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Prince George’s delegation hears providers warn budget language could cut disability services
Summary
At a March 21, 2025 meeting, county House members heard local disability-service providers describe workforce gains and warn that proposed state budget language — including an 'up to 10%' regional rate clause — could reduce funding and disrupt services. Providers urged clear, fixed funding to preserve care.
Prince George’s County House delegation Chair Nicole Williams convened the delegation on March 21, 2025, and heard presentations from local disability-service providers who urged legislators to safeguard funding for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) and clarify budget language they say could lead to cuts.
April Garrett Gitson, executive director of the Prince George’s Provider Council, told the delegation that roughly 2,500 direct support professionals serve nearly 2,300 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the county and that the number of DDA enrollees classified as "unserved" has fallen from more than 150 to 23. She said those gains reflect coordinated work among providers and policymakers.
Rob Baynard, chair of the Prince George’s Provider Council and CEO of Opportunities Inc., said the DDA budget for fiscal year 2025 was set too low and that overspending of about $750 million created major fiscal strain this session. He credited recent rate increases and expansion of providers using the LTSS billing system for improved starting wages and a lower vacancy rate; Baynard said the average starting wage for direct support professionals in Prince George’s County is now about $18 an hour (up 13% year over year) and that vacancy rates have declined from 25% to 18%, though turnover remains a challenge.
Rob Malone, chief executive officer of The Arc Prince George’s County, said providers were "frankly scared to death" after the governor’s initial January budget proposal. Malone told members that eliminating the regional rate differential as initially proposed would have reduced local provider revenue by $28 million; he also raised alarm about language in the updated budget documents that describes the differential as "up to 10%," saying the phrase leaves room for DDA to set a lower percentage during implementation and creates anxiety for providers and families. Malone also said a therapeutic child-care grant for Oxon Hill appeared to be missing from the fiscal 2026 materials and that providers will watch for ways to restore it.
Larissa Kautz, president and CEO of Melwood, described a new corporate structure announced in January 2025 that creates a Melwood family of companies (Melwood Inc., Melwood Enterprises, and Melwood Community Services). Kautz said Melwood will continue its licensed services in Prince George’s County but may need to pull back philanthropic or innovation programs if providers must redirect resources to cover mandated service costs caused by funding shortfalls.
Chair Williams thanked the presenters, said members on appropriations would note the providers’ concerns, and said the delegation expected possible legislative matters from the senate delegation in the coming week. The delegation adjourned at about 9:25 a.m.
No formal votes or motions on budget legislation were recorded during the meeting; providers requested clarification and expressed gratitude to delegation members who worked to restore parts of the DDA budget.
