You Need to Know Me: Monthly Updates

National Advocacy Campaign of

Legislation

Updates: 2010

April

Hill Happenings

In an effort to help sustain the direct support workforce, the NAC has encouraged its network to urge passage of the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213). This bill contains an additional estimated $25.5 billion in federal Medicaid (FMAP) and an additional $1.2 billion in adjustments to help states with the Medicare Part D payments states are required to make to the federal government. (See related LINKs article in this month’s issue.) Although the Senate passed HR 4213 on March 10th, as LINKs goes to print, the bill will be conferenced with a version the House passed in December. Thank you to everyone who reached out to their Senators and urged passage of this bill.

In March, ANCOR staff updated and discussed future activities around the workforce crisis with Representatives Capps (D-CA) and Terry (R-NE), the co-sponsors of the workforce bill (HR 868). Capps and Terry reiterated their support for ANCOR’s efforts on H.R. 868. Although ANCOR members have been working hard to add additional co-sponsors, the sentiment of our bill’s champions is that health care reform has brought Congress to a grinding halt, with little room for work on other important issues, like H.R. 868. The currently has 58 co-sponsors, so if you have not already contacted your Representative, please do so. You can use ANCOR’s Action Center to contact your U.S. Representative and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 868!

Find Us on Facebook

Online social networks have emerged as a highly effective way for people to share information and communicate. The leading social network Web site, Facebook, has some 400 million users –well greater than the entire population of the United States. Did you know that 50% of active users log-on to Facebook each day? More than 35 million users update their status each day? More than 5 billion pieces of content is shared each week? These figures are staggering – and provide a great opportunity for us to raise awareness for the issues advocated by the NAC.

Last fall, in effort to grow our coalition of supporters and provide a forum to share information on the DSP workforce, the NAC landed on Facebook. We have a page with close to 500 “fans”. In the coming months, we plan to grow the NAC’s presence on Facebook and create a forum to share information, news and stories related to the workforce. We also are looking to grow the number of “fans” we have and invite you to login to Facebook and search for “National Advocacy Campaign”. More than 20 million people become fans of pages on Facebook each day – be among them and help the NAC grow on Facebook!

March

YAI Named Winner of ANCOR Advocacy Award

In February, ANCOR announced YAI National Institute for People with Disabilities as the winner of the Direct Support Professional (DSP) Capital Challenge and recipient of its annual ANCOR Advocacy Award.

Through the NAC, ANCOR launched the DSP Capital Challenge in the fall of 2009 as a competition among its membership to generate contact with Members of Congress in support of H.R. 868, the Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act.

The Capital Challenge competition was successful in facilitating close to 600 unique constituent contacts from DSPs, family members and consumers to Washington lawmakers, helping to raise awareness of the critical supports DSPs provide each day to millions of Americans with disabilities. During the three-month competition, H.R. 868 experienced an increase of thirty-three new co-sponsors bringing the current total to 59.

“Each year, the ANCOR Advocacy Award highlights the incredible work of our membership in affecting change for the direct support workforce and shaping the future of the profession,” said Renee Pietrangelo, CEO of ANCOR. “On behalf of ANCOR, I am pleased to recognize YAI’s support of the NAC’s goal to seek funding and other solutions that would mitigate the worsening direct support workforce crisis.”

As the award winner, a YAI representative will be sent to ANCOR’s 2010 Management Practices Conference in New Orleans, LA (April 11-13) to receive the prestigious ANCOR Advocacy Award and be honored for outstanding leadership and advocacy on behalf of the direct support workforce.

"It is gratifying that so many of YAI/NIPD's families, staff and direct support professionals reached out to their Congressional members on behalf of all DSPs across the country. By partnering with ANCOR and its members, our collective voices carried a powerful message about our most valuable resource – DSPs," said Dr. Philip H. Levy, President and CEO of YAI/NIPD.

NAC Grassroots Activism

A key component of the National Advocacy Campaign is strengthening our grassroots network and engaging a broader audience of stakeholders to advocate on behalf of higher wages for the direct support workforce.

The NAC has been successful since its inception in 2001, due in large part to an active and vocal base of support. Now, more than ever, we must continue to grow that base. ANCOR has launched several grassroots programs over the years to recognize and engage DSPs to be leaders in communicating with decision makers on the workforce issue. Such programs are instrumental in our capacity to effectively convey the need for higher wages and the real threat not addressing the workforce crisis will have on the ability of providers to meet the needs of their consumers.

ANCOR will continue to grow our “grassroots army” and advocate for higher wages for DSPs, but we can’t do it without the help of our members. We encourage agencies to become active in the NAC and engage their DSPs, and the families of their consumers, in this campaign.

