Help Us Move Direct Support Worker Bill Through Congress Urge House Members to Support H.R. 1279

Take Action!

March 19, 2007
Help Us Move Direct Support Worker Bill Through Congress
Urge House Members to Support H.R. 1279
Background
Today, millions of people with disabilities count on direct support workers to assist them in managing their daily lives so they can live, work and otherwise participate in their communities.  These workers assist people with disabilities with daily medications, dressing, preparing and eating meals, getting to work, gaining life skills and handling daily affairs.
Unfortunately, these positions have as high as a 75 percent turnover rate each year because of poor wages and high job demands, putting the quality of life for people with disabilities at risk.  And demand for these workers is growing - hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are waiting for services and the demand will grow 62 percent by 2010 as these Americans get older.
To address these problems, Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act (H.R. 1279).
Status
The bill was introduced on March 1, 2007 and currently has 9 cosponsors.  To see a list of the cosponsors, click here http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR01279:@@@P 
Take Action
The Arc of the United States has joined United Cerebral Palsy, ANCOR and Lutheran Services in America in a national advocacy campaign to enact this bill for people with disabilities nationwide.
Help us make a difference.  Send the letter below to your Member(s) of the House TODAY to make sure people with disabilities get the quality supports and services they need and deserve.
Sample E-mail (Request to co-sponsor)
I write to urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 1279, critical legislation intended to stabilize the workforce providing long-term daily supports to Americans with disabilities.
 
Direct support professionals, often referred to as personal assistants or home care aides, assist millions of people with disabilities of all ages living, working and volunteering in their communities.  Individuals with disabilities build close, trusted relationships with these frontline staffers dedicated to helping them live as independently as possible.
Sadly, inadequate wages have led to high turn over and growing vacancies.  As many as 75 percent of all these support positions turnover each year because of poor wages and high job demands while hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are waiting for services.  Because of the vital role these workers play, coupled with the high turnover rate and growing vacancies, people with disabilities lives are significantly at-risk.
 
The median wage for these workers is just $8.86 an hour - well below the median wage for all U.S. workers and comparable workers in the public sector.  Even pet groomers and fast food workers frequently earn more and get much steadier raises than the workers supporting people with disabilities.
 
I ask you to help ensure that people with disabilities get the quality, consistent supports they deserve by co-sponsoring H.R. 1279, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2007.  This bill, introduced by Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE)  will provide states with the necessary funds to give private direct support workers assisting people with disabilities more appropriate compensation.