Everyone Loves Frontline Workers, But........

My professional and personal experience when I talk about front line workers, has to do with people who provide direct support to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We call them Direct Support Professionals because they provide direct support and they are professionals in the way they do it. These are the people who work everyday, helping people living in various community settings to dress, to bathe, to toilet, to prepare and eat meals and to live as independently as possible. Much of my career was spent as an administrator of programs like this, although early on I had my own experience providing direct support in these and other settings. The Covid-19 crises, lock down and isolation orders have been especially difficult for people working and living in these settings.

There has been a lot said about front line workers over the past few weeks and we've all been forced to really think about who these people are - doctors, nurses, janitors, bus drivers, sanitation workers, grocery store stockers, clerks and so many more. Few though think about the people I mentioned above. With the impact of this virus they've continued their work, their mission of supporting people with disabilities and their independence wherever possible. Everyone loves these workers right now, families, administrators, legislators and governors. They are the saints and heroes who come in to work now every day and night as essential workers. Interestingly they were essential before this virus appeared. They're essential everyday. We can all agree on that.

Essential but.....yes there's always a but. The but here is that we don't pay them a decent wage, at least not in most cases. Most of these people work for under $15 per hour. Most are women. Most have families to support. Administrators say they don't get adequate funding to pay a decent wage. Funders including legislators, governors and taxpayers may say they love these folks in one breath but quickly point out that money just goes so far and decisions have to be made based on priorities. Hogwash, baloney, and a double crapola. If we learn anything from what we're all going through with this pandemic, it's that we have to recognize the value of all of the heroes that have been identified. We have to come up with long term solutions to pay these front line workers decent salaries or living wages. We have to stop ignoring their value. There is and will continue to be pressure on every level of government relative to funding and this current crises will make the economics worse, but all of us can help set priorities. Let's not forget the people we said were so great when Covid-19 struck. Banging pots is a nice gesture but a real paycheck is so much better.