Please take the time and join the NAC through our website: www.youneedtoknowme.org. Sign up to receive emails and we’ll keep you informed of current events and ways to get involved!

February

Legislative Update – Workforce and Health Care Reform

While the members of the House and Senate prepare to get back to Washington and tackle the conferencing of their respective health reform bills, ANCOR has persevered in efforts to gain traction and increase co-sponsors for the workforce wage bill (HR 868). ANCOR staff continues to work with Congresswoman Capps to raise awareness and increase the number of co-sponsors on the bill. As of January 18, 2010 there are 59 co-sponsors including 13 Republicans and 46 Democrats.

The NAC Steering Committee met in early January to reassess, among other things, their current and future legislative goals and revisit the long and short term objectives of the campaign. As directed by the committee, ANCOR staff and volunteers will continue to push for HR 868 and add additional cosponsors with emphasis on achieving a congressional hearing on the workforce issue this year.

Thanks to the direct outreach of ANCOR members whose efforts continue to grow support the workforce wage bill – please keep it up! Please visit the ANCOR Action Center at www.ancor.org to contact your U.S. Representative and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 868 - TODAY!

2010 DSP of the Year Contest

Do you know a DSP deserving of recognition for their exemplary work increasing the social involvement of a client in their community? Someone that has gone above and beyond to promote independent living for their consumer?

If so, ANCOR is currently accepting nominations for the 4th Annual DSP of the Year Awards which provides a great opportunity to recognize the work of your most dedicated direct support staff!

Click here to nominate the best and brightest of your DSP staff TODAY!

The deadline for entries is Friday, February 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm (EST).

Direct Support Professionals Wage Study

In partnership with the Mosaic Collaborative for Public Policy and Practice, ANCOR has again commissioned a national study comparing entry level and average wages for DSPs.

The purpose of the survey and study is to gain credible data related to growing wage disparities to illustrate how that impacts high turnover rates and the overall workforce shortage.

Initial analysis of survey results substantiates our claims of a stark disparity between state and private DSP wages, and strengthens the statistical data for our work to increase DSP wages, training, and technology. Results of the study will be available online soon. Be sure to visit www.ancor.org for more information.

January

Wage Legislation & Health Care Reform

HR 868 was introduced last February giving us most of the year to focus on securing co-sponsors and building support for a hearing in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Along the way, national health care reform surfaced as a pivotal issue for the Administration and Democratic leadership in Congress, thereby changing the politics of both Chambers and influencing our dialogue with House Members related to DSP wage legislation.

To overcome this continued setback, ANCOR has had to reposition efforts to generate support and increase co-sponsors for workforce wage legislation (H.R. 868). This involved coordinated meetings on the Hill speaking to Members that have previously co-sponsored workforce wage legislation (H.R. 1279). As well, ANCOR sponsored a grassroots competition, the DSP Capital Challenge, to grow the number of co-sponsors and raise awareness of our issue in Washington. To date we have 58 co-sponsors on H.R. 868, and the pace at which we grow support should accelerate into the new year.

Related to health care reform, ANCOR has been working closely with Senators from the Finance Committee and the Senate HELP Committee on the reform package. We have drafted language that creates a national commission whose ultimate purpose is to examine the workforce crisis and report back to Congress concrete solutions. This is an incredible opportunity for our industry to raise awareness of our priority issues and mitigate the impacts of the impending workforce crisis.

Currently, our language is being guided through the process by Senator Snowe of Maine, one of the key Republicans being courted by Democratic leadership to support the reform bill. At press time, the Senate is debating floor amendments to the bill.

Direct Support Professionals Wage Study

Building upon the success of last year’s research, ANCOR, in partnership with the Mosaic Collaborative for Public Policy and Practice, has again commissioned a study comparing wage data among public and private DSPs (entry level and average wages).

The purpose of the survey and study is to gain credible data related to growing wage disparities and how that impacts high turnover rates and the overall workforce shortage.

2010 DSP of the Year Contest

Do you know a DSP that deserves recognition for their outstanding work supporting clients? Is there someone on staff that has gone above and beyond in promoting independent living for their consumer? Do you have a compelling story to share about how a DSP has increased the social involvement of a consumer in their community?

If so, ANCOR wants to know about it!

ANCOR is currently accepting nominations for the 4th Annual DSP of the Year Awards.
This is a great opportunity to recognize the work of your most dedicated direct support staff!

Deadline for entries is Friday, February 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm (EST). Visit www.ancor.org to nominate the best and brightest of your DSP staff TODAY!