LD 1718 will open doors to higher education for critical support professionals in Maine

My name is Success Juwa. Originally from Nigeria, I earned a BA in English Language and Literature.

I worked as a salesperson for five years. However, when I relocated to Maine, I took a job as a direct support specialist. My dream is to become a nurse, and a bill is currently being introduced in Congress to make that a reality.

LD 1718 provides workers in my field with tuition credits to further their education at one of Maine's community colleges, the University of Maine System or the Maine Maritime Academy. This is a small but important step to help stabilize and grow Maine's essential care and support workforce.

As a direct care and support specialist, I provide skilled daily assistance to help my patients live healthy, meaningful lives. When I moved to Maine, I took the job because I had a passion for helping seniors and because I had an elderly mother in her home country who was being cared for by a caregiver, but she was only 2. He passed away a year ago.

I was attracted to this job because it allows me to care for people who really need help. The nature of the job requires individuals to have patience, empathy, and strong communication skills. This leads to personal growth and a deeper understanding of the human experience.

I started my career four years ago and lived through the pandemic. It's hard work, but it's very rewarding. Some of the challenges are:

1) The amount of money required to qualify as a doctor is high.

2) Limited opportunities for professional development or growth.

3) Salary is low considering the position. Many organizations employing DSPs may be operating with limited resources. This results in inadequate training, limited access to essential tools and technology, and inadequate staffing levels, making it difficult to provide the best possible care. There is a possibility that

To further engage in resolving these issues, I joined the Direct Care and Support Professionals Advisory Committee established by the Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman. The Council's mission is to use our voices to create positive change for our valued workforce.

The council's goal is to bring workers together to raise their collective voice and inform policymakers on issues that matter to them, including staffing, wages, benefits, and training. The council also provides a way for me to represent patients who don't have a voice. Although our department does not have great political power, it is critical to the well-being of the people we care for as well as their families.

In fact, the need for direct care workers like myself is increasing, and unless these issues are resolved, both staff and clients will suffer from a lack of support.

LD 1718 would encourage participation in Maine's critical support workforce through access to higher education. This can help attract workers to direct care jobs, keep them in the field, and look at incentives beyond pay.

There are many people in this industry who want to go to university, just like me. It provides educational benefits equal to one year's tuition and is available to care workers directly employed in home or community support services or essential assistance reimbursed by the MaineCare program or other state programs. It will be available to employees' families.

I am so grateful for the relationships I have built with my patients and knowing how important my work is to their health. This tuition stipend will help me realize my goal of becoming a nurse while supporting people in need of care in Maine's higher education system and throughout Maine.

Success Jwa, a direct support specialist at John F. Murphy Homes, works with people who have developmental disabilities and attention spectrum disorders and need support to maximize their independence. She was born in Nigeria and currently lives in Auburn, where she hopes to continue her education to become a nurse.

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