To that end, Levdansky has inserted two amendments into the state's 2000-01 General Fund budget designed to help resolve that problem. Direct-care workers who care for mentally retarded patients are among the lowest paid in the state. Because direct-care workers can't make enough money to live, they often give up their jobs to find something more profitable. Poor pay often means that one can't find people adequately trained in their field for the job.
Centers are understaffed and experience high turnover rates because of low pay.
This can result in abuse and neglect of the very people who need care and attention the most. His second amendment, also unanimously adopted, would require the Department of Public Welfare to create a statewide plan to address the issue of improving the quality of that care. Studies have determined that quality of care, recruitment and retention of direct-care workers are all related. If enacted in the final budget, the department would have until Nov. 30 to submit its plan to the General Assembly. It returns to the Senate for concurrence.