A new report shows that there is an increase in the number of people with developmental disabilities who are currently on the waiting list for home and community-based services. According to Disability Scoop, the number of individuals who are on the waiting list grew by 117,000 since 2020 (Click here to read the full story).
Click here to learn more about how this relates to Oklahoma specifically. Research was done by a team of students from Oral Roberts University that showed how Oklahoma was 44th in the nation for caring for vulnerable populations. Some individuals have been on the list for 13 years. With the growth of the list, the length of time that individuals will have to wait for home and community-based services will continue to grow.
The growth of the of the waiting list is a scary thought. The lack of resources for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is already devastatingly low. Along with the struggle of finding home and community-based help, there are current struggles for those with I/DD to find a community-based job in Washington, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Rhode Island. An underlying issue may be induced by COVID-19 pandemic. Findings say that at the close of 2020, one out of eight full-time direct support professional positions across the country were unfilled.
BTS is committed to make a difference and change the lives of uniquely abled individuals in the Tulsa metro area. We work in doing so through our C.A.R.E.S. model that we have implemented in our organization.
If you are interested in how to better advocate for this population, please contact us at contact@btsfoundation.org!