Governor Janet T. Mills (D) the First Woman Governor of Maine, at a Press Conference on the Portland Waterfront Recently.

Direct support workers can receive  bonuses of between $1,000 and up to $1,500. announced Governor Janet T. Mills (D), the first women Governor of the state, earlier this week.  The $126 million that the Governor has allocated through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for bonsues for new and existing home and commnity based services (HCB) direct support workers and shared living providers was approved by the Federal government earlier this week as well.

Approval of this plan came from the US Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS).  The bonus payment component is intended to address COVID-related short-term health care worker shortages.  It is also closely aligned with the health care workforce priorities incuded in the Governor’s Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan.

Eligible HCBS providers must register with the Department in order to receive payments.  Registration will occur through an online portal beginning Monday, November 29 and continue for 10 business days.

DHHS will distribute the fnds to qalified provider agencies in two phases, beginning in January, based on their HCBS Maine Care revenue.  Provider agencies will pay bonuses directly to workers, shared living providers and supervisors.  Individual bonus amounts will be determined by the provider agency in accordance with a bonus policy that the agency will adopt and share with its employees.  DHHS developed this system in consultation with provider agencies to reduce the administrative burden, give agencies more certainity about available fuding and allow agencies to create specific bonus policies that make sense for their employees.  All provider aencies that receive funds for bonuses are required to pay at least 80% of funds in direcdt payments to staff, not including agency leadership.  Agencies will be subject to both Federal and State audit.