Workers who care for Montanans with disabilities may see first major wage increase in nearly 20 years

HELENA -- With so much talk of money during Montana’s 65th Legislative Session, it can be difficult to comprehend how all that money affects everyday Montanans.

This session, one group has become the de facto human face of the budget — direct care workers.

According to the Montana Disability & Health Program, nearly 13 percent of Montanans reported having some sort of disability in 2012. Among those, many have developmental disabilities, like down syndrome and autism, and often require significant assistance to meet their basic needs.

Montana’s direct care workers provide those services to the...