Hundreds of Advocates Call on Gov. Wolf to include Funding for DSP Wages in Budget Proposal

PAR Mail 2018-001 | January 4, 2018

Hundreds of DSPs, Advocates & Families Call on Gov. Wolf to include $60 Million in his Budget Proposal

If the weather outside is freezing, and the calendar has just turned over another year, you can be assured that the Commonwealth's Executive Branch is putting its finishing touches on Governor Tom Wolf's FY 18/19 Budget Proposal, which will be announced in early February.

Governor Wolf showed a commitment to raising DSP wages in his FY 17/18 Budget Proposal, and noted in a video presentation at the 2017 PAR Solutions Conference that: “We must continue to support and invest in these programs and ensure that Direct Support Professionals are paid a living wage.”

With Governor Wolf's office preparing his FY 18/19 budget, PAR's top priority is advocating for $60 Million in the FY 18/19 budget to put Direct Support Professionals on the path to a Living Wage by 2021. This figure is based on a recent study commissioned by PAR, The Alliance CSP, and RCPA, which concluded that raising DSP wages to $15/hour would result in a net taxpayer savings of $199 million. The savings come as a result of reduced DSP dependence on public assistance (such as housing and food stamps), and reduced overtime costs caused by high DSP turnover and vacancy rates. The study was the subject of the December 6, 2017 Pennsylvania House Human Services Committee hearing.

Governor Wolf 2017 PAR Solutions Conference Address

PAR Members are urged to call Governor Wolf's office at

717-787-2500 to ask him to include $60 Million in his budget for DSP Wage increases! Check out this advocacy one-pager for more instructions and talking points.

"I Called Governor Wolf" sticker courtesy of SPIN, Inc.

PAR Members have already been hard at work making hundreds of calls to the Governor's office to ask for $60 Million in his budget proposal

Below (left to right) are advocates from SPIN, St. Edmond's Home, and LifePath.