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DDS West Region: 24 people on emergency placement list; staffing and hospital discharge problems persist
Summary
The Department of Developmental Services' West Region reported 24 people on an emergency placement list and ongoing difficulties placing medically complex individuals as hospitals keep patients who are ready for discharge. Members urged advocacy for higher wages and flagged staffing shortages across programs.
Shannon, the region's director, told the committee the West Region currently has 24 people on its emergency placement list — individuals identified by the region's prep team as needing immediate placement — and staff are struggling to find appropriate community placements.
The director said hospitals around the state have expressed concern that medically ready patients remain in beds because community placement options are not available. "They've been ready to be discharged for months, and we can't get them out," Shannon said, noting that hospitals "can't bill for it" in some cases and that prolonged stays raise costs and strain resources.
Members linked the placement and discharge problems to a broader workforce crisis. "We need to advocate to be able to raise wages to a point where people can actually live on what they're getting paid," Speaker 2 said, calling pay increases essential to retain direct support staff. Participants described competition from private-sector employers such as retail chains and national firms that can offer higher pay and benefits.
Shannon said staffing shortages are uneven across regions but persistent, and that some public programs are seeing staff on double or triple mandates. She and other members discussed legislative constraints on rapid wage changes and agreed the group should continue advocating during the governor's budget process.
The committee did not take formal action; Shannon said she will follow up with more detailed data and will report back at the next meeting.
