Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Human Services released information today about the implementation of the $0.75 per hour wage increase.
Here is the HFS provider notice and the more detailed DHS bulletin.
The highlights “include the $0.75 increase effective August 1, 2017 for front-line personnel, including, but not limited to, direct support persons, aides, front-line supervisors, qualified intellectual disabilities professionals, nurses, and non-administrative support staff working in community-based provider organizations serving individuals with developmental disabilities and facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the ICF/DD Care Act as ID/DD Facilities and the MC/DD Care Act as MC/DD (fna SNF/Ped) facilities.
The intent of the wage increase is to improve wages and/or benefits for the above referenced categories of employees. In no case should the money be used to cover other operational costs or expenses, or fund wage or benefit increases for other employees. The Division does not intend to define the term “other, non-administrative support staff”, which is referenced in the legislation. That will be left to individual agencies.
The $0.75 per hour wage increase was intended to benefit all covered employees and applied across the board. It should not be provided as a performance-based bonus or merit increase. It is our expectation that all covered employee will receive the wage and corresponding fringe benefit increase effective August 1, 2017.”
The rate recalculation and grant amendment process will take approximately 60 days to complete; however it will be effective August 1.
If you have questions you would like to see answered, please send them to me at meg@thearcofil.org and I will share them. There is a conference call/Q&A being planned with DHS-DDD.
Thanks again for all the hard work and advocacy! Next we will want to get feedback from you about how if at all this wage increase is addressing the DSP so we can push for for further investment in services, supports and staff.
Thanks, Meg
Meg Cooch
Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
Meg@thearcofil.org