Harrisburg, PA –The Shapiro Administration has made historic progress in expanding access to intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) services across Pennsylvania, thanks to historic investments under Governor Shapiro’s leadership.
Governor Shapiro secured $354.8 million in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget to expand home and community-based services and address the shortage of DSPs, including $280 million in rate increases to raise wages for DSPs, helping providers recruit and retain staff and $74.8 million to transition 1,500 individuals off the emergency waitlist.
With this funding and strong partnerships with advocates and providers, the Shapiro Administration is delivering results:
- Reducing the emergency waitlist by 28 percent – the first meaningful reduction in years
- Raising DSP wages from $16.90/hour in 2023 to $17.85/hour as of October 2024 – a 6 percent increase
- Lowering DSP vacancy rates to 14 percent – the lowest since 2015
- Expanding services to 4,000 more Pennsylvanians, with 40,000 Pennsylvanians now receiving the services they need – the highest number in state history
The Governor’s visit to Arc Human Services in Washington County yesterday highlighted these results and showcased new models of support, including a first-of-its-kind Smart Living Demo Home using assistive technology to help people live more independently.
See what people are saying about Governor Shapiro and his Administration’s work to support Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A):
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh: “For years, the ID/A community and their loved ones have called out for help – and this Administration has delivered. The waitlist is shrinking, services are expanding, and DSPs are getting the wages they deserve. This is about dignity, independence, and opportunity – and we’re committed to continuing this progress.”
Ed Picchiarini, CEO, ARC Human Services: "Direct Support Professionals are the very beating heart of everything we do at Arc Human Services. Because of Governor Shapiro's unrelenting efforts to improve the direct support care workforce in last year’s budget, we were able to give significant, well-deserved raises to our DSPs. His commitment to addressing job quality for employees on the front lines of our industry allowed us to improve our recruitment efforts and boost our overall employee retention — and with the increased funding championed by the Governor, we’re not only retaining more DSPs — we’re also able to create a stronger career path for them. By tying raises to credentialed training, we’re building a more skilled, stable workforce that ensures better support for the people we serve."
Mike Smith, a parent of an ARC Human Services participant: “You know, we say in my family, really, the greatest days of our lives were the day Sydney was born and then the day that she was accepted into college. And then the other greatest day — you were instrumental in providing for us — it's the day that we came off of the emergency waiting list, which was just a couple of days ago. That means for us, for our daughter — that ensures the opportunity for her to go out and work, to give back, to volunteer. We came out here to the ARC and we were so impressed with the staff and the tech tools that Sydney will soon utilize, so that she can live safely and independently in the community.”
Eugene Willis, a participant and board member with ARC Human Services: “I just want to say, this is a wonderful company – and I want to thank everybody, especially the boss, thank you [for] helping everybody.
See what people are reading and watching about Governor Shapiro and his Administration’s work to support Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A):
Center Square: Forward momentum in Pennsylvania's disability services waitlist
The Tribune Democrat: Gov. hails work to improve supports for ID/A community
ABC 27: Shapiro visits western Pennsylvania direct support facility, touts funding increases
Read more about Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal. Explore the Governor's 2025-26 Budget in Brief here, or visit shapirobudget.pa.gov to learn more.
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