The INARF 2021 Legislative Agenda includes a request for an appropriation to increase DSP wages. The INARF 2021 DSP Wage Talking Points, which we encourage you to use during your meetings with legislators, includes additional information regarding our fiscal request and our industry's need.
On February 10, the House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony regarding the biennial budget (HB 1001) during which Katy Stafford-Cunningham, INARF, testified on behalf of our industry. Included in the current version of the budget is funding for Direct Support Professional wages in the amount of approximately $20,000,000 per year. This level of funding would increase the average DSP wage to $13 an hour.
The budget will be voted on by the House early next week. Following the House vote, the Senate receives the bill and the Senate Appropriations Committee will deliberate what will be included in its version of the budget.
INARF requests that you ask your Senators to support an appropriation for DSP wages in the Senate version of the budget.
Your advocacy is critical to ensure that DSP wages are included in the budget. Thank you for your advocacy!
On February 10, the House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony regarding the biennial budget (HB 1001) during which Katy Stafford-Cunningham, INARF, testified on behalf of our industry. Included in the current version of the budget is funding for Direct Support Professional wages in the amount of approximately $20,000,000 per year. This level of funding would increase the average DSP wage to $13 an hour.
The budget will be voted on by the House early next week. Following the House vote, the Senate receives the bill and the Senate Appropriations Committee will deliberate what will be included in its version of the budget.
INARF requests that you ask your Senators to support an appropriation for DSP wages in the Senate version of the budget.
- To the right, you will see a pre-written message addressed to your Senators that requests that they support funding for DSP wages in the budget.
- Above the message, there is space for you to enter a personal story about the DSP workforce crisis and why an appropriation for DSP wages is critical for you and/or your organization.
- We request that you to share a personal story regarding the DSP workforce crisis in your message because legislators want to hear your story about why funding for DSP wages is important.
Your advocacy is critical to ensure that DSP wages are included in the budget. Thank you for your advocacy!