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	<title>News and Opinions « Direct Care Alliance &#187; Minnesota</title>
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	<description>What direct care worker advocates are thinking, saying and doing</description>
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		<title>Judge Temporarily Blocks 20% Pay Cut for Family Caregivers</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/12/judge-temporarily-blocks-20-pay-cut-for-family-caregivers/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/12/judge-temporarily-blocks-20-pay-cut-for-family-caregivers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:58:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Direct Care Alliance</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCW associations/coalitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Direct care consumers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=4459</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As home health agency owner Tim Plant explained in a September 20 DCA blog post, Minnesota’s new budget included a 20 percent pay cut for personal care assistants who provide care to a relative. The cut was to have gone into effect October 1, but a dedicated group of activists worked hard to convince lawmakers [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/12/judge-temporarily-blocks-20-pay-cut-for-family-caregivers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Minnesota Personal Care Assistants Face 20% Pay Cut</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/09/minnesota-personal-care-assistants-face-20-pay-cut/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/09/minnesota-personal-care-assistants-face-20-pay-cut/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:36:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim Plant</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Direct care consumers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=4223</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We Minnesotans used to be full of pride for our prudent government and our tradition of fairness and equality for all citizens. Minnesota is the home state of “Happy Warrior” Hubert Humphrey, a former vice president of the United States and a lifelong champion of civil rights.  But our proud state is becoming a national [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/09/minnesota-personal-care-assistants-face-20-pay-cut/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Care, Commitment and Coffee with Muhanna S. Kakish of Minnesota</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/07/care-commitment-and-coffee-with-muhanna-s-kakish-of-minnesota/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/07/care-commitment-and-coffee-with-muhanna-s-kakish-of-minnesota/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:04:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Direct Care Alliance</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awards and recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career advancement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCA Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Direct care workers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job creation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training and education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Voices Institute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=3887</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care worker, Muhanna S. Kakish to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers and how other activists can get involved in direct care advocacy in Minnesota.  DCA Speaks with Muhanna S. Kakish at 2011 Voices [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2011/07/care-commitment-and-coffee-with-muhanna-s-kakish-of-minnesota/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Developing a State Association and Getting New Members</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2010/05/developing-a-state-association/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2010/05/developing-a-state-association/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 May 2010 17:02:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lindsay Short</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCW associations/coalitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct service professional]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota DSPAM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[state association]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=2760</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota (DSPAM) has become an important part in the fight for the professionalism and respect for direct support professionals. Since joining DSPAM 3 years ago, I have witnessed the growth and movement that this organization has done and how dedicated each person involved is to the direct care workers [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2010/05/developing-a-state-association/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>DSPAM&#8217;s New President Plans to Build on Past Success</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/12/dspams-new-president-plans-to-build-on-past-success/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/12/dspams-new-president-plans-to-build-on-past-success/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:20:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lindsay Short</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awards and recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCW associations/coalitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[respect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skills and attributes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turnover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=2204</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I am honored to have been elected president of the Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota as of next year. Being a part of DSPAM over the last two years has been an eye-opening, life-changing experience. I’ve had the opportunity to work with amazing people on the DSPAM board of directors, and I&#8217;ve watched DSPAM turn into an amazing [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/12/dspams-new-president-plans-to-build-on-past-success/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why So Many of Us Don&#8217;t Have Health Care Insurance</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/11/why-so-many-of-us-dont-have-health-care-insurance/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/11/why-so-many-of-us-dont-have-health-care-insurance/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:53:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Don Krutsinger</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career advancement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Direct care consumers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minimum wage and overtime for home care workers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turnover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[workloads]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=2015</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I work as a direct support professional with developmentally disabled adults in residential settings. One thing I have in common with just about all my coworkers is that we need to work more than 40 hours a week to make ends meet – and even so, too many of us can&#8217;t afford our employers&#8217; health care coverage. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/11/why-so-many-of-us-dont-have-health-care-insurance/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Voices Institute Welcomes Another Remarkable Class</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/voices-institute-welcomes-another-remarkable-class/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/voices-institute-welcomes-another-remarkable-class/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:06:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bridget Siljander</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCW associations/coalitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delaware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Direct care consumers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iowa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pennsylvania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training and education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Voices Institute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wisconsin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=1798</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Direct Care Alliance’s signature program, the Voices Institute, is about to hold its second National Leadership Program. The week-long retreat is an intensive learning journey, and this year&#8217;s class is another remarkable group, which will surely join the pioneers from the VI inaugural class to leave its mark on the direct care worker movement. We are returning to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/voices-institute-welcomes-another-remarkable-class/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Real Wages Keep Falling for Personal and Home Care Aides</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/real-wages-keep-falling-for-personal-and-home-care-aides/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/real-wages-keep-falling-for-personal-and-home-care-aides/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:17:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Direct Care Alliance</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alabama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alaska]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arkansas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecticut]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delaware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Florida]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Georgia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hawaii]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Idaho]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illinois]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iowa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kansas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kentucky]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Louisiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maryland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michigan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mississippi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missouri]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Montana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nebraska]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nevada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Jersey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North Dakota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ohio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pennsylvania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rhode Island]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Dakota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tennessee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Texas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vermont]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wages and benefits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington state]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington, D.C.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wisconsin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wyoming]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=1763</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As every direct care worker advocate knows, personal and home care aides earn far too little for the important work they do. And now an updated version of PHI’s State Chart Book on Wages for Personal and Home Care Aides (PDF) gives advocates a valuable tool, proving that real wages are actually getting worse. The [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/real-wages-keep-falling-for-personal-and-home-care-aides/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>DSPAM Event Celebrates Direct Support Professionals in Minnesota</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/dspam-event-to-celebrate-direct-support-professionals-in-minnesota/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/dspam-event-to-celebrate-direct-support-professionals-in-minnesota/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:56:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Muhannah Kakish</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[as leaders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[awards and recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCA initiatives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DCW associations/coalitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=1701</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You know how usually you get a sponsor and then create an event? Well, we created an event and then got the sponsor. On September 13, DSPAM (Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota) is commemorating National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week with a special day for direct support professionals (DSPs). That’s the term NADSP uses for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/09/dspam-event-to-celebrate-direct-support-professionals-in-minnesota/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>DCA Publishes Fact Sheets for Direct Care Worker Advocates and their Allies</title>
		<link>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/06/dca-publishes-fact-sheets-for-direct-care-worker-advocates-and-their-allies/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/06/dca-publishes-fact-sheets-for-direct-care-worker-advocates-and-their-allies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:56:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Direct Care Alliance</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alabama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alaska]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arkansas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Connecticut]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delaware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Florida]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Georgia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hawaii]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Idaho]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illinois]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iowa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kansas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kentucky]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[legislation and regulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Louisiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maryland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michigan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mississippi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missouri]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Montana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nebraska]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nevada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Jersey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North Dakota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ohio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pennsylvania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Publications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rhode Island]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Carolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Dakota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tennessee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Texas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vermont]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington state]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington, D.C.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wisconsin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wyoming]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.directcarealliance.org/?p=1241</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A full set of DCA Direct Care Fact Sheets, one for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is now available in the Resources section of our website. The one-page sheets were created as a resource for direct care worker advocates and their allies, legislators, policymakers, members of the media, and others [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.directcarealliance.org/2009/06/dca-publishes-fact-sheets-for-direct-care-worker-advocates-and-their-allies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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