The Direct Care News     transparent logo, white type
For direct care workers and their allies
 
April 24, 2012
DCA Expands Its DC presence
Jessica Brill Ortiz
Jessica Brill Ortiz
The Direct Care Alliance expands its advocacy staff this week with the addition of National Advocacy Coordinator Jessica Brill Ortiz.

Brill Ortiz, who comes to DCA from the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (the Consumer Voice), is a committed advocate for long-term care reform. "I know Jessica shares our passion for improving direct care jobs and we're excited to have a full-time staff member in Washington, D.C." says DCA Director of Policy and Planning David Ward.  

Read more.

Direct from Washington, DC

Capitol HIll

HHS announces Administration for Community Living:  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the creation of the Administration for Community Living. The new agency brings together the Office on Disability, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, and the Administration on Aging for the purpose of increasing access to community supports and full participation. ACL will focus on delivering programs and resources that support the unique needs of older Americans and people with disabilities. Read more.
 
Long-term care headed for "national crisis":  At last week's Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on long-term care financing, Senator Bob Corker (TN) warned that long-term care financing is a "major train wreck" and "heading for a national crisis." Read more about the hearing or access a video of the hearing and witness testimonies.   

House Budget Raises Red Flags for Direct Care Workers

Judith Solomon of CBPP
Judith Solomon
Here in Washington, Congress is planning how the government will spend its money next year and for many years to come. The plan that the House of Representatives just passed includes many cuts that would be extremely troubling for direct care workers.

Adopted on March 29, the House's Ryan budget (named after Congressman Paul Ryan, Chair of the House Budget Committee) would slash federal funding for Medicaid.  By 2022, it would reduce federal Medicaid funding by one third, and the cuts would get even bigger in the following years. The Ryan budget would make these massive cuts by fundamentally changing the way Medicaid works.

Read more from Judith Solomon of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Send Us Your Stories
what's your story
Part of our work to improve direct care jobs and help direct care workers gain the respect they deserve involves making this crucial work visible, and we do this partly by sharing the stories of the special people who do it.

We do this because we believe there is no better advocate for this workforce than the people who do the work, and no better way to help others appreciate the value of this work than by publishing stories that illustrate what it is and why is matters to the people who give and receive care. Since we launched our blog and this e-newsletter about five years ago, hundreds of workers have shared their stories with us and we have had the opportunity to share many of these touching and inspiring stories with our readers. That's why we're inviting you to share your stories with us. Read more and tell us about your story.

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Direct from the Headlines
It's not too early to start planning for the 35th annual National Nursing Assistants Week, which falls on June 14-21 this year. For more information or a free information sheet, visit the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants website.

A video gone viral last week brought attention to a program that helps "awaken" people with dementia through music, as reported on NPR.

Connecticut debates the pros and cons of allowing personal care attendants and day care workers to collectively bargain with the state.
The Direct Care Alliance is the national advocacy voice of direct care workers in long-term care. We empower workers to speak out for better wages, benefits, respect, and working conditions, so more people can commit to direct care as a career. We also convene powerful allies nationwide to build consensus for change. 

Questions? Comments? Story ideas? Please contact Elise Nakhnikian at 646-823-7434 or enakhnikian@directcarealliance.org.