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Families and providers tell Senate finance committee community IDD services are in crisis; call for higher wages and more oversight
Summary
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Article 2 (health and human services), parents, providers and advocacy groups told lawmakers Texas’ home- and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are in crisis and urged higher pay for direct-support professionals and stronger oversight of group homes.
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Article 2 (health and human services), parents, providers and advocacy groups outlined what they called a crisis in Texas’ community IDD system, pressing lawmakers to raise direct-support professional (DSP) wages, restore case-management funding and impose stronger oversight of group-home providers.
“Direct care attendants provide specialized compassionate care and become lifelines to our family,” Joanne Hufstedler said, recounting how she scrambled to find a safe placement for her brother after a local facility announced it could not continue caring for him. Hufstedler urged lawmakers to “ensure direct care workers receive fair wages.”
Several witnesses described repeated provider failures, staff shortages and safety incidents. Stacy Combas, former chair of the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding, asked the committee to require itemized financial statements from HCS…
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