Wages, staffing, training, and the people who do direct support work.
Workforce · Workforce
Caregivers in New York's Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program filed with the NLRB in September 2026 for a union election that would put about 190,000 workers under 1199SEIU.
September 26, 2026 · Home Health Care News · 1 min
Workforce · Harrisburg
Pennsylvania House Bill 1939, heard by the House Human Services Committee on Aug. 18, 2026, would raise ID and autism service rates with inflation each year and require providers to raise DSP wages by the same percentage.
August 28, 2026 · Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus · 2 min
Workforce · Bargaining
As of Sept. 26, 2026, Washington's offer to the board that sets pay for about 80,000 consumer-directed caregivers keeps the $37.42 hourly labor rate flat in fiscal 2028, while SEIU 775 seeks $38.40, with an Oct. 1 deadline.
August 17, 2026 · Washington State Standard · 4 min
Workforce · Federal
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously approved S. 3211 in early August 2026, a bill asking the federal government to consider tracking DSPs as their own occupation.
August 6, 2026 · National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals · 1 min
Workforce · The data
A 2026 research poster using National Core Indicators data found average DSP wages rose from $12.22 in 2018 to $17.86 in 2024, and higher pay still went with lower turnover, though wages remain below a living wage.
July 8, 2026 · National Core Indicators · 3 min
Workforce · North Carolina
North Carolina's budget, signed July 7, 2026, puts $21.3 million a year in state funds, about $59.4 million with the federal match, into Innovations waiver rates to raise pay for direct care workers.
July 7, 2026 · North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities · 3 min
Workforce · Frederick
Maryland families who pay relatives as caregivers through self-direction told Spotlight on Maryland in June 2026 that wage cuts set for July 1 and fewer hours in September would undo the care they had built.
June 26, 2026 · Spotlight on Maryland / FOX45 · 2 min
Workforce · Research
Medicaid home care users grew faster than enrolled providers from 2019 to 2023, reaching nearly 66 participants per provider, according to a chartbook released in May 2026.
May 12, 2026 · Home Health Care News · 1 min
Workforce · Minnesota
A federal immigration enforcement surge rattled Minnesota's already short-staffed disability care workforce, providers told the Minnesota Star Tribune in a report published by Disability Scoop on April 21, 2026.
April 21, 2026 · Disability Scoop · 1 min
Workforce · Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's 2025 DSP compensation study, released April 7, 2026, found average pay of $18.53 an hour, turnover steady at 41% and 18.2% of DSP positions vacant.
April 7, 2026 · Pennsylvania Provider Consortium · 3 min
Workforce · Research
DSP turnover fell below 40% in 2023 for the first time since data collection began in 2014, a Case for Inclusion snapshot released in January 2026 found, though advocates warn the gains came from time-limited funds.
January 27, 2026 · Disability Scoop · 1 min
Workforce · Research
Every responding state reported home care worker shortages in KFF's 2025 survey of Medicaid officials, published in January 2026, and DSP shortages topped the list, cited by 48 states.
January 5, 2026 · KFF · 1 min
Workforce · New Jersey
New Jersey raised developmental disability service rates on Jan. 1, 2026, to fund a raise of about 46 cents an hour for DSPs and DSP supervisors, which providers had to add to base wages by March 1, retroactive to Jan. 1.
December 30, 2025 · New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities · 2 min
Workforce · The workforce
ANCOR's 2025 workforce survey, released Oct. 29, 2025, found 52% of I/DD providers considering more program cuts, up from 34% in 2024, while 88% reported moderate or severe staffing shortages.
October 29, 2025 · ANCOR · 2 min
Workforce · Workforce
On May 31, 2025, Texas lawmakers approved a budget that raises the base wage for Medicaid community attendants to $13 an hour, using nearly $1 billion in state general revenue.
May 31, 2025 · The Texas Tribune · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
On July 11, 2024, Georgia announced federal approval of NOW and COMP waiver amendments that raise Medicaid rates for I/DD providers retroactive to July 1, 2024, with rate models built on a $16.70 average direct support wage.
July 11, 2024 · Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
In May 2024, California families and advocates fought Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to delay the final phase of disability service rate reform by a year, saving about $613 million in state funds and pausing expected raises for about 150,000 workers.
May 7, 2024 · Legislative Analyst's Office · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
New Jersey raised Medicaid rates on Jan. 1, 2024, to fund a DSP and DSP supervisor wage increase of about $1.75 an hour, which providers had to pass through to base pay by March 1, 2024.
January 2, 2024 · New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
On Dec. 12, 2023, the White House said American Rescue Plan funding for Medicaid home and community-based services had reached about $37 billion across all 50 states, with over $25 billion aimed at the direct care workforce.
December 12, 2023 · The American Presidency Project (White House fact sheet) · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
On Oct. 24, 2023, Sen. Bob Casey and 17 Democratic colleagues introduced the HCBS Relief Act, which would give states a 10-percentage-point Medicaid match increase for two fiscal years to stabilize the home care workforce.
October 24, 2023 · U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging · 1 min
Workforce · Workforce
On July 20, 2023, North Carolina's health department told legislators that raising DSP wages in the Innovations waiver and private ICFs from about $13.12 to $18 an hour would take $78.2 million a year in state money ($242.1 million total).
July 20, 2023 · North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services · 1 min