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For direct care workers and their allies
 
October 2, 2012

Texas Direct Care Workers Find Unity, Voices at Houston Voices Institute 

Direct care workers from the Houston area strengthened their leadership and advocacy skills on September 27 and 28 at the Houston Voices Institute Leadership Training Program. A state-level version of the DCA's Voices institute, the training covered personal and professional development with an emphasis on advocating for improvements to direct care jobs. Read more.
Direct from Washington, DC
Capitol HIll Proposed reauthorization of Older Americans Act includes workforce provisions: On September 19, Senator Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (S. 3562). The reauthorization bill includes important eldercare workforce provisions, in addition to covering home and community based services and the long-term care ombudsman program. The OAA is supposed to be reauthorized every four years, enabling Congress to update and expand on the law's services and programs, but reauthorization expired in 2011.

Continuing resolution funds federal government, important programs for modest-income families: On Friday, September 28, President Obama signed into law a continuing resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown. The CR finances the federal government through March 2013 at an annual rate of $1.047 trillion, corresponding with the spending cap set in the Budget Control Act of 2011. The bill extends funding for programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), that benefit modest-income families. It also increases spending for programs and agencies authorized through the Older Americans Act.
Home Care Workers Crucial to Care Quality, Say Consumers
When the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (The Consumer Voice) surveyed home care consumers about what they do and don't like about the care they are receiving, one thing came through loud and clear: they love their home care workers, and they want them to have better working conditions.

Click here for more from Consumer Voice Executive Director Sarah Wells (pictured) on what her survey revealed about that crucial relationship.

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Direct from the Headlines
California's Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, which would have guaranteed overtime pay and other basic labor protections to home care workers and others who work in other people's homes.

An article on dementia care in Provider magazine explains the importance of consistent assignment for caregivers and advocates empowering direct care workers to take the time for in-depth talks with people with dementia.

A guide from the United Hospital Fund, available in four languages, helps health care professionals help families find and work with home health aides and home care aides.

In honor of National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, the Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota presented awards and certificates to seven direct support professionals.
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.