The following is a guest post from Nancy Hooyman, Co-Principal Investigator for the Council on Social Work Education’s Center for Gerontological Social Work Education and Dean Emeritus and Hooyman Endowed Professor in Gerontology, University of Washington School of Social Work.
Nancy Hooyman
The vitally necessary Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act is deserving of the support from a wide range of stakeholders – social workers, other eldercare providers, those committed to social justice as well as those focused on the economics of long-term care. Direct care staff are second only to families as the primary providers of long-term care — the “hands, voice, face” and core of the long-term care system. The care they provide is “high-touch” intimate, personal, and physically/emotionally challenging (Harahan and Stone, 2009; Institute of Medicine, 2008). These hands-on providers are expected to be compassionate yet usually do not feel prepared, respected, or appreciated, in part because our society does not value the socially and economically important work of caregiving.
Supporting this Act is also a matter of social justice and congruent with social work’s commitment to improve the lives of historically disadvantaged groups. The intersections of gender, race, and immigration status are reflected in the low status and negative work conditions of direct care workers. Advocates for women’s equity should also support this Act; nine out of ten of direct care staff are women, oftentimes single mothers, with minimal education, frequently holding more than one job but still living in poverty or near-poverty, and increasingly dependent on food stamps and other public benefits to get by. The Act is also an issue of racial justice Continue reading »
Last week, The Community Partnership submitted comments Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule related to civil money penalties for nursing homes under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. We are excited to be able to participate and share our views with the federal agencies as the new health reform law begins to take shape. Proposed regulations which are put out for comment will shape policies for years to come. Our Partnership has been very active in Virginia working to see that our Civil Monetary Penalty funds are used for quality improvement initiatives. Right now, the very exciting Virginia Gold CNA Retention Project which the Partnership is doing with one local nursing home is funded through CMP money. Without the voices of consumer and direct care worker advocates speaking out, that CMP money might have been diverted to less effective use. In our local Virginia gold project, DCA Board Member Angel Saylor and other direct care workers on staff at that facility are making great progress on the issues of CNA empowerment, creation of a more supportive work environment, enhanced opportunities for advancement, leadership, skills training, and peer mentorship. It is a terrific win-win situation when direct care workers receive more rewards, recognition and opportunities (bringing down the CNA turnover rate) and residents enjoy consistent and improved quality of care. Continue reading »
Dr. Vera Salter, Direct Care Alliance; Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)
Yesterday, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) hosted a Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing in Wilkes-Barre, where he announced his intention to introduce the Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act (House version introduced last week by Rep. Linda Sanchez).
The hearing – Taking care of Mom and Dad: Why We Need a Quality Workforce to Serve Our Older Americans – addressed the growing need for quality medical personnel to take care of a growing aging population. I was invited to deliver testimony, along with Continue reading »
July 28, 2010, was a remarkable day for direct care workers across the country as Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) announced the introduction of the Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act.
Rep. Sanchez has been a champion for direct care workers. Last year, she led an effort along with DCA to call on the Department of Labor to fix the companionship exemption in the Fair Labor Standards Act. While we do applaud the Department of Labor for adding this issue to the 2010 regulatory agenda, a legislative change would solidify protections for home care workers in the law, not leaving this issue to the “whims of any one administration.” As someone who has worked for less-than-minimum wage in my lifetime, I can say that this change is long overdue. Too many direct care workers struggle to support themselves and their families, working long hours doing backbreaking labor not because they have to, but because they love helping others. They are professionals and should have the same protections as all other workers in this country. Continue reading »
Helen Hanson in front of the U.S. Capitol buidling
On May 28, I was with the Direct Care Alliance in Washington, DC, again bringing direct care worker issues to the attention of decision-makers. This time, at the U.S. Department of Labor.
We’re all so excited about the FLSA extension issue being added to the regulatory agenda, and we met with two representatives from the Wage and Hour Division to explain why minimum wage and overtime protections are essential to creating a strong direct care workforce. The representatives were very open and honest, which I greatly appreciated. They met with us to learn more about what direct care workers do on a day-to-day basis and to understand more about our work. At one point they used the word “companion” to identify home care workers and I cringed. But I was easily able to explain to them the differences between companion and home care worker, which they appreciated.
I explained that I am more than a companion and I took them on a journey through my typical work day with my consumer – a quadriplegic woman who is totally dependent on direct care workers each day. Continue reading »
Is health care reform dead?
I can see why some people might think so. The Election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts ended the Democrats’ 60-40 “filibuster proof” majority in the Senate, which means at least one Republican must vote with the Democrats in order for the Senate to overcome delay tactics by the bill’s opposition.
Although the Democrats are unlikely to find that one Republican vote, health care reform is still alive. Since the Senate has already passed a health care reform bill, the House of Representatives could pass the Senate bill and incorporate elements of the House reform bill through a process called budget reconciliation, which requires only a simple majority vote and limits the number of hours of debate.
How health care reform impacts direct care workers
If uninsured direct care workers obtain coverage at the same rate as the entire uninsured population, the Senate bill would ensure coverage for hundreds of thousands of uninsured direct care workers. This is a very conservative estimate and the number of uninsured direct care workers would likely be higher as a result of some workers being covered under the Medicaid expansion and other subsidies for low- and middle-income families. In addition to covering many of the uninsured, these subsidies will relieve some of the financial pressures caused by health care costs for many direct care workers and their families. Continue reading »
On a recent trip to Maine, I sat down with Representative Matthew Peterson of District 92 to discuss his work on behalf of direct care workers in the state. He has worked in direct care for years, and is currently an Independent Living Specialist at Alpha One, a center for independent living. As an elected official, Matthew is able to advocate for change in direct care and believes it is an essential and valuable workforce. It is inspiring and encouraging – Matthew has linked his personal passion and commitment to independent living to advocating the need for a well-trained, respected and well-paid direct care workforce. Watch the brief interview I was able to record with Matthew, below.
Imagine if more disability leaders and independent living advocates joined the Direct Care Alliance and made their voices heard on the issues that matter. What if, like Matthew, you could advance change in your community, your state, and eventually, across the country? Continue reading »
We are excited to report that the Senate confirmed President Obama’s appointment of M. Patricia Smith as Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor.
This is great news for direct care workers because Ms. Smith has a proven track record as a champion for American workers. In her new position, she will be responsible for enforcing national labor laws. The DCA is hopeful that she will make the extension of federal wage and overtime protections to home care workers a top priority once she takes office.
