Action Alert! Go to the State House Wednesday, Dec. 14, to Save Maine’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Services (CD-PAS)!

Action Alert! Go to the State House Wednesday, Dec. 14, to Save Maine’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Services (CD-PAS)! . . . Nearly seven years ago, direct care workers in Maine joined together to speak with a united voice in support of Consumer-Directed Personal Assistant Services (CD-PAS) and the people who count on those services. Unfortunately, all CD-PAS services in Maine are now at risk of elimination. LePage has asked state legislators to officially terminate Maine’s CD-PAS program effective April 1, 2012. Join us at the Maine State House on Wednesday, Dec. 14, to fight back! . . . We are fighting back and standing up for each other and the Maine citizens who count on CD-PAS services. We need your help! On Wednesday, Dec. 14, go to the Maine State House to testify against the Governor’s proposal to cut all state funding for CD-PAS. The hearing will be in the Appropriations Committee hearing room off the State House Hall of Flags. The portion of the hearing about CD-PAS is expected to start in the afternoon or in the evening. Arrive in the afternoon and be prepared to stay into the evening. . . . It’s critical that committee members hear from both CD-PAS workers and the people who use CD-PAS services. Keep your testimony short, under three minutes, and be respectful. Tell the committee who you are and what you do for work. Explain that your work helps Maine people live independently in their own homes. Tell them you take pride in your work even though you don’t get any healthcare, vacation, sick time or retirement. Tell them it’s wrong to leave Maine people who need these services in the lurch. Tell them it’s also wrong to decimate Maine’s personal-care workforce precisely as Maine has one of the oldest populations per capita. Tell them that cutting CD-PAS would push people who use CD-PAS services into more expensive boarding and nursing homes. Yet in his proposal to cut $221 million from Maine DHHS, Gov. LePage proposes de-funding Maine’s CD-PAS program. He has proposed cutting $449,605 from the current year’s CD-PAS budget, and over $2.4 million from the next. His proposals would entirely defund the program, leaving in the lurch every Maine person who counts on CD-PAS services to live independently in their own homes. His proposal contains no plan whatsoever for their care if the CD-PAS program is terminated. The only way we’re going to save the CD-PAS program is by persuading legislators on Wednesday, Dec. 14, that it’s wrong to terminate CD-PAS in Maine. It’s wrong to force Maine people who use CD-PAS services into more expensive boarding or nursing homes. Again, go to the Maine State House on Wednesday, Dec. 14, to oppose the Governor’s proposal to eliminate CD-PAS. Arrive in the afternoon and be prepared to stay into the evening. For more information about the Governor’s proposal and related links, including the hearing schedule, guidelines for testifying and the audio link to the Appropriations Committee hearing, go to the MSEA-SEIU website at www.mseaseiu.org If you have any questions, call MSEA-SEIU headquarters at 622-3151 or 1-800-452-8794 and ask for Mary Anne Turowski.

MSEA marches in Portland

MSEA march in Portland

California Governor Signs Landmark Patient Safety Legislation

California Governor Signs Landmark Patient Safety Legislation Governor Jerry Brown recently signed landmark Safe Patient Handling legislation (AB 1136) to prevent a staggering epidemic of workplace injuries among hospital workers while improving patient care.

"The SEIU nurses here in California have long recognized the need for safe patient handling legislation and this was the year to finally get that accomplished,” said Ingela Dahlgren, RN, the Executive Director of the SEIU Nurse Alliance of California. “Too many of our nurses and other healthcare workers have been injured on the job while moving or repositioning the patients in their care.”

The nation's first Safe Patient Handling law requiring the purchase of safe patient handling equipment and training programs was passed in Washington State in 2006. As a result of the implementation of this law, a January 2011 study found that neck, back and shoulder injuries to hospital workers caused by manual patient handling have decreased by more than one third.

· Read more about this victory for patient care here.

New Maine law mandates better system for home healthcare consumers andfor direct care workers!

Maine Enacts Law to Assess Quality of Direct-Care Jobs

Maine has passed a new law mandating the creation of a work group to review the quality of direct-care jobs within home and community-based programs administered by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.

The law — entitled “An Act to Stimulate the Economy by Expanding Opportunities for Direct Support Aides” (pdf) — was signed by Governor John Baldacci (D) on March 25.

Drawing on progressive and comprehensive workforce development principles, the law is intended to help Maine develop “a rational, equitable and clear framework for defining jobs, administering compensation, designing and delivering training, and ensuring a sufficient and high-quality workforce.”

Work Group’s Goals

The work group is to be convened by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and will include both workers and consumers.

