AUGUSTA - Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, to address Maine's essential support workforce, also known as the direct care workforce, received bipartisan approval from the Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. All members present voted in favor of the measure.
LD 1573 would implement recommendations put forward by the Commission to Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues, on which Fay served as House chair. In January of 2020, the commission released its report, recommending several policy measures to ensure there are enough essential support workers to meet Maines current and future needs for these services. Essential support workers provide hands-on, non-clinical care to Mainers who need assistance with daily life, including older Mainers and Mainers with disabilities.
Fay's bill, as amended, would implement several of the commissions recommendation's by boosting reimbursement rates for wages for essential support workers to 125% of the minimum wage across all settings and creating cost-of-living adjustments in more care settings. The amended legislation would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to give annual reports on Maine's essential support workforce to the Health and Human Services Committee for the next five years.
"I am so grateful to the members of the Health and Human Services Committee for all their hard work," said Fay. "We have taken a substantial step today in addressing Maine's shortage of essential support workers, and I am so pleased that Republican and Democratic lawmakers were able to come together to tackle this incredibly important issue."
On Monday, Fay hosted a press conference with Sen. Lisa Keim, R-Dixfield, and several advocates and medical professionals in support of the measure.
"Maine urgently needs to address the issue of underpaid direct care workers. Daily, tens of thousands of Maine people rely on others for their most personal care," said Keim. "The vital need for these caregivers is growing, just as the pool of folks willing to take on this important work diminishes."
"Investing in Maine's essential care workforce by passing LD 1573 makes good economic sense," said Jess Maurer, executive director at Maine Council on Aging, during the press conference. "It raises the quality of these jobs and increases household income for tens of thousands of Maine households, narrows gender and racial pay gaps and saves money by ensuring people get home care when they need it, avoiding more expensive facilities and hospital care."
Donald Harden, director of aging services at Catholic Charities Maine, also attended the Monday press conference. "The Catholic Charities ISS Homemaker Program has over a thousand people waiting for in-home assistance because we cant hire enough staff," said Harden. "Rep. Fay's legislation, LD 1573, has strategically prioritized the most important and urgent of the commissions recommended actions to address workforce shortages and moves us towards a better vision for Maines essential care workforce."
"Wage increases must be provided for a skilled workforce that has been chronically underpaid," said Brenda Gallant, R.N., executive director of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, at the press conference. "Thousands of older and disabled Maine people who need care are depending upon these workers who cannot always be found. Solving the direct care worker shortage requires a sustained, collaborative effort focused on recruitment and retention."
LD 1573 now faces further votes in the House and Senate.
Fay represents House District 66, which includes parts of Casco, Poland and Raymond. She serves on the Legislatures Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and is the chair of the Legislatures Caucus on Aging.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Fay], c. 812-1111br