We will unite together to celebrate our successes from the past year and to advocate for improvements to Virginia's Home Care system, including a restoration of pay-cuts, respite hours and more waiver slots.

Reserve your spot today! Call the VAPCA Office at 804-447-0734 to get your spot at the Dinner/Lobby Day and to reserve a hotel room (for those members from outside of Richmond)

What: Annual Awards Dinner and Lobby Day Who: VAPCA members, consumers and family
When: Monday, January 23 at 6:30pm (Dinner)Tuesday, January 24 at 8:00 am (Lobby Day)
Where: Holiday Inn, 2000 Staples Mill Road, Richmond, VA

For more information, please contact the VAPCA Office at 804-447-0734

What: Candelight Vigil Honoring Martin Luther King                                    Who: All are welcome!Candlelight Vigil
When: Monday, January 16 at 5:00pm
Where: Capitol Bell Tower, 9th and Bank St., Richmond, VA

For more information, please contact the VAPCA Office at 804-447-0734

Community allies, older adults and people with disabilities joined VAPCA members to call on legislators to restore the Governor's proposed cuts to pay rates, hours and waiver slots.

"I make just $11.46. I don't have health insurance. I don't have sick days. I don't have vacation days. I don't have a pension," said Home Care provider Vellon Harris of Arlington. "At a time when the Governor is giving tax-breaks for millionairs to buy yachts, is this really how we want to treat those who care for our seniors and people with disabilities?"
 
Julia Newton, a Home Care provider and mother of a consumer from Norfolk, testified: "My son was on the waiting list for 10 years. This July he finally got a waiver, but there are other families still waiting. I'm here today advocating for all families."
 
To see media coverage, watch the Channel 6 story here: http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-virginia-budget-hearings-arc-of-virginia-larrick-student-center-senator-henry-marsh-deborah-greene-intellectual-disabilities-in-virginia-20120106,0,2746742.story

And read the Daily Press story, which features VAPCA Member Alexis Edwards, here: http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-virginia-budget-hearings-arc-of-virginia-larrick-student-center-senator-henry-marsh-deborah-greene-intellectual-disabilities-in-virginia-20120106,0,2746742.story

Up next: Home Care advocates are heading to Richmond to make their voices heard during the 2012 General Assembly session, which begins on January 11. For more information about upcoming events - including the January 16th Martin Luther King Jr. Day Vigil and the January 23-24 Lobby Day - please contact the VAPCA office ay 804-447-0734.

Every year, Home Care providers, consumers and allies attend state budget hearings across the Commonwealth to fight for Home Care funding . We unite together to tell our elected officials how Home Care keeps people with disabilities and older adults in their homes while also saving the state money. And it works! In recent years, thanks to the efforts of great advocates like you, we've helped win a raise for providers and have saved the program from elimination.

But 2012 is not just another year. It will take everything we have to restore the cuts that the General Assembly made to Home Care earlier this year, including a 1% pay-cut for providers and a cut of 240 hours of much-needed respite care for consumers. 

Join us at the Hearing closest to you! For the full list of Budget Hearings, see below:

Northern Virginia (Fairfax)
Friday, January 6th at 9:00 AM (Speakers sign-up at 6 am)
George Mason University, Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

Richmond-Area (Richmond)
Friday, January 6th at 10:00 AM (speakers sign-up at 8 am)
Medical College of Virginia, Larrick Student Center
900 Turpin Street (Near 9th & 01th Streets downtown)
Richmond, VA

Hampton Roads (Newport News)
Friday, January 6th at 10:00 AM
Christopher Newport University, Ferguson Center, Music and Theater Hall 1 University Place, Newport News, VA

Central Virginia (Lexington)
Friday, January 6th at 10:00 AM
Virginia Military Institute
Marshall Center for Leadership and Ethics, Hall of Valor
512 Letcher Avenue, Lexington, Virginia

Southwest Virginia (Big Stone Gap)
Thursday, January 5th at 9:00 am
Mountain Empire Community College, Goodloe Center
3441 Mountain Empire Road, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219

VAPCA members were joined by Local 5's Fairfax County Employee members and Loudoun County Employee members to stand together in support of quality public services, living wages and health care for all Virginians.

