of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmark for the Commonwealth.
There is no timeline for the House and Senate to act on the new bill, but both branches will meet tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. in informal sessions. As the Legislature has adjourned formal sessions for the year, any one representative or senator can object, stalling progress on the bill.
If you have any questions about the Economic Development bill and the new Chapter 257 funds, please contact Bill Yelenak.
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