Earlier today, the Providers’ Council emailed its members urging them to contact legislators in support of language in the Senate’s version of its economic development bill that would allocate $250 million over the next two fiscal years into workforce development efforts in the community-based human services sector. And now we need YOUR help to advocate for this critical funding.
See the below message that Providers’ Council President/CEO Michael Weekes sent to members, and use our action center to send a message to your legislator. Please email your legislator today, thank them for their historic support of human services, and ask that they support the Senate version of line item 1599-6066 in the Economic Development Conference Committee bill. The Senate language also tasks the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create a rate methodology that increases rates in the human services sector to support salaries above the median percentile of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Legislature only has until Sunday, July 31 to act on this legislation, so it is critical that you reach out today.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you for your advocacy on this issue. Please read Michael’s message below for more information.
Sincerely,
Caroline O’Neill
Project Manager
The Caring Force
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Contact your legislators in support of
Senate version of Economic Development bill
Bill would add $250m in human services funding over next two years
Dear Council members:
We are very pleased to report that the collective efforts of The Collaborative and our members to elevate the human services workforce crisis with the Legislature continue to be successful. And today we really need the voice of you and your staff members to help our continued advocacy.
The Senate included $250 million in its Economic Development bill to fund supplemental workforce payments for Chapter 257 services over the next two years. This is $150 million above the House allocation. Click here to view our letter to the Legislature on this funding in which we ask legislators to support the Senate version of this funding.
The language in the Economic Development bills also contains several important provisions:
· $100 million to increase payments for Chapter 257 direct care, front-line and medical and clinical staff rates in FY ’23. This is included in both the House and Senate versions. This construct is substantially similar to existing supplemental workforce payments in terms of allowable uses; and
· $150 million to increase rates above the current median percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarks for salaries beginning in FY ’24. This is ONLY included in the Senate version.
Legislators need to HEAR FROM YOU TODAY about the importance of the Senate language in alleviating the human services workforce crisis. This is an important step in our advocacy campaign to ensure that base rates are fair and adequate to deliver services to individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth.
Please contact your state senator and representative TODAY. Thank them for the Legislature’s focus on the human services workforce, and urge them to support the Senate language for line item 1599-6066 as the Economic Development bill moves to a Conference Committee. Your feedback is urgently needed as the Legislature only has until July 31 to pass the final bill.
Thanks for your continued advocacy on this critical issue. Should you have any questions on this issue, please reach out to Bill Yelenak at the Council.
Sincerely,
Michael Weekes
President/CEO
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