Governor Shapiro has traveled the Commonwealth meeting with the ID/A community, advocates, and families to hear firsthand about the support they need – and he secured $354.8 million in the 2024-25 budget to expand home and community-based services and address the shortage of direct support professionals.

Harrisburg, PA - On July 18, 2024, Governor Josh Shapiro joined Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A), caregivers and advocates, and legislative leaders for a ceremonial bill signing to highlight the 2024-25 budget he signed into law last week. Before the signing, the Governor hosted Special Olympics Pennsylvania for a bocce tournament and brunch at the Governor’s Residence.

For years, the ID/A community demanded real help – and Governor Shapiro heard them loud and clear. This budget finally stands up for Pennsylvanians with ID/A and the direct support professionals (DSPs) who care for them by securing $354.8 million in federal and state funding to provide more resources for home and community-based service providers, which includes $280 million to help raise wages for the direct support professionals who care for Pennsylvanians and $74.8 million to begin the process of clearing the emergency waiting list – ensuring more Pennsylvanians receive the care they need and deserve.

“Pennsylvanians in every community and of every background deserve more freedom to chart their own course and more opportunity to succeed,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Our loved ones and neighbors with intellectual disabilities and autism deserve to live with dignity and the supports they need to succeed. Because we came together across party lines, this budget delivers a historic amount for them and begins the process of finally ending the waiting list for services. This is good government in action – and is another example of how when we come together, we can deliver real results for Pennsylvanians.”

During visits to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, Warminster, and New Freedom, Governor Shapiro and Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh met with Pennsylvanians with ID/A, caregivers, and advocates to hear how the 2024-25 budget would address their needs by expanding access to home and community-based services and addressing the shortage of DSPs. The Governor’s investments received praise from advocates, editorial boards, and caregivers across Pennsylvania.

“Freedom for individuals with disabilities is an illusion if we do not have the supports we need to access our communities, work jobs, engage in recreation, worship, and so forth,” said Rep. Jessica Benham. “With the passage of this year’s budget, we have taken a significant step toward real freedom for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.”

Representatives from BARC Development Services in Warminster joined the Governor for the tournament and ceremonial signing – including Executive Director Mary Sautter and Matthew Beckman, who the Governor and Secretary Arkoosh met in April during a round table discussion.

“We are grateful for the passage of the PA state budget for fiscal year 2024-25, which includes over $350 million in federal and state funding to provide more resources for home and community-based service providers. This investment will allow agencies like BARC Developmental Services, who provide critical supports to individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A), to receive a much-needed increase in rates,” said Mary Sautter, Executive Director of BARC Development Services. “This increase will allow us to raise the wages for direct care positions, which will help address the shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) across the state and pay our current DSP's a wage that will assist in long term retention.  The additional funding will also address the waiting list so more Pennsylvanians will receive the care they need.  We thank Governor Shapiro and all state legislators for taking this important step for the ID/A community.”

“First, I wanted to say thank you for inviting me to this event. I am very happy that, with this going through, we will be able to get more money to people who need it. Especially to my staff that support me. This money will help me and my friends go to work more since before I wasn’t able to attend the full week, and it can help pay for the bus and give me an opportunity to earn more money,” said Matt Beckman, a BARC employee who is also part of their vocational program. “What I love about BARC is seeing my staff each day, they are always helpful, and they care about me. I also love my friends that I have here that I get to work with especially my best friends Chris and Forrest. I love all the different jobs that I work on. I work so I can earn money to go to Philly sports games and go out to eat with my family.”

The bipartisan 2024-25 budget investments build on the $17.49 million secured in the 2023-24 budget to help an additional 850 Pennsylvanians with ID/A get off the home and community-based services waiting list.