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Hundreds of West Virginians are going without the help they need to live safely at home

Feb. 19—Hundreds of West Virginians with disabilities need help with tasks like cleaning their houses and visiting friends or running errands.

But as lawmakers enter the final weeks of the legislative session, those who help West Virginians with disabilities say more state funding is needed to allow this group of people to live at home with assistance instead of being sent to institutions.

On Monday, advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, like autism or Down syndrome, health care providers and families went to the Capitol. They set up booths to alert lawmakers to the urgent need for more funding for the state program that pays for at-home care.

Providers face a severe shortage of employees, according to Brad Story, CEO of the West Virginia Behavioral Healthcare Providers Association.

"We do not have the workforce to take on any more clients," he said.

More than 600 people with disabilities are on the waiting list for this assistance. And now, instead of living independently in their communities, some are living in more isolated settings like state-owned psychiatric hospitals.

To provide in-home help, providers are asking state lawmakers for roughly a $25 million funding increase. Currently, the state provides about $100 million each year.

The additional money would also benefit families who are paid by the state to be caregivers.

Lisa Fullbright, of Charleston, said the money allows her to provide full-time care for her 29-year-old daughter Cherish, who has Down syndrome, and teach her to cook and clean.

"I did leave my job, and I chose to do this," she said. "I don't have to be at work wondering, 'Is she OK?'"

One provider that employs in-home service workers, Diversified Assessment & Therapy Services, has lost workers to jobs in the service industry.

Y Daugherty, the company's CFO, said they were able to increase pay due to federal pandemic relief several years ago, but they will run out in July if lawmakers don't increase the allotment. And they still have about 100 vacant direct care jobs — around 20 percent of all positions.

Across the state, workers make about $11 an hour, according to providers.

"You can go to Chick-fil-A and make $15 an hour," said Daugherty.

Through a spokesperson, Del. Amy Summers, R-Taylor, chair of the House Health and Human Resources Committee, said on Monday that she is working with several other delegates to make the pay raises happen.

This story was originally published by Mountain State Spotlight. Get stories like this delivered to your email inbox once a week; sign up for the free newsletter at mountainstatespotlight.org/newsletter

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Visit The Register-Herald (Beckley, W.Va.) at www.register-herald.com

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