This November, voters across Virginia will go to the polls to vote for all 100 state House members and all 40 state Senators. These legislators are the ones who make decisions about Home Care funding, pay, hours and benefits.

To get involved in VAPCA's 2011 Election efforts, contact our Richmond office at 804-447-0734.

Want to find out more about VAPCA's efforts to restore the cuts to respite hours and home care workers' pay? Want to find out what you can do about it?

Attend the Regional VAPCA "Quality Home Care" Meeting closest to you...

Sunday, August 28th at 2:00 pm

4 Meetings across Virginia! In: Christiansburg, Norfolk, Richmond and Winchester.

For more info, call VAPCA at 804-447-0734.

"For Virginia to continue to be a state we're proud of, a place where want to raise our children, we've got to get our priorities straight," said Clark at the press conference. "Sensible revenue solutions instead of just making cuts in services can be a big part of making sure that older adults and people with disabilities are able to live healthy and comfortable lives."

Clark joined with Johanna Hoffman and Cherral Moore, two Coalition members, to write an Op-Ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. They write:

"Sometimes the people are ahead of the politicians. Virginians know that over the years leaders of our state -- Democrats and Republicans -- have made the choices that lead to jobs and a strong economy. Those who came before us made the right choices, and now it's up to us to make the right choices for our children and their children."

To learn more about Better Choices Virginia, and to join their e-mail list, visit: http://betterchoicesva.org/

To read the full Richmond Times-Dispatch Op-Ed, click here. 

As part of the grant, we want to hear from YOU! People who provide and receive consumer-directed services are the people who best know how to imprtove those programs.

Make Your Voice Heard Today!

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and then pass this on to anyone you know who provides or receives consumer-directed services. The deadline for completing the survey is this Friday, August 5th.

If you are a PCA who provides consumer-directed services, please complete the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CDProfessionals

If you are a person who uses consumer-directed services, please complete the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CDemployer

Won't you call your Senator right now? Tell them to stand strong against cuts to Medicaid and Medicare.

Calling your Senator is as easy as 1-2-3.

1: Call toll-free 877-736-7831

2. Listen to the message and enter your 5-digit zip code. You will then be connected to your Senator's office.

3. Tell them: Don't cut Medicaid and Medicare!

What: VAPCA Meeting

Who: Home Care workers, consumers, facilitators, allies, advocates, family and friends.

When: Saturday, April 16th, 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Where: Christiansburg Rec Center (old Lowes Building)

1600 North Franklin Street, Christiansburg, VA 24072

RSVP: To reserve your space, call Mark, 540-230-7897

The budget, which passed both the Republican-lead House and the Democratic-lead Senate, reflects real victories on these issues. The budget will:

● Restore 4% of Home Care workers' pay (reducing a proposed 5% cut to a 1% cut)
● Restore 240 respite hours per consumer per year
● Add 275 ID Waiver Slots and 150 DD Waiver Slots

These restorations will help ensure that older adults and people with disabilities are able to access cost-effective Home Care, and that Virginia taxpayers will not be forced to pay for unnecessary and costly institutional care. 
 
However, we recognize there is much left to accomplish. Legislators capped personal care hours at 56 hours per week per consumer. Though the legislature established an exception for individuals who can demonstrate they need more than 56 hours per week, VAPCA will continue to advocate aggressively against arbitrary caps on Home Care. VAPCA Leaders will also continue to call for a Living Wage and Healthcare Benefits for PCAs, full restoration of Respite Care Hours, and an End to the Waiting Lists.

For more information on how you can help advocate for Quality Home Care, contact our Richmond office at 804-447-0734 

Will you join your fellow advocates and call your legislator today to urge them to support Quality Home Care in the State Budget?

Calling your legislator is as easy as 1-2-3:

Step 1: Call 877-391-3228

Step 2: Ask the person who answers to connect you with your legislators. If you don't know who your legislators are, you can ask the person who answers to look it up for you.

