I wanted to work as a direct-support professional, aiding people with disabilities, because I enjoy helping others. The people that I support bring joy to my life, and they make me smile. I love that they trust us to be there for them and feel honored to be able to be a part of their lives. I also wanted to work in this field because I have a daughter who has cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic. I love the fact that I am able to treat our participants the way that I hope others will treat my daughter when she is an adult in need of support services.
It is challenging to do this work sometimes because some of the individuals I work with need very intense support. Sometimes, staff can feel burned out. Some entry-level retail jobs are starting at $15 an hour, so our staff head count is disappearing at an incredibly alarming rate. As a mother of three and the only income in my family, I struggle to pay for life’s necessities. It is hard not to want to stray away to higher-paying jobs.
As the mother of a child with disabilities who will someday rely on these services, I want our elected officials to understand that funding for services for people with intellectual disabilities needs to be increased! My fellow direct-support professionals and I were excited a couple years ago when the legislators and the governor passed the McNesby Act because that was a promise that services for the people I take care of would be funded, but that hasn’t happened. The people with disabilities that we support do not always have a voice, and they need the governor and the legislators in Dover to stand up for them and increase funding in the state budget this year.
Faith Kurtz
Dover
