MCBDD Hosts Roundtable: DD Dialogues Event Tackles Caregiver Crisis
On Friday, March 17, 2023, The Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) hosted a “DD Dialogues-Caregiver Crisis” roundtable event at the Medina County Achievement Center. The goal of the event was to bring together elected officials with families and local disability organizations to discuss Ohio’s developmental disability workforce crisis, the impact the caregiver crisis is having on people with developmental disabilities and how elected officials are the only ones who can address the crisis.
The Medina County Board of DD hosted the event as an opportunity to help elected officials understand the impact of this critical situation in the Ohio DD system. Ohioans with disabilities cannot get the care and support they desperately need because of the unprecedented workforce shortage of skilled caregivers (also known as Direct Support Professionals – DSPs) caused by extremely low wages. Current rules and regulations do not allow county boards of DD across the state to impact caregiver wages at the local level. Rates for caregivers are set by the state government and only action by state officials through the state budget process can resolve the issue.
The event began with a brief welcome by MCBDD Superintendent Stacey Maleckar followed by introductions of attendees which included State Senator Mark Romanchuk (R-22), State Representative Melanie Miller (R-67) and Medina County Commissioner Aaron Harrison. Pam Hunt, MCBDD Community Development Director, facilitated the event.
“Without Direct Support Professionals, many people with developmental disabilities cannot eat, go to the bathroom, bathe themselves or do the things we take for granted,” shared MCBDD Superintendent Stacey Maleckar. “Caregivers who support people with developmental disabilities can’t feed their families with what they are paid, and they are quitting the field every day at an alarming rate to work in fast food and retail. Ultimately people with developmental disabilities are suffering because of it.”
During the event, representatives from local organizations which help people with disabilities shared their stories of the daily struggles they are facing as they try to make sure people with developmental disabilities have the care they need to have safe and meaningful lives. They gave examples of the hard choices they make when it comes to helping people as they just do not have enough staff to help everyone. Then DSPs and caregivers in attendance explained how they are working up to 80 hours a week trying to make sure people are taken care of at the expense of their own needs and time with their own families. They shared how they love their work, but how they are not sure how much longer they can continue to work in the field because they themselves are slipping into poverty. Family members also shared emotional stories of how they are facing uncertain futures for their loved ones as they age and wonder who will be available to care for their children when they are gone. Family members shared how they are quitting their jobs because there is no one else available to help their son or daughter and the hardships that loss of income is having on their families.
“We are very thankful to our elected officials for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend this event to gain a greater understanding of the depth of this caregiver crisis,” stated Maleckar. “We appreciate their willingness to join us to hear about the struggles we face and to learn that only action by state officials can resolve this issue.”