| ATLANTA, Ga. – On Tuesday, Governor Brian Kemp signed the 2024-2025 state budget which includes funding for a long overdue $6/hour rate increase for direct care workers supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a $3/hour rate increase for direct care workers supporting older adults.
Unfortunately, much-needed investments to support access to affordable childcare fell short of what the legislature proposed in the budget they sent to the Governor. Instead of the $9.2 million investment approved by the legislature for the Child and Parent Services Program (CAPS), the state’s subsidized childcare program, the Governor only included $4.6 million in the final budget. This means that many of Georgia’s children could lose the care that they and their caregivers rely on. Also, many childcare providers, primarily small businesses, will likely not be able to keep their doors open, leaving fewer options for care for Georgia’s families.
Kamri Williams, Regional Organizing Manager for Caring Across Generations, released the following statement in response:
“Care workers are a key pillar of our economy and lives; they’re at the frontlines of the care crisis. While much more is needed, the approval of funding for rate increase for the direct care workforce in particular represents significant progress toward ensuring that all of Georgia’s direct care workers are paid family sustaining wages and benefits and older adults and disabled people receive the services and supports they need to live and age with dignity. It’s now critical that this rate increase be used specifically to increase pay for these direct care workers.
“While we celebrate this wage increase and win for care, we are also disappointed that much needed investments in childcare fell short, especially knowing that the cost of care remains an economic barrier for so many of Georgia’s families. Investing in childcare is a win for all: It allows parents and other caregivers to go to work knowing their children are in safe, nurturing environments; provides good care jobs; improves economic equity; and contributes to economic growth.
“In order for Georgia’s families to thrive, especially during a budget year with a $16 billion surplus, public dollars should be used for the most critical needs facing Georgia families including aging and disability care, support for family caregivers such as paid leave, better investments in child care, and good jobs for the care workers who make all other work possible.
“It is time to make permanent investments to strengthen Georgia’s care infrastructure for our working families, loved ones, the economy, and our future.”
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Caring Across Generations is a national organization of family caregivers, care workers, disabled people, and aging adults working to transform the way we care in this country so that care is accessible, affordable and equitable— and our systems of care enable everyone to live and age with dignity.
To achieve our vision, we transform cultural norms and narratives about aging, disability and care; win federal and state-level policies; and build power amongst the people touched by care. For more information, visit caringacross.org.
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