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IDD commission warns of DSP workforce 'crisis,' urges training and pay supports
Summary
Steve Riley, representing the IDD Commission, told the county HHS committee the direct support professional (DSP) workforce is in crisis and outlined priorities to expand outreach to underserved groups and to partner with a new Jubilee academy to build training and career ladders for DSPs.
Steve Riley, speaking for the Montgomery County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission, told the Health and Human Services Committee that the county must act to shore up the workforce that supports residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"The DSP workforce is in a crisis," Riley said, summarizing his commission's two top priorities for FY25: targeted outreach to underserved members of the IDD community and measures to ensure a "quality and robust direct service professional workforce" in Montgomery County.
Riley cited turnover data presented to the commission: a national DSP turnover rate of about 41 percent, 32 percent for Maryland and approximately 20 percent in Montgomery County. He said Montgomery's supplement to DD providers—money the council and county executive make available to boost compensation—has helped, but additional workforce-development steps are needed.
To expand training and career ladders, Riley highlighted an "academy at Jubilee," an initiative by the Jubilee Association of Maryland that will begin by training Jubilee employees and soon open training to other DSP candidates. "The academy will . . . provide professional development opportunities and career ladders and lattices for DSPs," he said, and the commission plans to coordinate with Workforce Montgomery, Montgomery College and MCPS.
Why it matters: DSPs help people with IDD access food, medicine, transportation and health services; shortages and turnover directly affect daily supports and independence for residents. Councilmembers pressed for continued use of the county supplement and for efforts to scale apprenticeship- and training-style solutions.
Councilmembers also asked Riley to provide more concrete program details and pledged follow-up collaboration with the executive branch on compensation strategies. The committee did not take a vote; members asked panels to return with supplemental materials and cost estimates.
The committee is scheduled to reconvene the following day to continue board and commission testimonies.
