Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State
MARCH 13 DAY OF ACTION: CDPA IS ESSENTIAL
Please sign up here if you will be attending the March 13 Day of Action in Albany against Gov. Hochul’s cuts to CDPA, hosted by Consumer Directed Action of New York, 1199, New York Caring Majority & others.
WHAT: Albany Day of Action for CDPA
WHERE: Meeting Rooms 2-4, Empire State Plaza, Albany NY (Meet at McDonald’s at 10:30!)
WHEN: Monday, March 13, Rally at 11:00 AM; Press Conference at 1:30 PM
This rally & press conference will focus on the fact that Governor Hochul’s budget includes $1 billion in cuts to CDPA, in the form of wage cuts up to $4/hour. We’ll talk about the importance of CDPA, the fact that PAs are essential, and drive home the message that this critical work is not minimum wage work – and our workers are not second class home care workers.
All are welcome!
CDPAANYS IS HIRING A FULL TIME PROGRAM MANAGER FOR OUR NEW CONSUMER RESOURCE CENTER!
The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State (CDPAANYS) is seeking to hire a Program Manager to develop, administer, and maintain a new Consumer Resource Center. This position will report directly to the Executive Director and will be charged with further developing the Consumer Resource Center, the Association’s existing peer mentoring program, and collaborating with the Executive Director and other staff to develop a long-term programmatic vision for the Association.
CDPAANYS’ Consumer Resource Center will facilitate the association’s mission, help provide accurate information to consumers about CDPA, serve as a resource linking consumers with CDPAANYS’ member fiscal intermediaries, and aid in linking consumers with our grassroots advocacy efforts. Further, the Consumer Resource Center will serve as a central hub that will allow the association to pursue additional grants and other outside revenue opportunities that will help grow the organization and its capacity even further.
As part of this role, the Program Manager will take on oversight and administration of an existing peer mentoring program, including the supervision of three part-time peer mentor staff, with a goal of expanding the program and ensuring long-term financial viability.
Click here for more details and instructions on how to apply.
DECEMBER 8: JOIN CONSUMER DIRECTED ACTION OF NY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE BEACON TO CELEBRAte FOUR SElf-DIRECTED POWER CHAMPIONS!
Consumer Directed Action of New York, the 501(c)(4) sister organization to CDPAANYS, invites you to our first annual winter gala, A Celebration of Self-Directed Power on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at The Roundhouse Beacon from 6:00 to 9:00 in the evening.
Your ticket includes open bar (beer & wine), passed hors d’oeuvres & stations, entertainment, raffles, and an awards ceremony recognizing four of New York’s most important self-directed power champions: Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Senator Rachel May, Sage Jobsis & Mark Ressl, and Fausto Romero.
Click here for information on how to register & become a sponsor.
DECEMBER 8: JOIN CONSUMER DIRECTED ACTION OF NY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE BEACON TO CELEBRAte FOUR SElf-DIRECTED POWER CHAMPIONS!
Consumer Directed Action of New York, the 501(c)(4) sister organization to CDPAANYS, invites you to our first annual winter gala, A Celebration of Self-Directed Power on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at The Roundhouse Beacon from 6:00 to 9:00 in the evening.
Your ticket includes open bar (beer & wine), passed hors d’oeuvres & stations, entertainment, raffles, and an awards ceremony recognizing four of New York’s most important self-directed power champions: Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Senator Rachel May, Sage Jobsis & Mark Ressl, and Fausto Romero.
Click here for information on how to register & become a sponsor.
CoNFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMERS!
Eligible consumers & designated representatives may apply for scholarships to attend our 19th Annual Conference at a discounted or free rate.
Scholarships cover, fully or partially, the cost of conference registration, meals, overnight accommodations, and transportation reimbursement.
Please share this information with anyone who might be interested.
SPRING/SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES FINALE July 22 at 10 AM: contract negotiations in managed care
Cara Henley, Senior Consultant
Health Management Associates
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 10:00 AM
CDPAANYS is thrilled to welcome Cara Henley, Senior Consultant with Health Management Associates, for a discussion on contract negotiations in managed care for providers.
A policy expert in insurance, managed care & value-based purchasing, Cara provides leadership and guidance on the impact of federal and state statutory & regulatory activity on operational decision making. Her knowledge base includes Medicaid reform, the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program, Medicare payment requirements, and Medicaid managed care organization requirements.
WEBINAR JUNE 24 at 10 AM: Understanding the provider impact of fair pay for home care
A Panel Discussion Featuring:
Friday, June 24, 2022 at 10:00 AM
Join CDPAANYS and a panel of providers this Friday, June 24 for an in-depth discussion on the Fair Pay for Home Care campaign, effects on providers in the home care and fiscal intermediary spaces, and what lies ahead in the future. While it is well established that home care workers and personal assistants are set to receive a $3/hour wage increase over the next two years, the impact of these changes on providers is less clear.
