Statement by Ai-jen Poo, Caring Across Generations and National Domestic Workers Alliance
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 15, 2021)—As part of the budget resolution process, the House Energy and Commerce Committee landed on a $190 billion investment in a wildly popular aspect of the Build Back Better agenda in support of older adults, people with disabilities, family caregivers and the care workforce. The money would expand access to home and community based services (HCBS) through increased federal funding and incentives for states and increased pay and benefits for care workers. Those investments would also result in the creation of over a million good jobs directly benefiting women and women of color. The proposed amount falls short of President Biden’s proposed $400 billion investment to achieve these goals. The full House of Representatives will take up the budget resolution by the end of the month.
In response, Ai-jen Poo, executive director of Caring Across Generations and the National Domestic Workers Alliance made this statement:
“Voters overwhelmingly support investing $400 billion in home and community based services, and for good reason. These resources would help eliminate Medicaid’s waiting lists for HCBS, allow family caregivers to return to work and create more than 1 million good caregiving jobs across the country. While $190 billion is significant, to ensure that states have the sufficient resources to realize this historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity to support older adults, people with disabilities, their families and the caregiving workforce, more is needed. Congress must follow through and authorize the full investment so more people can return to work and strengthen our economy.”
Background
The Better Care Better Jobs Act, introduced by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and supported by over 480 organizations, provides a blueprint for how the $400 billion investment in HCBS would be spent. The funds could go towards:
- Increasing access to HCBS: expanding financial eligibility criteria for HCBS and supports for family caregivers, and adopting programs that help people navigate enrollment and eligibility.
- Making permanent “Money Follows the Person,” a federal demonstration program that helps aging individuals and people with disabilities transition back to their homes and communities from institutions by providing federal matching funds that incentivizes HCBS in states
- Supporting oversight and monitoring of the quality of HCBS
- Increasing HCBS payment rates to promote recruitment and retention of care workers
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Caring Across Generations is a national movement of families, caregivers, people with disabilities, and aging Americans working to transform the way we care in this country. By harnessing the power of online and grassroots organizing and culture change work, we are shifting how our nation values caregiving and calling for policy solutions that enable all of us to live well and age with dignity. For more information, please visit http://caringacross.org.