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Urge House Members to Support H.R. 868
One of the biggest issues facing persons with disabilities that need assistance to remain in the community is the availability of good, dependable aides. Keeping the same aide is also very important. Today you have the change to MAKE A DIFFERENCE by helping to address this problem.
Direct Service Support Professional Bill (HR 868) needs co-sponsors. If passed by the Congress, this bill will increase Medicaid funding to the states to increase wages (reimbursement) for direct service, direct support workers. Contact your Representative, and ask them to join Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) by co-sponsoring this important bill.
“Direct Support Professionals are the dedicated professionals that work long hours with too little pay, caring for the disabled and ensuring that they can live and work in our communities,” said Congresswoman Capps, a registered nurse. “Despite their dedication, many cannot afford to do the work that they love and are often forced to leave the profession – resulting in a crisis of care for the disabled who depend on their services. Our legislation takes several important steps to address the crisis of care by providing the tools necessary to recruit and retain this committed workforce that daily provide vital long-term home and community-based support to individuals with disabilities of all ages. By raising awareness of the need for these workers and ensuring that they are paid a fair wage for the important work that they do, we can help alleviate this crisis and help the disabled and their families.”
Also please let us know if you get a response, positive or negative from the Representative.
Thank you in advance for your advocacy!
Background (2007):
Today millions of people with disabilities rely on direct support workers to assist them in managing their daily lives so they can live and work in their communities. These workers assist people with disabilities with taking daily medications, dressing, preparing and eating meals, getting to work, gaining life skills and handling daily affairs.
Unfortunately, these positions have a high turnover rate each year because of poor wages and job demands, putting the quality of life for people with disabilities at risk. And demand for these workers is growing - hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are on waiting lists for services and the demand will grow 62 percent by 2010 as these Americans get older.
To address these problems, Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act (H.R. 1279).
Together, The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, ANCOR and Lutheran Services in America formed a national advocacy campaign to press the U.S. Congress to enact this bill for people with disabilities.
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