“We cannot build a strong disability service system on poverty wages for Direct Support Professionals.”

Pennsylvania House Bill 1939 represents the kind of forward-thinking policy needed to strengthen both the Direct Support Professional workforce and the services that people with intellectual disabilities and autism depend upon. NADSP proudly supports this legislation and highlights it as a model for other states as they work to build stronger, more sustainable disability service systems, recognizing the need for DSPs to be paid a living wage that keeps pace with inflation.

Understanding House Bill 1939

The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) believes Pennsylvania House Bill 1939 represents an important opportunity to strengthen both the Direct Support Professional workforce and the services that people with intellectual disabilities and autism rely upon every day. Direct Support Professionals are the foundation of the disability support system. DSPs help people with intellectual disabilities and autism live meaningful lives in their homes and communities.

Every day, DSPs support people to:

• Live in their own homes
• Maintain their health and personal well-being
• Participate in community life
• Build relationships and employment opportunities
• Develop independence and self-determination

Despite the importance of this work, the funding system that supports disability services has not kept pace with inflation or the real cost of providing services.

The Workforce Challenge

According to the National Core Indicators State of the Workforce Survey, the median wage for Direct Support Professionals in Pennsylvania is $17.63 per hour. The estimated living wage for a single adult in Pennsylvania is $22.91 per hour. This means DSP wages are $5.28 per hour below a living wage.

Low wages contribute to:

• Workforce shortages
• High staff turnover
• Increased stress on existing staff
• Disruptions in services for people receiving support

NADSP believes that a stronger disability service system must include a stable, well-supported DSP workforce.

What House Bill 1939 Would Do

House Bill 1939 would establish a market index for intellectual disability and autism services, helping ensure that service funding keeps pace with the cost of delivering supports.

The bill would:

• Provide regular rate adjustments tied to inflation (Consumer Price Index – CPI-U)
• Help providers improve DSP wages and workforce stability
• Support recruitment and retention of qualified DSPs
• Improve transparency and accountability in service funding

These changes would help create a more stable service system for people with disabilities and the professionals who support them.

Why NADSP Supports HB 1939

NADSP believes people with disabilities deserve consistent, high-quality support from trained professionals, and DSPs deserve a system that recognizes and supports their essential work.

When the workforce is unstable:

• DSPs face financial stress and burnout
• Providers struggle to maintain services
• People with disabilities experience disruptions in support

House Bill 1939 helps move Pennsylvania toward a stronger and more sustainable disability service system.

Tell Pennsylvania’s Leaders:

A strong disability service system depends on a strong Direct Support Professional workforce.

NADSP believes House Bill 1939 has the potential to help build a system that better supports:

• People with intellectual disabilities and autism
• Direct Support Professionals
• Families and communities across Pennsylvania

When DSPs are supported, trained, and fairly compensated, people with disabilities receive better services and communities become stronger. House Bill 1939 represents an important step toward building that stronger system.