Letters for Nov. 9: Invest in Medicaid to help support disabled adults

Critical services

In Virginia people with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on various support services to live, work and thrive in their communities. But a shortage of direct support professionals, driven by insufficient Medicaid payment rates and impending funding cuts, continues to threaten the existence of these critical services.

In its recently released report, ANCOR , a national voice for providers of community-based intellectual and developmental disabilities services, details the severity of this direct support workforce crisis. With turnover rates stuck near 40% and vacancy rates hovering between 12-15% nationally, the impact on access to services has intensified.

What’s more concerning is that 52% of providers are now considering program cuts if recruitment a