Residential Service Cuts Will Put Community Care at Risk

Many people do not see the work that keeps group community-based residential homes running. It happens without fanfare, often without recognition, but it’s essential. It’s also endangered, as a result of the state’s current fiscal challenges.

Community-based group homes enable individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), brain injuries, behavioral health conditions and other significant needs to live safely and independently in their communities with the support of professionals. The stability of this system depends on the trust and consistency built over time between residents and staff.

Our commitment to this approach spans more than 50 years, beginning with Advocates’ early work as a group home provider for adults with mental health challenges returning to the community from state institutions.

The presence of group homes is the result of a decades-long movement away from institutional care, and toward a model that recognizes the value of independence by supporting people in community settings. Within these homes, individuals build daily routines, develop skills and experience a level of autonomy many families were told was never possible.

Residential staff provide the structure and support that make community living successful. They help residents get ready for work or day programs, manage medications, respond to medical and behavioral concerns, coordinate with clinicians and families, and ensure that people are safe and supported during times of crisis. For families, group homes may mark the first time they’re no longer carrying the responsibility of caring for loved ones alone.

Residential staff positions carry enormous weight, and the work is complex and emotionally intense. Yet, many residential staff earn the same—or less—than what they could in retail and food service jobs that do not involve overnight shifts, crisis response or being accountable for another person’s well-being.

The No. 1 reason staff decide to leave their positions is that they simply cannot afford to make ends meet on human service worker salaries.

Vacancy rates in residential programs in Massachusetts are among the highest in the human services sector, hovering around 16% — more than three times the statewide rate for job openings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These vacancies are due to providers competing for the same limited workforce while operating according to state funding rates that do not reflect the true cost of care.

As the fiscal 2027 budget process begins in January, state leaders face difficult fiscal decisions.

Undervaluing the human services workforce by reducing the rate of state funding will come with significant costs. Maintaining existing state funding rates for human services is not just about preserving the status quo; it’s about protecting hard-won progress and continuing to strive for livable wages that allow those within the human services workforce to build a life for themselves while caring for others.

What we will never do is compromise the safety of our residents or the quality of our services. If funding decreases, we are left with few options but to reduce the capacity of our programs. We will not be able to serve as many people in need—not because demand has decreased, but because staffing them safely will no longer be feasible. That will inevitably shift pressure back to
hospitals, as families who have waited for residential placements are left with fewer options during a mental health crisis.

Massachusetts has affirmed that people with complex needs deserve to live full lives in their communities, not on the margins. That principle is reflected in recent efforts to reckon with the state’s institutional past and to recognize the experiences of those who lived in those settings. Residential services are what make that commitment real today—but sustaining this model requires a workforce that can afford to stay.