TEXAS — Workers caring for Texans with disabilities want a pay raise. There’s a staffing shortage at group homes that allows Texans with intellectual disabilities to live more independently, compared to large institutions. Now a new group is calling on the state to immediately fund the pay increase in order to recruit and maintain staff.

What You Need To Know

  • A new group is calling on the state to immediately fund a pay increase for caretakers in order to recruit and maintain staff

  • The number of available homes for Texans with intellectual disabilities is dwindling. About 229 group homes closed in the last year and another 126 are expected to close by the end of this year
  • A new coalition of caretaker advocates, Time to Care, recently made an emergency request for about $66 million in state funds to immediately boost the minimum wage for caregivers from $10 per hour to $15

  • During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers did increase wages for these caregivers from $8 per hour to $10, but advocates say it’s not enough to keep up

Rochelle Smith grew up with two brothers, one of whom has an intellectual disability. Smith's brother Travis requires around-the-clock care and supervision. After aging out of a children’s hospital, Travis lived at a group home for 35 years before it closed. Following that, Rochelle had trouble finding him a new place to live.

“He needs a team of people that can care for him so he can have the quality of life that he deserves and be able to function as an adult even though he does need assistance,” Smith said.

Just a few months ago, Smith found her brother a group home in the Austin area, but the number of available homes for Texans with intellectual disabilities is dwindling. About 229 group homes closed in the last year and another 126 are expected to close by the end of this year, according to Sandy Batton with the Providers Alliance for Community Services of Texas.

“Now you have staff that don’t have familiarity with the people they’re working, with which leads to more medical errors or not knowing what somebody's triggers is,” said Batton.

A new coalition of caretaker advocates, Time to Care, recently made an emergency request for about $66 million in state funds to immediately boost the minimum wage for caregivers from $10 per hour to $15.

Democratic Rep. Armando Walle is the on the Legislative Budget Board, which would have to make the emergency funding decision since the Legislature’s not in session until 2025.

“The Legislature for the last 20 to 25 years has really dropped the ball on taking care of the staff needs of direct care folks,” said Walle.

Experts say an increase in wages for caregivers would mean an expansion of Medicaid.

“The actual policy of the state of Texas is to limit the cost of these programs that they consider to be welfare and social services and push the burden back on to families,” said Cal Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University.

During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers did increase wages for these caregivers from $8 per hour to $10, but advocates say it’s not enough to keep up.