WORCESTER, Mass. - Five candidates for Massachusetts Lt. Governor discussed issues facing human services professionals at a forum on Monday.

The candidates shared their views on a variety of issues, including better training and better pay for providers, the “not in my backyard” attitude towards human service providers some neighborhoods have and providing jobs for people with disabilities.

The forum was held in front of human services leaders at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester. 

The Providers’ Council hosted the candidates. It’s the largest statewide membership association of community-based human services organizations. 

“One of the primary concerns our members have is the workforce. Inability to have an adequate number of people who are trained and ready to provide services,” Michael Weekes, Providers’ Council president and CEO, said. “Without an adequate workforce, essentially people don’t get the services they need. Which means, in essence, there are service cuts being applied across the Commonwealth because we don’t have a workforce that can do that. And one of the main reasons is the compensation.”

All eight candidates for Lt. Governor were invited, but only five Democrats attended, including Senator Adam Hinds, Senator Eric Lesser, businessman Brett Bero, Salem mayor Kim Driscoll, and state representative Tami Gouveia.

Democrat Scott Donahue and Republicans Kate Campanale and Leah Cole Allen did not attend.