Call to Action – COVID-19 Priority Vaccine Distribution
After an arduous nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent weeks have delivered us welcome news of two vaccines that are proving effective in preventing the disease. Subsequently, serious consideration is being given to the distribution and allocation of the vaccines, as a priority, to populations with high risk. As such, a recent New York Times article identifies that people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities are three times more likely to die from the illness compared with others who have contracted the virus. The NADSP holds the strong position that vaccine distribution must be delivered in a safe and equitable manner, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those who directly support them (Direct Support Professionals) must be explicitly identified in the framework for phase one of any vaccine allocation.
Our organization recently joined the American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry (AADMD) and three other national advocacy organizations to issue a joint statement that addresses the risks facing people with I/DD during the pandemic and recommends how they should be included in the vaccine allocation framework. We recommend the following be included in the vaccine allocation framework:
- I/DD should be explicitly included in the list of high-risk diagnoses that are used to determine if an individual is included in phase 1b (2 high risk diagnoses required) or phase 2 (1 high risk diagnosis required).
- Include additional pulmonary comorbidities in the list of high-risk diagnoses: chronic or recurrent respiratory diseases from any cause, restrictive lung disease, and interstitial lung disease
- Individuals who live in group homes or other congregate residential settings should be considered at equivalent risk to older adults who live in congregate settings and thus be included in phase one of vaccine allocation.
- All direct support professionals (DSP), including group home staff should be considered essential health care workers and should be included in Phase 1a of vaccine allocation, not Phase 2.
The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed this country, but, as noted above, it has disproportionately overwhelmed people with disabilities, specifically those who reside in congregate living settings, most of whom rely on a direct support professionals to help keep them safe, healthy and maintain a sense of normalcy.
The last nine months has also had a devastating effect on the direct support workforce. According to a recent study by the University of Minnesota and NADSP, nearly half (42%) of DSPs said that they know of staff who left their jobs due to the pandemic, 74% reported that they are their family’s primary wage earner averaging only $13.63/hour and only 24% reported earning extra pay due to COVID-19 risks.
Once again direct support professionals are anonymous – this time while supporting highly vulnerable people during a once in a century pandemic. Since the onset, they have been risking their lives on the frontlines in every community in this country, often without recognition, adequate resources and with significant challenges. To not include them in the first phase 1a of the vaccine distribution would prove detrimental to our service system and put countless families at risk of serious illness and death.
Call to Action
We ask that you share this American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry (AADMD) joint statement*with self-advocates, family members, policy makers and elected officials to make certain that people with disabilities and those who support them are given the opportunity of relief from the pandemic and what it has bestowed upon them.
Joint Statement Updated – December 14, 2020.
Joseph M. Macbeth
President/Chief Executive Officer
National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, Inc.
I agree 100% that individuals with Developmental Disabilities and the staff that serve them need to be listed in the high priority category when it comes to the Vaccine.
Please make sure the vaccine is available for people with disabilities and the people who support them!
I have been working tirelessly to protect the people I support with developmental disabilities at the ARC of Washington County. I ask that you please provide the vaccine to the people we support in this group. The affects of the virus have been difficult and it would help the people I support have a greater quality of life, and would ease anxiety for people who take care of them.
Jhall39@cox,net
Sounds reasonable/just to me!
As the Director of Residential Services for a central-IL I/DD agency, I beg of you to recognize this vulnerable population and the outstanding, selfless DSPs that support them.
They deserve to receive the vaccine!
I have been working tirelessly to protect the people I support with developmental disabilities at the ARC of Washington County. I ask that you please provide the vaccine to the people we support in this group. The affects of the virus have been difficult and it would help the people I support have a greater quality of life, and would ease anxiety for people who take care of them.
I currently work as a DSP, the pandemic has hit us really hard. I myself along with several of my coworkers, have had to shelter in places with our person’s served when they were exposed to Covid19. 10-14 without our families, no visitors, and usually just one other staff. We work tirelessly to care for our person’s. The majority of us making less than 12 dollars an hour. Less than 12$ to care for the lives of person’s who without us would not be able to live in their own homes, and have the freedoms and assistance to live a “normal” life. DSPs are in short supply due to the low wages and the high risk for infections. This is not an easy job, and we do have a very high turnover rate. Partly due to wages, high risk, behaviors, and having to cut back ratio’s for social distancing. You aren’t a DSP for the money, you are a DSP because taking care of our persons and making sure they are safe is what you love. I love my job. I however am immunocompromised, along with 2 of my elder family members(who I also careful outside of work), along with several of the person’s we serve. Having this vaccine go to DSP’s and ID/DD person’s can help to make sure we stay healthy, as well as our families, person’s served, and person’s served families. The world needs more DSP’s, Let’s get this done united!
My husband and I care for our 26 year old son with ID. We are his direct care staff. Will families be included?
Please take us (DSPs) seriously. We have been on the frontline. We have been hit hard and our lives at risk to save the lives of the people who had it 4 in the house of 12. We worked tirelessly and of course put their lives before our own. Thank God they all survived.
Not the case in so many other homes.
Thanks for sharing this information…
This should only be done by choice, not mandated. My special needs son has had adverse reactions to many vaccines and would only consider it if his neurologist and other specialists concurred.
I was thinking that too. Thanks for putting this so well. I think this is so worthy and i definitely hope the people with disabilities are given this choice in humain ways.
Thank you for sharing
Please do all you can to make sure our loved ones living in group homes and their staff all get the vaccine ASAP.
As a DSP-Certified, I hope this call to action turns the SHOULD INCLUDE into a WILL INCLUDE. Thanks for sharing.
Please put PWD’s on the list to get the vaccine. PWD’S always have to fight for everything, and now it’s our life.
We are frontline workers(DSP). Same as nurses in the hospitals. We need that vaccine at phase 1.
Please allow people with intellectual liabilities and who live in group or waiver home available for the vaccine. The are a high risk population and should be a high priority to save this population as well as the caregivers and direct professionals