UPCOMING #FAIRPAY4HOMECARE ADVOCACY EVENTS
Friday, March 18: NYC
WHAT: Providers for Fair Pay Rally & Press Conference
WHERE: Outside in front of Governor Hochul’s office, 633 Third Ave NY NY 10017
WHEN: March 18, Noon to 1:00 PM
On March 18, join CDPAANYS, Caring Majority, and a greater group of home care providers, consumers and workers in front of Governor Hochul’s office at 633 Third Avenue to rally in support of Fair Pay. This event is outdoors.
Link to register for March 18 in NYC
Tuesday, March 22: Albany
WHAT: CDPAANYS & NYAIL Fair Pay Advocacy Day in Albany
WHERE: NYS Capitol, Empire State Plaza, Albany
WHEN: March 22, Meet at 11 AM, Rally at Noon
On March 22 in Albany, CDPAANYS is teaming up with NYAIL for an in-person press conference and rally in the Capitol. We will look to meet at 11:00 in the Concourse outside of the McDonald’s. If you arrive after 11:30, you can meet us in the 4th Floor Mezzanine (hallway on the Senate side of the Capitol). The press conference will begin at noon.
Link to register for March 22 in Albany
Friday, March 25: Bronx
WHAT: Fair Pay Press Conference with Rep. Ritchie Torres
WHERE: 1231 Lafayette Ave, Bronx NY 10474
WHEN: March 25, Press Conference at 11:00 AM
On March 25, CDPAANYS will be joining with partners in the Caring Majority and 1199, as well as Rep. Ritchie Torres, at the District Office of Rep. Torres, located at 1231 Lafayette Ave in the Bronx.
This press conference will take place from 11 – 12 and will focus on the fact that Fair Pay for Home Care is the best way the state can utilize the Federal ARPA funds. We especially encourage people who live in Rep. Torres’ district to come!
Contact Jose Hernandez at jose@cdpaanys.org to RSVP!
UPCOMING #FAIRPAY4HOMECARE ADVOCACY EVENTS
Friday, March 18: NYC
WHAT: Providers for Fair Pay Rally & Press Conference
WHERE: Outside in front of Governor Hochul’s office, 633 Third Ave NY NY 10017
WHEN: March 18, Noon to 1:00 PM
On March 18, join CDPAANYS, Caring Majority, and a greater group of home care providers, consumers and workers in front of Governor Hochul’s office at 633 Third Avenue to rally in support of Fair Pay. This event is outdoors.
Link to register for March 18 in NYC
Tuesday, March 22: Albany
WHAT: CDPAANYS & NYAIL Fair Pay Advocacy Day in Albany
WHERE: NYS Capitol, Empire State Plaza, Albany
WHEN: March 22, Meet at 11 AM, Rally at Noon
On March 22 in Albany, CDPAANYS is teaming up with NYAIL for an in-person press conference and rally in the Capitol. We will look to meet at 11:00 in the Concourse outside of the McDonald’s. If you arrive after 11:30, you can meet us in the 4th Floor Mezzanine (hallway on the Senate side of the Capitol). The press conference will begin at noon.
Link to register for March 22 in Albany
Friday, March 25: Bronx
WHAT: Fair Pay Press Conference with Rep. Ritchie Torres
WHERE: 1231 Lafayette Ave, Bronx NY 10474
WHEN: March 25, Press Conference at 11:00 AM
On March 25, CDPAANYS will be joining with partners in the Caring Majority and 1199, as well as Rep. Ritchie Torres, at the District Office of Rep. Torres, located at 1231 Lafayette Ave in the Bronx.
This press conference will take place from 11 – 12 and will focus on the fact that Fair Pay for Home Care is the best way the state can utilize the Federal ARPA funds. We especially encourage people who live in Rep. Torres’ district to come!
Contact Jose Hernandez at jose@cdpaanys.org to RSVP!
ADVOCACY DAY MATERIALS ARE HERE!
CDPAANYS is happy to provide meeting materials and resources for you to use and share with your legislators. These documents provide an overview of the issues we are fighting for, and also inform elected officials about important information such as bill numbers, bill sponsors, and more.
BUDGET & ADVOCACY DAY BRIEFING: FEB 10 at 1 PM
CDPAANYS will be hosting a virtual briefing on Thursday, February 10 at 1:00 PM.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about this year’s NYS draft executive budget and how you can get involved in the fight for #FairPay4HomeCare and other legislative priorities that impact people who use CDPA.
