Direct Care Alliance E-News Leading the Way to Quality Care Through Quality Jobs October 2007 - Vol 1, Issue 2 Help us build our list! Over 100 friends and supporters read our first Direct Care Alliance E-Newsletter and the feedback has been fantastic.  Now we are asking for your help in building our contact list.  Would you share our newsletter with friends and associates using the forward email link at the bottom?  You can forward emails to one of us and we will add them to distribution list.  Anyone who does not wish to join our movement in this way can easily "opt-out" and unsubscribe.  Finally, please look over the contact information we have for you and consider updating it so we can also reach you by mail or phone.  Our goal is to build and activate a powerful nationwide alliance of consumers, direct care workers and their employers, policy makers and advocates who share our of goal creating a high quality, sustainable long term care system.  Your help and active involvement will be appreciated! We hope to hear from you and thanks for taking the time. Leonila Vega, Executive Director - lvega@directcarealliance.org / (718) 928-2063 Roy Gedat, Field Coordinator - rgedat@directcarealliance.org / (207) 739-9179 DCA Promo film  - Watch the preview. Check out the preview of our soon to be completed promotional film about the purpose and goal of the DCA.  Here's the link. The full length film will be available soon and we're hoping to use it for a number of purposes.  What do you think? News & Notices - there's so much to report! News from and for the Board of Directors who govern the DCA will be a regular feature of our E-Newsletter.  National Liaison  selected to to work on Legislative issues will project DCA's national voice The recent decision by the Supreme Court in the Evelyn Coke case has brought urgency to expressing our voice to federal policymakers.   Fortunately, volunteer Board member Vera Salter has stepped up to fulfill this role.  We thank Vera Salter for her commitment and valuable contribution to the DCA. Read more about the COKE case and it's implications here. DCA Board of Directors approves Home Care Worker Resolution DCA Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution to launch a campaign to ensure that home care workers receive the basic protections under our nation's Fair and Labor Standards Act. Our new national liaison will lead our efforts to change policy to include protections for hone care workers in the Fair and Labor Standards Act.  Link to full text of resolution. DCA Board Chair appoints new committee leaders and selects new Treasurer The Direct Care Alliance Board Chair, Mary Ann Wilner, appointed Vera Salter and Julie Bell as Co-Chairs of the DCA's Directorship Committee and Clari Gilbert to Chair the Finance Committee and become the new Treasurer of the DCA.  Clari takes over these duties from Anna Fay.The Directorship committee is charged with recruiting new board members and developing board development and recruitment strategies.  Click HERE to read more about Vera, Julie and Clari. Grants Awarded to Iowa Caregivers Association, Delaware Certified Nursing Assistants, The ARC of Mississippi and the Filipino Workers Association. Our Small Grants Committee Chaired by Laurie Powers, Ph.D, just completed its review of small grant applicants.  Many worthwhile proposals were submitted making the committee's decision a difficult one.  Formal notifications have just gone out.   See our website for information about the proposal process and visit our BLOG for details of what each grantee will do.   Leonila Vega, DCA Executive Director Recognized by the Governor of Wisconsin. Governor Jim Doyle recognized Leonila for "improving the lives of citizens with disabilities" for her work as  Chair of the Wisconsin's Independent Living Council. News from from the Field News from the field will be another of our regular E-News features.  Please let us know of any newsworthy activities we can share in this section. The Florida Association of Nurse Assistants held its 12th annual conference last week. Attended by over 150 direct care workers and supporters the theme of "membership is meaningful in our circle of care" was certainly front and center for this proud group of professional  caregivers.  FLANA has over 700 members, and celebrated a year of accomplishment including increasing inservice trainings from 800 to 2000, adding life insurance and the opportunity for a health insurance coverage for members and recognizing a group of Nurse Assistants who together have over 200 years of experience.  Some photos of this informative and highly successful event can be found here.  For more information about FLANA check out their website. ________________________________________________________________________________ The Paraprofessional Health Institute's Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign is making an impact in Pennsylvania.  "Tracy L. Lawless, Pennsylvania State Campaign Coordinator for the PHI HCHCW campaign, addressed several hundred supporters of Governor Ed Rendell's Cover All Pennsylvanians health reform plan - and the tens of thousands more watching on TV - at an October 2 rally for the health plan in Harrisburg."  Pictured at right, Lori Michael of Lori's Angels holds sign at the Cover All Pennsylvanians rally, while Tracy Lawless addresses the rally. Governor Edward Rendell stands to left.  Check out the HCHCW website for more information. The HCHCW campaign is also active in Maine, Iowa and Michigan and will soon be working in other states too!  Here's a brief on proposed health care reforms in Wisconsin. Our Next Issue Our first "Voices Institute programs are about to be field tested.  We are now formulating the steering committee for our national network.  Stay tuned for details in our next issue! The DCA Mission:  We are a nationwide and state-based alliance of direct-care workers, employers, and people of all ages and disabilities who use long term services, care and supports. We are united to build an empowered and valued professional direct care workforce essential to ensuring high quality services, a life of dignity, respect, autonomy and opportunity for all to participate in community life. Thank you for your time.  We will be pleased to receive your feedback and suggestions. Leonila & Roy.

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