The Direct Care News 
For direct care workers and their allies June 5, 2012
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Hundreds Rally for Better Care at New York Care Congress
|  The New York Care Congress that convened last Sunday in downtown Manhattan was the largest so far of the city-by-city gatherings being convened by Caring Across Generations (CAG) to build the movement to improve our long-term care system for the people who give and receive care. The New York City event attracted nearly 600 workers, elders, and members of disability advocacy groups and other organizations.
The most touching part of the day was listening to the stories told during the Sharing Our Care Stories segment. Direct care workers, domestic workers, and a young women who is disabled and whose husband also receives daily care all shared their stories, each one touching all of us in his or her own way. Read more from Brenda.
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Direct from Washington, DC
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Legislation would create universal health care at state level: Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) is expected to introduce legislation soon that would build on the Affordable Care Act and enable states to offer universal health care coverage. This could benefit the 900,000 direct care workers currently without health insurance by providing a state-run option that requires fewer out-of-pocket costs than private insurance. Read more.New funding for home and community-based care: The U.S. Health and Human Services Department has announced a new funding opportunity to help states offer more home and community-based long-term services and supports to seniors and people with disabilities. This will likely increase the demand for home care workers. House hearing addresses Affordable Care Act's impact: A May 31 hearing hosted by the Education and the Workforce Committee Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions discussed various components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and their impact on health insurance options, affordability for consumers and employers, and job creation. The ACA offers a significant opportunity for uninsured direct care workers to access more affordable coverage.
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Sign Our Petition for Home Care Worker Rights
|  Home care agencies are one of the five most profitable types of franchise in the U.S. And yet, as USA Today pointed out last month,franchise owners are fighting to kill the proposed Department of Labor (DOL) rule that would guarantee minimum wage and overtime pay to their frontline workers, claiming that they can't afford to pay overtime.
We don't oppose profits. We just oppose profits that are achieved by exploiting workers and disregarding care quality. Home care workers deserve basic labor protections. Sign our petition and tell DOL and the White House to enact the rule now!
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| DCA Joins the Friday Morning Collaborative |  The Direct Care Alliance is pleased to join the Friday Morning Collaborative, a coalition of national organizations working to improve long-term services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities. The Collaborative emerged during health reform as a preeminent advocate for better long-term services and supports. Read more.
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