Statement from Executive Director Bryan O'Malley on Governor Hochul's 2022 State of the State Address
“Governor Hochul today signaled that she is aware of New York’s “worst in the nation” home care workforce crisis and that she intends to do something about it. While we are thrilled with this acknowledgment, we also know that the devil is in the details and we now eagerly await the Governor’s budget. Aging and disabled New Yorkers have waited for over a decade for action to address the workforce shortages that are preventing access to critically needed services, and every day they are forced to continue to wait, their risk of institutionalization, or worse, rises. We look forward to working with the Executive and the Legislature over the next several months to ensure that Fair Pay for Home Care, and an investment that fully funds a wage of $22.50 per hour for this critical workforce dominated by women of color, are included in this year’s budget.”
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Statement from CDPAANYS Executive Director Bryan O'Malley on the increase in the "Upstate" minimum wage
“New York State is the epicenter of a national home care workforce crisis. According to national experts, the state has a shortage of almost 50,000 home care workers, which means tens of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities are going without critically needed healthcare services or are being unnecessarily forced into nursing homes.
While an increase in the minimum wage is necessary, the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State (CDPAANYS) highlights that businesses in the Upstate region who are not reliant on the state for funding, such as Stewart’s Shops, Amazon warehouses, and McDonald’s, are already paying their workers $15 – $17/hour. At this point, increasing the minimum wage will not do anything to address the home care workforce crisis.
For meaningful action, we must enact Fair Pay for Home Care, legislation sponsored by Senator Rachel May (Onondaga, Madison) and Assembly Member Richard Gottfried (New York County), which would set wages for home care workers at 150% of the highest minimum wage in a region, or $22.50/hour. This would solve the home care workforce crisis once and for all.”
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Update on NYS VACCINE MANDATES
New York State Department of Health has put out a new FAQ clarifying that fiscal intermediaries, consumers, and PAs in CDPA will not, in most instances, be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to continue working.
Based on the guidance, there may be limited circumstances where FI staff (those who work in the agency) may be required to get a vaccine, and even more limited circumstances where a consumer or PA may be required to get the vaccine themselves. If you find yourself in this situation and are not willing or able to be vaccinated, explore whether there are options that can prevent the mandate from applying, such as direct deposit or other measures.
This decision is only applicable as it relates to NYS Department of Health requirements. President Biden has also indicated he is putting in place different requirements that we are continuing to pay attention to; but, which are not final.
DOH RESCINDS COVID-19 enrollment, assessment, reassessment waivers
The Department of Health has just issued new guidance that immediately rescinds the Guidance Document from March 18, 2020 regarding assessments, reassessments, authorizations, PA health assessments, and other matters.
The document details exactly what has been rescinded and what proposals remain in place, as well as transition timelines.
EARLY BIRD CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Click here to register for the conference!
Register online before September 1, 2021 to receive $50 off the cost of registration.
CDPAANYS is offering a virtual conference option for those who cannot or do not wish to attend in person. Please make sure to specify when registering whether your attendance will be in person or virtual.
$250 CDPAANYS Members (discount code required)
$300 Non-Members
$75 Non-Member Consumer
$50 CDPAANYS Member Consumer
For more conference details, including lodging and sponsor information, please visit our conference page.
Issue Brief: In NYS, Fast Food Wages Will Surpass Home Healthcare Wages on July 1, 2021
View the brief in its entirety here.
On July 1, 2021, the fast-food minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour statewide, catching up with New York City where this rate had been in place since December 31, 2018. For non-fast food industries, the current minimum wage outside New York City, and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties is $12.50/hour.
After July 1, fast food workers upstate will earn $2.50 more per hour than the vast majority of home care workers, nearly all of whom make at or slightly above the minimum wage. Low wages have made it increasingly difficult for self-directing Medicaid consumers and home care agencies to hire workers to provide home and community-based services that empower people with disabilities and seniors to live independently rather than in an institution.
As fast-food wages have risen, home care wages have stagnated, leading to ‘worst in the nation’ crisis in recruitment and retention where tens of thousands of seniors and disabled are forced to go without services or become institutionalized…
June 22 Marks the 22nd Anniversary of Olmstead v. L.C. by Zimring
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2021
June 22 Marks the 22nd Anniversary of Olmstead v. L.C. by Zimring
Landmark Supreme Court Case determined disabled individuals have a right to services within the community over institutionalization
The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State (CDPAANYS), along with disability advocates across the country, is celebrating the twenty-second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s historic civil rights decision in the case of Olmstead v L.C. (by Zimring). In the intervening years, the decision has begun to fundamentally shift the landscape of how services are provided to physically, mentally, and developmentally disabled individuals. Without it, the horrors of COVID-19 in nursing homes and other institutions would have been even worse.
Lois Curtis, a Black, disabled woman involuntarily committed to institutions from childhood, will remain in the pantheon of civil rights heroes such as Rosa Parks or Harriet Tubman. Despite being told by medical professionals and State officials that she must be in an institution, she successfully challenged the State of Georgia who had enforced this arrangement. The Court found that Medicaid-funded services for individuals with disabilities must be provided within the community over institutionalization if desired by the recipient. Today, Lois Curtis lives independently and is a successful artist who received the Harriet Tubman Act of Courage Award in 2007 for her efforts in fighting injustice.
