Coalition Calls For Increase In Pay For Direct Care Workers

Advocates for people with developmental disabilities were at Upstate Cerebral Palsy in Utica today, calling for an increase in pay for direct care workers.

The "300 Days to Better Pay" campaign wants the Governor and the state legislature to increase funding in the next state budget.

More than 90 percent of the funding for organizations that serve people with disabilities comes from the state, and 80 percent of that goes directly to staff wages.

Louis Tehan, the President and CEO of Upstate Cerebral Palsy, says the work done by direct support staff is well beyond that of a minimum wage position.

The #bFair2DirectCare Coalition will be holding other events across the state in the next several weeks.