Urge the Governor to Increase Critical State Funding for Developmental Disability Supports!
Governor Hogan’s Supplemental Budget #1 was released last week with no additional funding for DDA providers. On February 21st, the Developmental Disabilities Coalition submitted a letter to the Governor, requesting an additional $35 million in state funds for Service Providers, which would be matched by federal funds for a total funding increase of $70 million. While $35 million is a lot of money, it represents only a fraction of the funding needed in the DDA Community Services system to return stability to our services.
Your immediate action is needed to urge the Governor to increase critical State Funds for Developmental Disability Supports!
Why Is Action Needed?
- Recent rate study results by the MD Department of Heath indicate that the funding for DDA Community Services is significantly less than what is need for providers to continue to provide quality services and supports to Marylanders with I/DD.
- Over 18,000 Marylanders rely on DDA-funded supports to live and work in the community
- I/DD community providers are facing the worst staffing crisis in history, with 1 in 3 providers reporting a vacancy rate of direct support professionals between 30% and 60% and almost 10% of providers reporting a vacancy rate between 50% – 60%.
- Without adequate staffing, providers cannot continue to support people with disabilities. People who self-direct their services are also in trouble with an inability to recruit and retain qualified employees to assist them.
- New people who need supports—including approximately 600 youth that transition out of school each year, and people coming off of the DDA Waiting List, will struggle to find community providers able to support them due to the severe workforce shortage.
Why Now?
- The Maryland Department of Health has created a funding plan to increase DD rates as needed and as identified through rate study results, but the funding plan won’t be fully implemented until July of 2026, at the earliest.
- Marylanders with disabilities need supports now!
- The federal government has provided significant federal funding assistance to the state of Maryland to help recover from the pandemic.
- Maryland’s I/DD community needs this funding to recover from the pandemic —which has deepened our workforce crisis, when big box stores are able to pay higher wages.
Take Action Now
1) Write to Governor Larry Hogan & Secretary David Brinkley THIS WEEK!
Governor Larry Hogan Secretary David Brinkley, DBM
Amelia.alcivar@maryland.gov David.Brinkley@maryland.gov
(Governor Hogan’s Chief of Staff)
In Your Message:
- Include a brief explanation of why more funding is so important to you personally.
- Thank Governor Hogan and Secretary Brinkley for their support of the I/DD community.
- We are counting on them for a bold solution to the challenges facing Marylanders with developmental disabilities.
- We need $35 million in State general funds (which will be matched by the same amount in federal funds) for a total increase of $70 million for DD community supports.
- Now is the time to speed up implementation of the state’s plan for new rates for DD supports, when there is a budget surplus, and federal American Recovery and Protection Act (ARPA) funds available.
- The workforce shortage in DD supports is the worst in history, with one in three providers reporting a direct support vacancy rate of 30-60%, and close to 10% of providers reporting a vacancy rate of 50-60%.
- 18,000 Marylanders with developmental disabilities, their families, community providers, and the essential healthcare professionals who are the backbone of community services need assistance now!
2) Share this alert broadly through email and social media.
Please share this advocacy alert with your friends, family and network! When you post on social media, please tag Governor Hogan and Secretary Brinkley in your posts if possible, and use the hashtag: #PeoplewithDDMatter
Thank you for your support & advocacy!