An Immediate Call to Action on Funding Threats to DDD Services

Image of partners logo’s: The Arc of Arizona , The Arc of Tempe, Abilty360 , Raising Special Kids, Care 4 the caregivers, Disability Rights of Arizona , Arizona Achieve,  Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council, Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council , Direct Advocacy & Resource Center  

(February 5, 2025) —Our coalition of disability organizations—Ability360, Arizona Achieve, Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council, Care 4 the Caregivers, Direct Advocacy & Resource Center, Disability Rights Arizona, Raising Special Kids, The Arc of Arizona, and The Arc of Tempe—is deeply concerned by the ongoing threats to essential services provided through the Arizona Department of Economic Security-Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD).

The proposed requirement by the Arizona House of Representatives Appropriations Committee that DDD must either implement drastic cost reductions of 25%-50% and eliminate the Parents as Paid Caregivers (PPCG) program or face the potential shutdown of services is unrealistic and would have devastating consequences for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.

We urge lawmakers to recognize the catastrophic impact these proposed cuts would have on thousands of families and to pursue sustainable solutions that protect and strengthen the DDD system rather than dismantling it. We stand with the community in calling for immediate action to ensure continued funding and long-term stability for the services that individuals with I/DD rely on every day.

Background

The PPCG program was implemented as a response to the direct support professional (DSP) workforce crisis, which has left many individuals and families without access to consistent, qualified care. Family members stepped in to fill this gap to ensure their loved ones continued receiving necessary support, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated staffing shortages. The program was never intended to replace a well-funded, sustainable DSP workforce, but rather to provide an emergency solution to a failing system. This solution has proven to be overwhelmingly successful in both meeting the immediate need for caregivers and improving outcomes for children receiving necessary care.

According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Raising Voices Coalition, on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest possible level of stress a person can experience, parent caregivers reported a mean stress level of 78 prior to the Parents as Paid Caregivers program. With the program in place, their stress levels dropped to 32. Eliminating this program without addressing the root causes of the workforce crisis will leave countless families without viable alternatives, returning them to a situation of extraordinary stress that endangers both the caregivers and those they care for.

No Alternatives

Arizona’s DSP workforce is already critically understaffed, with many provider agencies unable to fill positions due to low wages and high turnover. Any effort to further cut services will only deepen these issues, leaving individuals without the critical support they need to live independently, maintain employment, and participate fully in their communities. Further cuts would drive even more frontline workers out of the field, worsening the crisis. These services are not luxuries; they are medically necessary and fundamental to the well-being and rights of Arizonans with disabilities.

The disability service system is a multibillion-dollar economic driver in Arizona. Short-term cost-cutting measures often lead to higher long-term expenses. If people with I/DD lose access to home and community-based services, or HCBS, the state will likely see an increase in costly emergency interventions and hospital admissions.

The negative economic impact from providers going out of business, staff members losing their jobs, and family members having to give up jobs to stay at home to provide care will create a massive financial blow to the state’s tax revenues. People with disabilities will suffer short-term and long-term health impacts that end up costing the state more than the services they should receive.

A Right to Live in the Community

The US Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. LC decision provides that people with disabilities have the right to live in the community and receive community-based services and support. We strongly call on fellow advocates, nonprofit organizations, and community members to join us in urging legislative leaders to fully fund DDD services and reject any proposals that jeopardize the well-being of Arizona’s I/DD community.