Wages Adjusted for Inflation: Over the past nine years, inflation-adjusted median hourly wages for Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants in Wyoming increased by 28 percent, from $8.04 to $10.29. Real wages for Personal Care Aides and Home Health Aides increased by 31 percent and 19 percent, respectively.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance: Compared to the national civilian workforce, significantly fewer of Wyoming’s direct-care workers have access to and use employer-sponsored insurance. Some work for employers that do not offer health insurance. Others work for employers that limit eligibility for health insurance to full-time employees. This creates a barrier for many direct-care workers, especially those in home and community-based settings, who often work only part-time due to the episodic nature of direct-care work. Even workers who do have access to insurance from their employer may find the co-pays and premiums unaffordable.
Legislative appropriations to bolster DSP wages (pdf): Spurred in part by the fact that wages for direct service professionals in Wyoming ranked 50th in the nation, and following the recommendations of a commissioned study examining DSP wages, in 2002 the Wyoming Legislature appropriated a 28% increase in funds for the adult developmental disability waiver to improve staff reimbursement and retention. This increase was followed by two further cost-of-living increases (3 percent each). Wages for Wyoming DSPs increased from $7.38 in 2001 to $10.74 in 2004, and full-time staff turnover declined from 52% to 32%.
Wyoming Medicaid DDD Waiver Rate Rebasing Project: The Developmental Disabilities Division is rebasing rates for services under the Developmental Disability Waiver Models and the Acquired Brain Injury Waiver Model. The rebased rates will be effective July 1, 2012. As part of this process, the Division is collecting wage and cost data through a provider survey. The results of this survey will be used to test assumptions for establishing provider rates, and to help the Division respond to requests from the State Legislature for policy and budget purposes. Rate increases dating back to 2002 have transformed wages and retention for direct support professionals in the state.