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Take Action to Prevent Service Cuts and Protect Consumer-Directed Programs as New Home Care Rule Takes Effect

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September 29, 2015 –ÌýThe United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last month upheld a Department of Labor regulation governing home care services for people with disabilities and seniors.ÌýUnless the U.S. Supreme Court takes action, which legal scholars believe is unlikely, the home care rule will become effective in mid-October. This new rule may impact some of your state’s long-term care programs, particularly “consumer-directed” programs where the person receiving services can hire his or her own worker (oftentimes family or close friends) and can direct the care the worker provides.

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People with disabilities, seniors and advocates must be knowledgeable about this rule and advocate to ensure your state implements this rule in a way that helps consumers and the important workers who provide services to them and does not cause unintended harms, such as cuts to services, dismantling of programs that allow consumers to control their own care, or further limiting this critical workforce. Ìý

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The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law –Ìýtogether with the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Association of University Centers on Disability, Justice in Aging, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, the National Council on Independent Living, and the National Disability Rights Network – has issuedÌýAction Steps for Consumers and Advocates Regarding the Home Care RuleÌýand an accompanying summary,ÌýHome Care Rule Advocacy Fact Sheet,Ìýto help people with disabilities, seniors, and advocates take action. To learn more, downloadÌýActions StepsÌýÌýand theÌýFact SheetÌý.Ìý

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Stay tuned to and your inbox for our , and. entitles you to these timely missives.

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John Head

Communications Director

johnh@bazelon.org

202-467-5730, Ext. 311Ìý

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For more information, please contact: communications @ bazelon.org

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