PHInational.org

Susan Misiorski

PHI National Director of Training and Organizational Development Susan Misiorski will lead a seminar entitled “Change Management: Leading through Resistance” at the 2011 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & IAHSA Global Aging Conference in Washington, DC.

Misiorski’s seminar will take place on October 18 from 3:30 PM–5:00 PM.

“Change Management: Leading through Resistance” is a part of the “Leadership and Strategy” track; participants will:

• examine the three different levels of resistance commonly associated with organizational change.
• discuss how to successfully overcome resistance from board, staff, consumers, and family members.
• acquire coaching techniques that can be used to effectively lead teams through change initiatives.

Misiorski, the founding president of the Pioneer Network Board of Directors, manages PHI’s organizational development work with nursing homes and home care agencies across the country.

She has been instrumental in helping client organizations understand that there is no single “starting place” when it comes to culture change.

– by Deane Beebe

On September 21, hundreds of individuals with disabilities, families, direct-care workers, older adults, and others whose livelihoods depend on Medicaid gathered on the West lawn of the U.S. Capitol to rally against cuts to Medicaid.

They chanted “My Medicaid Matters,” drawing curious staff and lawmakers out onto Capitol balconies.

Rally speakers included advocates, Medicaid beneficiaries, direct-care workers, and six members of Congress. They emphasized that Medicaid is important for independence, health, families, and direct-care jobs.

The rally’s target was the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (pdf), or the “Super Committee,” which was created by the Budget Control Act enacted in August. The committee is tasked with finding at least $1.5 trillion in additional federal deficit reduction through spending cuts or revenue increases by November 23.

Earlier this week, President Obama released his proposal for deficit reduction (1.5 MB pdf), which includes $72 billion in cuts to Medicaid, as well as tax changes estimated to raise $1.5 trillion in revenue over 10 years.

Speaking at the rally, Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) applauded rally-goers for their dedication to defending Medicaid.

Each of the lawmakers voiced their support for protecting Medicaid from cuts and stressed the need to raise revenue as part of the solution for reducing the deficit.

The rally was sponsored by 84 national organizations working on behalf of people with disabilities, older adults, and direct-care workers, including PHI.

PHI National Policy Analyst Gail MacInnes attended the event. “It was inspiring seeing such a diversity of organizations and individuals all unite to defend a government program that has done so much to support millions of American families,” she said.

– by the PHI Policy team

On Wednesday, September 21, thousands of advocates are expected to converge on Capitol Hill to rally in support of the Medicaid program.

Nearly 60 organizations, including PHI, are sponsoring the event to let Congress know that Medicaid:

• supports long-term care costs for adults and children with disabilities;
• funds millions of direct-care jobs; and
• pays for vital services that allow elders to remain in their homes and communities.

The congressional “Super Committee” is tasked with proposing $1.5 trillion in federal budget cuts and will likely focus on Medicaid.

PHI’s new fact sheet, “Medicaid Matters…in Super Committee Deficit Reduction Deliberations,” (pdf), explains why Medicaid is at risk.

For more information on the “My Medicaid Matters” rally, visit the website of ADAPT, a disability-rights advocate and a rally sponsor.

– by Deane Beebe

On July 12, in Washington, DC, a national coalition of workforce advocates, social justice organizations, and senior and disability advocates are launching a national campaign to transform long-term care in the United States.

Lead by the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Jobs with Justice, the coalition seeks to build support for public investment in quality jobs for caregivers and quality care for elders and people with disabilities.

The coalition is using a multi-faceted organizing strategy to raise the profile of caregiving and the challenges families face finding dependable, qualified caregivers for their loved ones.

The July 12 event is billed as a national Care Congress, at which stakeholders will share their experiences as elders, family caregivers, people with disabilities, and paid caregivers. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis will address the Congress, which is expected to attract 700 attendees.

Sparking a National Conversation on Caregiving

Following the National Care Congress, local care congresses will be held in more than a dozen cities across the country. The goal of these events is to begin a national conversation on caregiving, our values as a nation, and the public policies that are needed to support a well-trained, stable caregiving workforce that can meet the needs of a rapidly aging population.

The coalition plans to combine its grassroots organizing strategy with a legislative agenda that will be built around:

• improving the quality of direct-care jobs,
• providing better training and career ladders for home care workers,
• establishing a path to citizenship for immigrant workers who want to become trained eldercare workers, and
• support for families who are burdened by the costs of caregiving.

Further Information

The National Care Congress will take place July 12, from 9 am to 5 pm at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Registration is available online.

Among the coalition partners supporting the Care Congress are: The National Domestic Workers Alliance, Jobs with Justice, Jewish Funds for Justice, Family Values at Work Consortium, Center for Community Change, Institute for Policy Studies, Hand-in-Hand Domestic Employers Association, Direct Care Alliance, SEIU, AFSCME, National Employment Law Project, PHI, AFL-CIO, Alliance for a Just Society, SAGE, Alliance of Retired Americans, ADAPT, and the National Partnership for Women and Families.

For more information, contact Jodeen Olguin-Tayler.

– by Karen Kahn, PHI Communications Director

The U.S. Senate has proclaimed September 12-18 to be 2010 National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week.

This is the third consecutive year that the Senate has unanimously approved a resolution to designate a specific week to honor direct support professionals. The resolution (pdf) was sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and had multiple co-sponsors.

A dozen states are also recognizing Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week this year.

Advocacy Planned

The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) are calling on direct support professionals, self-advocates, and family members to “Call on Congress” on September 14 to let them know about the need for better wages for community residential direct support professionals.

The groups are urging that members of Congress support the Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act (H.R. 868), which would amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide funds to states to enable them to increase the wages paid to targeted direct support professionals in providing services to individuals with disabilities under the Medicaid program.

ANCOR is sponsoring a Governmental Activities Seminar and a “Direct Support Professionals to DC” event from September 12-14. The three-day event will culminate with visits to members of Congress on the final afternoon.

Providers are encouraged to bring their direct support professionals with them to Capitol Hill. Registration information is available online.

ANCOR has also provided 10 ideas (pdf) for events and other actions to celebrate Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week.

– by Deane Beebe

UPDATE: Read HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ response to this article.

The Washington Post Magazine ran a major feature article last Sunday that highlighted the disparity between the rising need for home-care workers and the poor wages and working conditions these jobs usually entail. Its author, Paula Span, referenced figures from PHI Director of Policy Research Dorie Seavey about the low wages paid to workers and the high turnover rates that undermine the quality of care.

“Marilyn Daniel’s Reward” (May 10) weaves the story of 91-year-old Rozzie Laney and her 63-year-old home-care aide Marilyn Daniel around a detailed explanation of the role of home health care workers and the generally poor quality of their jobs. In effect, it offers readers, within the context of a heart-warming story of compassion and care, a primer on the field of home health care and the human and policy-level issues that currently confront it. Read the full story