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Local developmental therapists see shortage in qualified staffing

A spokesperson with Health and Welfare says one possible reason behind the shortage could come from current Medicaid reimbursement rates,

Around 3,500 Idaho children use private companies to provide care for developmental disabilities. Officials are finding that the amount of people qualified to work in these centers isn't keeping up.

Children's Developmental Disability Agencies, or DDA, help provide skill building, behavior management, and community integration.

Children's Therapy Place in Boise hires habilitative intervention and support therapists. They say with the shortage the providers are seeing, it's getting harder and harder to do their jobs.

"The services that we're providing these kids are so essential to their quality of life," said Liz Caroselli, a DDA Clinical Supervisor.

They learn to do things many would consider effortless, like tying shoes or keeping up with hygiene.

"We're not trying to change these kids, we're trying to learn what works for them," said Caroselli. "If you can get intervention skills earlier we can get them more independent earlier," Caroselli said. "If we don't have the staff to provide that to them it's going to take them longer."

Understaffing and finding qualified employees is a problem that Caroselli says she comes across often, and she's not the only one. Other DDA's have gone to the Department of Health and Welfare about their concerns and the negative impact understaffing has on their ability to meet the children's needs.

"As adults it's going to be harder for them to integrate into society," Caroselli said.

A spokesperson with Health and Welfare says one possible reason behind the shortage could come from current Medicaid reimbursement rates, which providers say doesn't leave them with enough money to hire people to fill those positions.

The Department of Health and Welfare requested funding to raise the Medicaid reimbursement rates for the Children's DDA providers in fiscal year 2019, which starts July 1; however it was prioritized below other funding needs that are mandatory federal compliance issues.

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