Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Play

Banking woes send consumers looking for safer alternatives, some Indiana communities resist a dollar chain store "invasion," and a permit to build an oil pipeline tunnel under the Great Lakes is postponed.

Play

Republicans say it is premature to consider gun legislation after the Nashville shooting, federal officials are unsure it was a hate crime, and regulators say Silicon Valley Bank was aware of its financial risks.

Play

Finding childcare is a struggle everywhere, prompting North Carolina's Transylvania County to try a new approach. Maine is slowly building-out broadband access, but disagreements remain over whether local versus national companies should get the contracts, and specialty apps like "Farmers Dating" help those in small communities connect online.

Disabled Community Urges Congress to Boost Home-Care Infrastructure

Play

Thursday, August 12, 2021   

DENVER -- As infrastructure legislation makes its way through Congress, advocates for people with disabilities are urging lawmakers to boost investments for in-home care programs that would allow more people to avoid placement in nursing homes.

Christiano Sosa, executive director for Arc of Colorado, said the Better Care Better Jobs Act would dramatically improve quality of life for people with disabilities.

Sosa pointed out the proposal would raise wages for caregivers, and provide benefits including paid family leave, which will help make direct care work a viable career path and reduce turnover.

"One of the things that we hear loud and clear from individuals with disabilities and families is that it's almost a full-time job just training the new person," Sosa observed.

Caregiver reimbursements have not kept up with inflation or even local minimum wages, and Sosa sees the proposed $400 billion investment in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services as an important step to reverse decades of underfunding.

Congress has remained divided along party lines over so-called human infrastructure investments. Republicans say the price tag is too high, and worry it would lead to bigger government.

Lack of funding has led to long waiting lists for rationed in-home care services, which leaves many no choice but to turn to nursing homes.

Henry Claypool, policy director for the Community Living Policy Center at Brandeis University, said blocking the proposal would be penny-wise but pound-foolish. States are required to accept nursing-home residents regardless of their ability to pay, which costs taxpayers exponentially more than community-based care.

Claypool believes the proposal is ultimately about giving people more options.

"If you're in an institution like a nursing home, you're not able to get up and go when you want, you're totally dependent on when the staff can get to you," Claypool explained. "Most Americans really want to stay in their homes, and this is an important investment to make that happen."

Sosa noted if Congress does not invest in community-care options, the burden will continue to fall on unpaid family caregivers, which historically have been women and people of color. Sosa added the legislation should also boost recovery from the pandemic's economic fallout by providing good jobs for direct-care workers, and allowing family caregivers to rejoin the workforce.


get more stories like this via email
California is home to banks of all sizes, including 36 Minority Depository Institutions and 111 Community Development Financial Institutions. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

The recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank has put a spotlight on the safety and stability of the U.S. financial system. Now…


Environment

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced an 18-month delay in permitting a controversial oil-tunnel construction project under the Great Lakes…

Social Issues

Advocacy groups said they are concerned about the lack of accountability surrounding Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's $388 million proposal to staff schools …


There are more than 7,004 certified nurse midwives currently employed in the United States, according to Zippia. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

The Iowa House has passed a measure to establish a licensing board for midwives. Iowa is one of 15 states currently without such a program, often …

Social Issues

By Jazmin Murphy for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

Black Americans are the most likely to suffer from insufficient sleep. (ChadBridwell/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

March is Sleep Awareness Month and health experts say Americans are not getting enough of it. United Health Foundation data found more than 32% of …

Environment

Environmental groups are seeking greater input as California puts the finishing touches on its application to become a hub for hydrogen fuel productio…

Social Issues

This month marks 160 years since the first Medal of Honor was awarded by President Abraham Lincoln. More than a dozen of the 65 recipients alive …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021