Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE) have introduced H.R.868, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009, known in the previous Congress as H.R.1279.
Background
The Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce is in crisis. Low wages, coupled with physically and emotionally demanding work, has resulted in high turnover and heavy vacancies in both public institutions and private providers of services. This crisis severely jeopardizes the quality of life for people with disabilities. H.R. 868 would take the first important step in stabilizing the direct support professional workforce—a step to ensure that people with disabilities receive the quality supports and services they need from private providers and state and federal funders.
In fact, H.R. 868 acts as a complement to Long Term Supports and Services in Health Care Reform through supporting the Community Choice Act and the CLASS Act highlighted in another Action Alert request to Members of Congress. Together, H.R. 868, the Community Choice Act and CLASS Act will provide additional resources to help ensure adequate and quality supports and services and help for people with disabilities to live and work in their communities. It does so by establishing a 5-year program to provide participating states with additional Medicaid funds in order to increase wages paid to DSPs.
Like the previous bill, H.R. 1279 during the 110th Congress, H.R.868 helps address the workforce crisis by giving states a much-needed option to secure additional federal dollars to help alleviate the direct support workforce wage crisis, a key component of much needed health care reform.
Because of the efforts of the WhoWillCare.net community and other advocates in the disability community, like you, the previous wage bill attracted more than 130 Member co-sponsors when Congress adjourned last year.
With each new Congress every bill essentially resets itself and again, we are asking for your help in making this number even larger in the 111th Congress.
In order to advance this bill in the 111th Congress, it is imperative to get your Representatives in Congress to sign onto H.R. 868 as a co-sponsor. Soon, during the month of August, Members will be back home in their district. This is the perfect opportunity to call your Representative about this issue and make your voice known.
Now is the time to act—call your local Congressional Representative's office today to set up an appointment to meet with your Representative in August to express why this bill is vitally important to the disability community before his/her schedule is full.
The WhoWillCare.net campaign, as part of the national advocacy campaigns of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), have directly contacted Members in Congress as a collaborative coalition, asking them to again co-sponsor H.R. 868. Now is the time for you to reach out and also ask them to co-sponsor the bill. Hearing from you, their constituent will add another level of importance and urgency for Members to become H.R. 868 co-sponsors.
Take Action and contact your Representative today!
Use the Take Action button located at the top right of this Action Alert, then enter your name and full address for a sample letter you can send directly to your Representative.
Additionally, please take the opportunity to call your Member(s) to set up an appointment while they are home in your district in August by following this link to find the information to make your phone call and stress the importance of this bill.
» Find Your Representative Here «
» Spread the Word: Tell a Friend about WhoWillCare.net «
Remember to personalize your message with information about you, your organization and state. Data on your state can be found within ANCOR's 2008 Direct Support Professionals Wage Study, which compares wages among DSPs employed by private providers in your state with those who work for state-run programs.
For more information, on H.R.868 and the workforce crisis, visit the WhoWillCare "Learn More" Web page or contact Will Hull at (202) 776-0406.
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