Crisis in Care

At the Arc of the Central Chesapeake Region, agency heads don't even blink at the thought of replacing up to 40 percent of direct-care workers each year.

The nonprofit agency, which provides services for residents with developmental disabilities, wrestles with the same problem that most other human services agencies do.

A lack of funding from the state keeps salaries for caregivers perpetually low and can make it hard to keep qualified workers, said Rick Callahan, The Arc's deputy executive director. The agency, with offices in Annapolis, Glen Burnie, and Easton, has a staff of about 200 workers.

"We are...