HCBS Spending Plan
GOOD NEWS: The Direct Service Workforce Investment Grant opportunity:
DECEMBER 22, 2022.
FSSA is issuing UniqueHab Solutions funding to support our direct service workforce. The Direct Service Workforce Investment Grant opportunity includes a total of three equal payments starting next year January 2023. We are required to pass at least 95% of the grant funding directly through to their direct service workers. As part of our commitment to our workers, we plan to use the funding in the following ways to invest in our DSWs:
Hourly Wage Increase: As a part of our long-term strategy, we will be increasing the hourly wages of our DSPs. All DSPs will now be increased to a minimum of $14.00 per hr. and up to $14.50 per hr. based on employees’ longevity with the agency. All DSP house managers will now be increased to $17.00 per hr. or a bi-weekly base wage of $1360.00. All DSP house managers will qualify for an additional Shift differential extra pay for all work done beyond the standard regular working hours, such as working after 5:00 pm on weekdays and or all day, weekends, and public holidays. We will also apply part of this grant towards a Mileage Reimbursements Increase, to relieve some of the pressure of increased cost of travel, we will increase mileage reimbursement to $0.40 to help pay for gas, travel, and other car-related expenses.
This pay increase will be effective next year in January 2023. (First pay period of January 2023). Effective January 2023 no employee on the agency’s payroll will earn less than $14.00/Hr. We will dedicate 100% of the grant amount towards these activities to develop our direct service workforce (DSPs). We are aiming to spend all funding by July 2023. All wages and mileage reimbursements increases will continue perpetually even after the exhaustion of the grant as part of our commitments towards DSP workforce development.
Tony Aduro