“While this anniversary is a day of celebration, it is also an important time to reflect on where we go next”, said CDPAANYS Executive Director Bryan O’Malley. “It has been more than two decades since this decision was handed down and here in New York, thousands are being forced into nursing homes despite their desire to be active members of their community.”
Consumer directed personal assistance (CDPA) is an increasingly popular option for those seeking to stay at home. Because those who need services hire and supervise their workers, the program provides the maximum amount of flexibility and participation in community activities. However, repeated cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates over the last decade have artificially suppressed worker wages while other sectors, such as fast food and retail, pay more hourly. This has led to New York being home to the largest workforce shortage in the nation, according to Mercer workforce consulting.
Nikki Reese, a disabled woman from the Bushwick neighborhood in Brooklyn, has been using CDPA for years to allow her to live independently. However, she notes that when she recently had to fill an open spot, it took almost three months to do so, and she counts herself lucky. “My workers are very professional. They work odd shifts and overtime to do what is needed to keep me safe and at home.” When she was finally able to hire new staff, Nikki notes that she was forced to do so without taking steps that she, like most employers, typically would. “I was desperate. I had to skim over what I usually do. I couldn’t check references or take the time to see who might work best with me. I just needed help.”
Geri Mariano, a disabled woman living in Westchester, said, “Starting in September 2020, while still in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, I began having PAs leaving for other jobs. This forced me to put my health at further risk as I interviewed potential workers contrary to medical recommendations and the Governor’s own guidance regarding COVID-19. Several applicants who went as far as taking forms to fill out would cancel appointments to finalize, telling me they were offered other employment for higher pay. Many would instantly turn me down based on the low pay wage. Since September I have not had full coverage – even though I was approved for twenty-four hour shifts just a few months ago. As of today, I have to go as long as twelve hours alone at times. Because of surgeries gone awry over past 11 years I am mostly bed-bound and definitely stuck in bed when alone since need full assistance to get up into WC. In 1969, progressive thinking social workers helped make sure I could grow up with a family and not in an institution after being abandoned by biological parents. Today, if New York is to meet the promise of the Olmstead v. L.C. decision, we must do better and pay home care workers enough so they will want to stay in these jobs and so I can continue to live the life I want to and deserve to live in the community.”
Advocates also point to recent policy shifts apart from funding that have jeopardized New York’s compliance with the mandate established in Olmstead v L.C. Policies that encourage institutional placement for those who receive a high level of services would mandate nursing home placement despite a lack of clinical evidence indicating that hours of care can provide a basis for decision-making on one’s ability to live independently. Additionally, changes in how assessments are conducted and the legal appeal rights of seniors and disabled folks in need of services also pose a significant risk.
T.K. Small, an attorney in Brooklyn who uses CDPA today, spent 9 1/2 years in a rehabilitation hospital for kids, summed it up this way, “I had to fight to get out and build a life for myself. I won’t go back to living in an institution. I will give everything I have to make sure New York lives up to the mandate of Olmstead v L.C., because my independence, and the independence of all disabled New Yorkers, demands it.”
REPORT: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON CDPA IN NEW YORK STATE
As part of CDPAANYS’ work identifying and bringing light to disparities and gaps in services related to COVID–19, we issued a survey to collect data on the impact of the pandemic on consumers and workers.
It was widely acknowledged that many health conditions that require long-term care increase the rate of mortality from COVID-19, but the conditions for people using community based services like CDPA did not receive nearly as much attention. CDPAANYS wanted to know how the pandemic was affecting consumers and their access to services, and sent a survey to members in April asking about changes in staffing and access to personal protective equipment (PPE), among other disruptions. We used the results to create a report that we shared with lawmakers and journalists in order to bring attention to the growing long-term care crisis and advocate for legislative solutions.
You can read the final report from the survey, “The Impact of COVID–19 on Consumer Direction in New York State,” by clicking here.
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Advocacy & News Updates
In Celebration Of Judith (Judy) Ellen Heumann
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MARCH 13 DAY OF ACTION: CDPA IS ESSENTIAL
Please sign up here if you will be attending the March 13 Day of Action in Albany against Gov. Hochul’s cuts to CDPA, hosted by Consumer Directed Action of New York, 1199, New York Caring Majority & others. WHAT: Albany Day of Action for CDPA WHERE: Meeting Rooms...
Issue Brief: In NYS, Fast Food Wages Will Surpass Home Healthcare Wages on July 1, 2021.
Issue Brief: In NYS, Fast Food Wages Will Surpass Home Healthcare Wages on July 1, 2021. View the brief in its entirety here. Background On July 1, 2021, the fast-food minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour statewide, catching up with New York City where this rate...