Step 3: Tell your legislator: "Hi, my name is _______. I live in your district. I want you to urge the Conference Committee to pass a budget that adds DD/ID Waiver Slots, Restores Respite Care Hours, Restores Home Care Provider Rates, and that does NOT cap Personal Care Hours at 40 hours/week. Thank you"

The Conference Committee members are:

Senate:
Senator Charles Colgan (D-Prince William)
804-698-7529, district29@senate.virginia.gov
 
Senator Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax)
804-698-7535, district35@senate.virginia.gov
 
Senator Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania)
804-698-7517, district17@senate.virginia.gov
 
Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax)
804-698-7532, district32@senate.virginia.gov
 
Senator William Wampler (R-Bristol)
804-698-7540, district40@senate.virginia.gov
 
Senator Walter Stosch (R-Henrico)
804-698-7512, district12@senate.virginia.gov
 
House
Delegate Lacey Putney (I-Bedford)
804-698-1019, DelLPutney@house.virginia.gov
 
Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights)
804-698-1066, DelKCox@house.virginia.gov
 
Delegate Beverly Sherwood (R-Frederick)
804-698-1029, DelBSherwood@house.virginia.gov
 
Delegate Johnny Joannou (D-Portsmouth)
804-698-1079, No E-mail
 
Delegate Chris Jones (R-Suffolk)
804-698-1076, DelCJones@house.virginia.gov
 
Delegate Steve Landes (R-Augusta)
804-698-1025, DelSLandes@house.virginia.gov

Richmond, VA - Vans of VAPCA Members and allies travelled from all over the state to Richmond to celebrate home care at the 4th Annual Quality Home Care Dinner and Lobby Day January 24th - 25th. Joined by older adults, people with disabilities and advocates, members shared their stories and spoke one-on-one with legislators about the need to restore dangerous cuts to Virginia's home care system.  
 
VAPCA Leadership Council Member Jewel Royal of Richmond - speaking to applause from home care workers and legislators at the Annual Dinner - told the crowd:
 
"We are here tonight because we know that Home Care is the best, most cost-effective way to care for older adults and people with disabilities. We are here tonight because we work hard every day and yet we still don't have health insurance or a living wage. We are here tonight because the proposed budget would cut our pay by 5% and cut our consumer's respite care by 480 hours. Most importantly, we are here tonight to make our voices heard."
 
 
Next Step: Call Your Legislator Today!
The proposed budget would cut home care workers' pay by 5% and cut 480 much-needed respite hours from older adults and people with disabilities. VAPCA has submitted budget amendments - with bi-partisan sponsors - to restore these dangerous cuts. These budget amendments will be decided on in Subcommittee by February 6th.
 
In order to ensure support for these critical amendments, call your legislator today! Tell them:

"Hello, my name is _________ and I live in your district. I'm calling to ask you to restore the 5% pay cut for Home Care providers and to restore the 480 respite hours for Home Care recipients. Thank you"

To find out who your Legislators are - and how to call them in Richmond - visit the "Who's my Legislator?" page at the General Assembly website: 

http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

VAPCA Members pose outside the General Assembly Building after talking to their legislators about protecting the Virginia's Home Care system.

Annual VAPCA Dinner and Strategy Session

"Quality Home Care Day" at the General Assembly

Hotel rooms are available for VAPCA members.

NOTE: On Tuesday, 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 head back to the Hotel for lunch and to celebrate our success!

RSVP: To reserve your spot, call David at 804-405-0866 or Muna at 804-307-7612.

"I'm both a home care provider and the sister of a woman with autism," said VAPCA member Brooke Robbins, from Annandale. "The legislators need to give back the things they took away, like the 5% pay-cut. This is already a paycheck-to-paycheck job, and we already have to pay for our own healthcare... All we're asking for us is to be able to do our jobs."

Exactly one year ago, VAPCA members and allies began a successful campaign to save the state's home care program from elimination in last year's budget. This year, PCAs and consumers are once again leading the fight against cuts to the state's cost-effective home care program, which saves Virginia tax-payers hundreds of millions of dollars. 

"I was very nervous speaking today," said Kathy Cohenour, a home care worker from Manassas, VA. "But I know that each voice can make a difference."

For more on how VAPCA members and allies packed the the state's Budget Hearings, see our Newsroom page.