According to the new law, the group is charged with assessing the extent to which DHHS programs meet the following goals:

• Develop a sequence of “employment tiers” including training links that crisscross Maine’s facility-based and home-based care services as well as acute care;
• Establish a streamlined, statewide job classification system of direct-care job titles; and
• Set reimbursement rates that take into account the costs of wages, benefits, training, travel, supervision, and administration with the goals of “achieving transparency and wage level parity across programs” and directly covering the cost of health insurance along with other employee-related expenses.

The existing job classification system is “very hard for workers to move across work settings and up a career ladder,” said Helen Hanson, a direct-care worker from China, Maine. “This legislation is a step in the right direction to solving problems that exist simply because of too many job titles.”

Other Aspects of the Law

The law also stipulates that Maine must increase the percentage of adults who receive long-term care in home and community-based settings rather than in facilities.

In April 2009, PHI testified on behalf of an earlier version of the Maine legislation which would have established a minimum wage of $12 for all personal assistance workers. That requirement was not included in the bill that Baldacci signed last month.

However, the new law is notable for its explicit focus on the fundamental elements that make up a quality job for direct-care workers.

– by Matthew Ozga

Test dates for the Direct Care Credential

MSEA Local 771 is pleased to offer five scholarships for our union members to receive the Direct Care Alliance Personal Support Credential, a $140 value. Upcoming test dates will be

• July 15 at MSEA in Augusta - 9-noon
• July 16 at Alpha One in South Portland - 9-noon.
• Applications are due by June 23. Contact us for an application.

DCA Credential Committee needs you!

In 2011, the Direct Care Alliance rolled out the Personal Care and Support Credential. This credential provides direct care workers an opportunity to demonstrate their work readiness, knowledge, judgment and other critical skills necessary for providing personal care and support to people who are chronically ill, disabled, or dying.

To keep the exam fair, comprehensive and up-to-date, the Direct Care Alliance is creating a committee of experienced direct care workers to review the existing questions and discuss changes to the exam.

We are inviting you to become a part of that committee, which will be getting together for three days this summer. This meeting will take place in Alexandria, VA (Washington, DC metro area) on July 27, 28, and 29, 2011.

You do not need to prepare or study to attend this meeting. We are inviting you to take part because of your job experience. Test development experts will do the following activities at the meeting:

• Describe the history of the Personal Care and Support Credential
• Review the test sections and the types of questions
• Describe the information (knowledge and judgment) the test measures
• Teach you how to write and review test questions
• Offer you the opportunity to practice writing and reviewing questions
• Give you feedback while you are writing questions
• Give you any additional information that you need

The Direct Care Alliance will pay your expenses, including the cost of travel, the hotel, and food.

Please call or email Helen Hanson, 347-563-1193 or hhanson@directcarealliance.org to sign up for this committee or for more information.

Scholarships for Direct Care Credential

Local 771 members approved local sponsorship of 5 scholarships for members to take the Direct Care Alliance' Personal Care and Support Credential. This is a competency-based test for home health care workers that is based on existing skills and knowledge and requires no training. The credential has been developed by the DCA on a national level to meet the needs of the home health care workforce for a professional credential that recognizes their work experience. Please contact field rep Brian Oelberg for more info on how to sign up for the test, at 622-3151 x1123 or email brian.oelberg@mseaseiu.org. Scholarships will be given on a first come-first served basis. The credential is a $140 value. More info on the credential can be found at: http://www.directcarealliance.org/index.cfm?pageId=599

Next Local 771 Chapter Meeting is May 21...

Support your chapter - Next Local 771 Chapter Meeting is Saturday, May 21 at 11am at the DOT blue bldg at 219 Hogan Road in Bangor.

QRS trainings - Saturday May 7

QRS Music & Movement and QRS Portfolio Development (4 hrs.) You don’t have to be musically “talented” to bring music & movement to your program. Join us as we explore how song and movement can support the Maine’s Early Learning Guidelines. We’ll be doing hands on activities that you can bring back to your program. Megan London, facilitator. Cost: $10 Date: May 7, 2011 (Sat) Time: 9 am - 1:30 pm Location: Old Town YMCA, Stillwater Ave., Old Town Call to register: 973-3533 or 1-888-917-1100

Local 771 Chapter Meeting this Saturday 5/16

Local 771 will be meeting this Saturday 5/16 at 10am at the MSEA offices in Augusta, 65 State Street.

Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) Trainings

This Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) educational activity is a 45-hour training that blends online and face-to-face learning. Each of the six online weeks consists of 4.5 hours of instructor-guided readings and activities that participants complete at their own pace throughout the week in preparation for follow up during the face-to-face sessions. The CCHC training is open to registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and physicians. CCHC practice integrates well with Public Health Nursing, School Nursing, Head Start Health Coordination, and the roles of practitioners working in community settings. Questions? Contact: Joyce Murphy, Statewide Early Childhood Health Consultant and graduate of NTI/CCHC email: jomurphy@usm.maine.edu or phone: 207-615-2407

Maine’s Early Childhood Learning Guidelines

Maine’s Early Childhood Learning Guidelines (30 hrs) Maine’s Early Childhood Learning Guidelines have been approved by Maine ’s Department of Education and Department of Health & Human Services. They are written for all children ages 3-5 and are a precursor to Maine’s K-12 Learning Results. Eight 3-hour sessions will include: orientation to the Early Childhood Learning Guidelines, integrating the guidelines into your current curriculum, adapting the guidelines to children with special needs, observation and assessment of young children using the guidelines and sharing them with families. This training is open to family child care, center-based, nursery school, Head Start and public pre-k programs. Cost is $15.00 for QRS participant, $20.00 for non-participant. For Saturday class please bring a bag lunch. Instructor: Hector Sapien Location: Sun Garden Learning Center, Rt. 1A, Winterport Dates & Times: March 5; 8-2:00 pm, March 10, 17, 24, 31; 6-9 pm, April 9; 8-2:00 pm Contact: Gail P. Johnston, 1-877-684-0466 or(207)443-1690 Gail.P.Johnston@maine.gov

Kids Kids Kids Conference - KVCC - April 16, 2011

Presented By: Southern Kennebec Child Development Corporation Child Care Options Resource Development Center 18th Annual Kids, Kids, Kids Conference $50.00 WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2011 WHERE: Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, ME TIME: 7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Earned Income Tax Credit for Direct Care Workers

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit for low- and moderate-income working families. Refundable means that it reduces what you pay in taxes and/or gives you money back. http://phinational.org/taxes/all-other-states/

Free classes on Dealing with Patients with Dementia

This two-hour training is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of information vital to all professional caregivers. Learn: • Overview of dementia and its causes • The stages of dementia • Understanding how to tailor tasks and activities to disease stage • A review of the dementia-friendly environment • Communicating with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders • Understanding behavior as communication • Assistance with activities of daily living January 19, 2011 9:30 am —11:30 am Seely Hall Woodford Congregational Church 202 Woodford Street Portland, ME 04103 March 4, 2011 9:00 am—11:00 am Family Room First United Methodist Church 703 Essex Street Bangor, ME 04401 April 1, 2011 9:30 am—11:30 am Bluebird Conference Room Downeast Community Hospital 11 Hospital Drive Machias, ME 04654 April 1, 2011 2:00 pm—4:00 pm Calais Regional Hospital 24 Hospital Lane Calais, ME 04654 Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter 800-272-3900 Toll-free www.alz.org/maine FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER PLEASE CALL THE CHAPTER OFFICE AT 800-272-3900. understanding the resident with dementia THESE TRAININGS ARE BEING OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE BORMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION. SPACE IS LIMITED. PRE-REGISTRATION MANDATORY.

HHS Increases Total LIHEAP Funding Available to Help Low-Income Families to $3.9 Billion

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of additional funding to help eligible low-income families meet their home energy needs, bringing the total made available since October 1 to $3.9 billion. These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and are available under the terms of the latest continuing resolution. LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs. These block grant funds will supplement two previous releases of funds under continuing resolutions in Fiscal Year 2011. A complete list of funds available to states today can be accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2011/liheap_allocation.html Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, please go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html

Minimum Wage Not an Option for Most Home Care Workers

• This summer, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) filed the Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act (H.R. 5902) a bill that would extend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to include home care workers.
• This legislation would provide home care workers - who provide essential service to more than 13 millions seniors and people with disabilities - federal minimum wage and overtime protections. Home care workers are currently excluded from the basic workplace standards generally taken for granted by most working people - and poor compensation has led to a growing shortage of workers.
• Passing the Sanchez bill will be difficult, but it is crucial. And you can take action today to move the legislation forward:
• * On Facebook, become a fan of the Department of Labor and post this message: Secretary Solis, home care workers deserve minimum wage and overtime protection. It's time to change the companionship exemption regulations: http://bit.ly/a5pF1e
• * On Twitter, copy, paste and tweet this message: @HildaSolisDOL, it's time to end the exclusion of home care workers from minimum wage and overtime exemption: http://bit.ly/a5pF1e
• Read more about the campaign from the SEIU blog.