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* Bruce Rushton…
At Hope School in Springfield, workers who feed and clean and encourage and otherwise help children [with development disabilities] are paid abysmally. It is not the school’s fault. Charity and the private sector can only do so much, and so the government pays. And the worth of labor from folks who care for the vulnerable is the subject of a lawsuit against the state filed by Hope School, which says employees deserve more money.
Consider the job description for a habilitation specialist, which is geek-speak for someone who works in a Hope group home and does a little bit of everything. “The habilitation specialist is responsible for the supervision, program implementation and documentation for a variety of individual daily routines and personal daily living needs for their assigned children,” the school advertises on its website. “Actively participates with youth in all scheduled activities. Consistently assists youth in the area of self-help skills (eating, dressing, toileting, feeding, communication, etc.). Willingly accompanies youth on off-campus field trips. Engages youth in activities as defined/listed in the youth’s activity schedule.”
It is, essentially, the same job as within the school itself, where classroom paraprofessionals do all of the above, plus help educate kids, says Stephanie Barton, Hope general counsel. But the state has decreed that paraprofessionals at the school shouldn’t get a 75-cent raise that’s been granted to habilitation specialists who work in group homes. About 90 workers each would get raises as large as $2,000 if the school wins, according to Barton – all told, it would cost the state about $140,000.
The difference has prompted school employees to request transfers to group homes, and Barton doesn’t blame them. “That’s really hurt our school,” Barton said. “We’ve always said they should get the same rate of pay. We also think that’s what the legislation says.”
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:19 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:24 am
My wife is a parapro for our school district. Although the job titles are different, the parapro to hab specialist comparison is apples to apples. Those parapros should get the raise.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:25 am
State sues Hope or Hope sues state?
Comment by Waffle fries. Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:35 am
Nevermind
Comment by Waffle fries. Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:35 am
@Wensicia the employees of Hope School are members of AFSCME.
Comment by Reality Check Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:36 am
This is a pattern of taking advantage of social service agencies. It is built on a long held faulty assumption on the part of the state that non-profits can fund raise the shortfall. That is just no longer true. This issue is consistent among all social service sectors. Unions won’t help because the state contracts with the agency not the employees.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 11:56 am
“NeverPoliticallyCorrect” is spot on. The idea of group homes and small settings was the justification for closing large state operated facilities. But the money has never flowed back to the community.
Everyday the staff at Hope provide care for my daughter, I’m ashamed at what those people make who are doing God’s work.
And now DHS is looking at the rate structure for Substance Abuse services. You can guess what the consultants will recommend DHS do with rates, and it won’t be raising them.
Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Sep 26, 19 @ 12:53 pm