TAKE ACTION ON THESE KEY 2023 ISSUES
At the Federal Level
Advance the Standard Occupational Classification With the “Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act”
End the recruitment and retention crisis facing providers of IDD supports and services! Call for Congress to pass the “Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act,” which requires the Office of Management and Budget to establish a separate category within the Standard Occupational Classification system for DSPs. Doing so ensures that necessary data is collected to justify reimbursement rates and compensation for DSPs — stabilizing home- and community-based supports and the independence of people with developmental disabilities.
How to Get Involved
Tell your Senators and Congressional Representative you support the DSP Act, here.
Share our social media posts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram) tagged with #CareCantWait
Check out the NYDA Workforce Emergency White Paper.
*From ANCOR and The Arc New York
Sign the Petition: The Time to Invest in the Care Infrastructure Is NOW!
Life in the community matters for people with disabilities, and Medicaid home and community-based services help make that possible. But a lack of funding for these services and other critical care needs has created a care crisis that’s limiting the lives of millions of Americans.
We need immediate action from Congress now, including:
–Funding for programs that allow people with disabilities to live at home in their communities, without having to wait years to get the supports they need.
–#PaidLeaveForAll so workers don’t have to risk losing their jobs when taking time off to care for a loved one.
–Better pay and benefits for direct care workers, who perform a critical job but do not earn a living wage.
How to Get Involved
Show your support for a much-needed investment in the care infrastructure by alerting Senators and Congressional Representatives to the disability community’s immediate need in this one-click email.
*From The Arc of the United States
In New York State
Continue to advocate for investment in sustainable disability services specifically:
–A proposed Direct Support Wage Enhancement (DSWE) as part of the New York State Budget to ensure agencies can raise the hourly rate of pay for direct care staff.
–An increased Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for disability providers to reduce financial pressures, from utilities to mandated fringe benefits.
How to Get Involved
Share your support with state representatives, here.
Share our social media posts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram) tagged with #CareCantWait
Learn more about 2023 legislative priorities.
*From The Arc New York and CP State