That's why the Virginia Association of Personal Care Assistants put out the call to PCAs and allies to tell our elected officials NOT to eliminate cost-effective consumer-directed home care. And you answered that call!

Within hours, VAPCA members had made hundreds of phone calls and sent hundreds of e-mails to legislators telling them why consumer-directed home care is good for Virginia families and tax-payers.

And our elected officials listened! On Sunday, February 21, both the state House and Senate announced their budgets, rejecting the Governor's proposal to eliminate consumer-directed home care.

You spoke out and your voice was heard! While there is much we still need to fight for, now is the time to say "Thank You" to our elected officials.

Please call your Delegate and Senator and tell them "Thank you for supporting cost-effective consumer-directed home care."

To learn who your legislators are, and how to contact them, please visit: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

WTVR - Channel 6 in Richmond profiles VAPCA members, the Rice family, and how proposed cuts to consumer-directed home care will affect their daughter and their lives.

Click here to watch this moving tribute to families and the power of home care.

As cuts to state health-care services loom, advocates are urging lawmakers to consider the individual and economic impact.

A rally yesterday at Capitol Square drew dozens of people worried about jobs and the human costs of cutting programs such as those that provide personal assistance to people with disabilities. Read more here.

VAPCA member Julia Newton is profiled by the Virginian-Pilot in this article, which puts a human face on the proposed devastating cuts to Home and Community-Based Waivers.

The budget reductions are doubly difficult for Norfolk resident Julia Newton, who has a 26-year-old son on the waiting list for a waiver for the mentally disabled. Newton also works as a personal care assistant for others who already have the waiver. Her pay will be cut by 5 percent under the proposed budget cuts, and she also worries the drop in respite care hours will result in less work for her. Read more - and see photos of Julia's family - by clicking here

January 26 - Over 100 Personal Care Assistants, older adults, people with disabilities and community allies travelled from across Virginia to be in Richmond to rally at the state capitol in support of quality, cost-effective home care. They united with VAPCA and spoke out against proposed cuts to home care programs; cuts which would cost taxpayers more money and which would hurt families. Teams of PCAs and allies visited every legislator in the General Assembly, sharing information on how home care saves the state money.

VAPCA members and allies also celebrated and strategized at the annual "Quality Home Care" Dinner on January 25^th. Personal Care Assistants and consumers heard from VAPCA leaders, community supporters and legislators about the importance of sharing our stories with our elected officials.

We took to the Capitol and our voices were heard! But our work isn't over yet. Our elected officials are still debating the proposed budget. They are even debating whether or not to make MORE cuts to our pay, hours and the care our loved ones receive.

Take action today! Contact your legislators and tell them:

Restore the 5% pay cut to Personal Care Assistants!

Restore the Respite Hours!

Restore the Waiver Slots!

To learn who your legislators are, and how to contact them, please visit: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

See more photos from Whole Community Day: 

To reserve your spot at these great events, call Jennifer ASAP at 804-787-3857.

1) Annual VAPCA Dinner and Strategy Session (with Karaoke Fun after!)

All PCAs, consumers and friends and family are invited to join us for great food and great company at the annual VAPCA Dinner. We'll eat, discuss how best to talk to our elected officials about home care, and - after dinner - we'll karaoke until late in the night!

Date: Monday, January 25th

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: Holiday Inn in Richmond 

2000 Staples Mill Rd (near corner of Broad St & Staples Mill)

Limited Hotel rooms will be available for Members travelling to Richmond from far away.

2) "Whole Community Day" at the General Assembly

PCAs, consumers and allies - the "Whole Community" - will go the state capital together to talk directly to our elected officials about stopping cuts to home care. Free Lunch will be provided after.

Date: Tuesday, January 26th

Time: 8:00 am SHARP

NOTE: We will meet at the Hotel, where there will be free parking, and then carpool over to the General Assembly Building to meet with our elected officials. At noon we will enjoy lunch together in the Capitol

Remember: Wear your VAPCA t-shirts!

Marie Jah, a PCA from Alexandria, waited in long lines in the cold to testify at the Fairfax Budget Hearing on January 8th. "I've been a home care worker for 37 years, and I've helped over 100 people," said Mrs. Jah. "I'm speaking out today because these cuts will affect me financially, and will also affect the care that I give my consumers. But if we unite, we can succeed in stopping these cuts."

To read more about the Budget Hearings, click on our "Newsroom" page to see how the media covered our efforts!

And check out these great photos of VAPCA members from Budget Hearings across the Commonwealth of Virginia:

PCAs and consumers testify in support of cost-effective Home and Community-Based services at the Blacksburg Budget Hearing on January 7th. Some PCAs drive several hours just to tell their stories!

Kim Johnson is a personal care assistant who provides one-on-one care for homebound individuals. She said the wage cuts and cuts to Medicaid rates would force people into more expensive nursing homes or other institutions. The health-care providers currently make $8.86 an hour and cuts would drag that to $8.42.

"It's a much better thing being inside the home," Johnson said. "Families want their loved ones to be at home, and it saves the state money." Read more

"Proposals to cut hourly wages of personal health care providers, freeze waiting lists for people needing special care and reduce other services would force the most fragile Virginians to bear the greatest burden, several speakers said. "These are the people who need the money the most," said Athena Jones, a home health care worker. "These are the people who are trying to lead a life." Read more

NBC affiliate WVIR-TV covers the state budget hearing in Harrisonburg where VAPCA members testified before members of Senate Finance and House Appropriations. The article notes that "state budget writers faced an auditorium full of voters. Many of them condemned cuts to home-based care for people with mental and physical disabilities."

VAPCA member and PCA Penny Jensen is quoted in the story, saying, "cuts to home care will push people into institutions that will cost the state even more." Read more and watch the clip.

Julia Newton: "People would rather be at home where they can get quality care. You get better care at home, plus it saves the state a lot of money to keep people at home rather than to put them in a nursing home." Read more and listen to the story

Click the location for details and contact Jennifer Schockemoehl at 804-787-3857 or jschockemoehl@virginiapca.org for more information.

Thursday, January 7, 2010
Blacksburg
Portsmouth
Harrisonburg

Friday, January 8, 2010
Fairfax

Monday, January 11, 2010
Richmond

With your help, we can protect home care and save our jobs.

PCAs from across the state will attend budget hearings and explain why our jobs are important--by providing quality care at home for seniors and people with disabilities, we improve the community and save taxpayers money.

Reserve your spot at a budget hearing today!