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Tell House Appropriations that Community Attendants deserve a raise

The community attendant workforce is crucial to keeping Texans with disabilities and older adults healthy and in their own homes. But recruitment and retention of these workers has collapsed, due to an extremely low base wage, no benefits, increasing demand, and alternative employers paying much higher wages.

The Texas Legislature is drafting the state budget for the next two years right now, which includes funding for Texas’ community attendant care program in Medicaid.

What do we want in that budget? A $15 base wage in 2024 and $17 in 2025—that’s what is needed to be competitive to jobs in fast food, retail and Amazon warehouses.

Email the members of the House Appropriations Article II Subcommittee (the part that works on health and human services funding) to tell your story and advocate for a raise in the base wage of community attendants. We've drafted an email to get you started.

We just need few pieces of information to connect you with the House Appropriations Article II Subcommittee.

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Tell House Appropriations that Community Attendants deserve a raise

The Texas Legislature is drafting the state budget for the next two years right now, which includes funding for Texas’ community attendant care program in Medicaid.

What do we want in that budget? A $15 base wage in 2024 and $17 in 2025—that’s what is needed to be competitive to jobs in fast food, retail and Amazon warehouses.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article II (health and human services)

Subject: Community Attendants Deserve a Raise!

Message:

February's House Appropriations Article II Subcommittee hearing called your attention to the sustainability of the long-term care workforce. It is important to note that the large majority of Texans receiving long-term care do so in the community care programs. In fact, Texas Medicaid community attendant care serves 6 times the number of people in nursing homes. A 2023 independent analysis from the Texas Health Institute reports the turnover rate is a sky-high 150% annually, with an average tenure on the job of just 8 months. The community attendant workforce is in a crisis. We’re losing this competition to taco shacks, fast food, and unskilled warehouse work; and it’s not even close. The base wage for most Medicaid community care is $8.11 per hour, with no benefits, whereas fast food restaurants pay $17 per hour to start, and Amazon unskilled warehouse workers begin at $18, plus benefits, with a review in 90 days. The inability to recruit and retain community attendants is absolutely the result of the current low wages. Without attendant care, people with disabilities and older adults decline in health, leading to more costs for acute care, ER visits, and hospitalizations. Loss of independence and unnecessary institutionalization results. The Perryman Group projects that, if nothing is done, the increased cost of nursing home utilization between 2023 to 2031 would be $22.8 billion. I have family and friends facing this outcome due to inability to recruit and retain community attendants. This will require a significant appropriation to make up for years of inattention to attendant wage rates. To be competitive with competing employers, the base wage for community attendants should be at least $15 per hour in 2024 and $17 per hour in 2025. Thank you for your attention and service to our state.

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Tell House Appropriations that Community Attendants deserve a raise

Tell House Appropriations that Community Attendants deserve a raise

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