My name is Success Juwah, and I am originally from Nigeria, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and literature.

I worked as a salesperson for five years; however, upon relocation to Maine, I took a job as a direct support professional. My dream is to become a nurse, and right now there is a bill in front of the Legislature that would help make that possible.

L.D. 1718 would provide a tuition credit to workers in my field to further their education at one of Maine’s community colleges, the University of Maine System or Maine Maritime Academy. It is a small but important step to help stabilize and grow Maine’s essential care and support workforce.

As a direct care and support professional, I provide skilled, daily assistance to my patients to help them live a healthy and meaningful life. When I relocated to Maine, I took on the job role because of my passion to assist elderly people and because I had an elderly mother who was in the care of a caregiver back in my home country, but she passed away two years ago.

I was drawn to this work because I can take care of people who really need help. The nature of the work requires individuals to develop patience, empathy and strong communication skills. This can lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of the human experience.

I began my career four years ago and worked through the pandemic. It is a difficult, but a very rewarding job. Some of the challenges are:

1) The high cost of the funds required to obtain medical certifications.

2) Limited professional development or growth opportunities.

3) Low salary for the job position. Many organizations that employ DSPs may operate with limited resources. This can result in inadequate training, limited access to essential tools or technology, and insufficient staffing levels, making it challenging to provide the best possible care.

To become more involved in solving these problems, I joined the Direct Care and Support Professionals Advisory Council, which was started by Maine’s long-term care ombudsman. The council’s mission is to use our voices to create positive change in our important workforce.

The goal of the council is to bring workers together to create a collective voice to inform policymakers about the issues that are important to workers — such as staffing, wages, benefits, and training. The council also provides a way that I can advocate for my patients who don’t have a voice. Our sector doesn’t have much political power, but is so essential to the well-being of not just the people we take care of but their families.

The fact is there is a growing need for more direct care workers like me, but unless we can solve these problems, both workers and our clients will suffer from the lack of support.

L.D. 1718 would encourage participation in Maine’s essential support workforce through access to higher education. This will also help to attract workers to direct care jobs, retain them in the field, and look beyond salary for incentives.

There are so many in my field who wish to go to college or university, as I do. This would provide education benefits equal to a year’s tuition and would be available for a direct care worker employed in in-home or community support services reimbursed by the MaineCare program or another state program, or a family member of the essential support worker.

I am so grateful for the relationships I have developed with my patients, and for knowing how important my work is to their health and well-being. This tuition benefit would help me realize my goal of becoming a nurse, while supporting Maine’s higher education system and the people in need of care throughout Maine.

Success Juwah, a direct support professional at John F. Murphy Homes, works with individuals with development disabilities and attention spectrum disorder who need assistance to maximize their independence. Born in Nigeria and now living in Auburn, she hopes to continue her education to become a nurse.

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