Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Day of Action - Tell Congress Care Can't Wait!

#CareCantWait Day of Action Toolkit

Congress will soon begin to make determinations on which programs will be included within the $3.5 trillion #BuildBackBetter reconciliation package. The Disability and Aging Coalition is organizing a day of action on Tuesday, September 14 to demonstrate to Congress that there is strong support and a huge need for robust investment in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).

Please contact your Members of Congress on Tuesday.  Urge them to include the $400 billion Better Care Better Jobs Act in the budget reconciliation package. You can call, tweet, or email them using this toolkit.

USE these state fact sheets for data on the impact of this bill in your state: 

TO CALL: dial 202-224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your Senators and your Representative.

TO EMAIL: Use the Autism Society’s online action center to email your Members. A sample letter that you can edit makes it easy! All you have to do is enter your contact information! Visihttps://takeaction.autism-society.org/autismsocietyofamerica/app/write-a-letter?3&engagementId=512103t the Action Alert now.

TWEET: Use Twitter to get the attention of your Members of Congress. Find their Twitter handles here.

Retweet on Twitter: Here is a sampling of other organizations participating in the day of action
  • @Ignite4autism and @AutismSociety
  • @TheArcUS
  • @TheLittleLobbyists
  • @JusticeInAging

Use Hashtags: #CareCantWait, #BuildBackBetter

Sample Tweets you can use tomorrow and all month (add your Member’s Twitter handle): 
  • People with autism rely on #HCBS services to stay in their communities. However, labor shortages have contributed to long wait periods that have families facing tough decisions. Tell Congress that #CareCantWait for those waiting on these essential services! https://bit.ly/3ljioDM
  • There are 1.1 million family caregivers in the US that choose not to go to work because they fear their loved ones won't be receiving the essential home care services they need. Fully funding #HCBS will allow for these families to return to the workforce without worry. Include the $400B into the Build Back Better budget!
  • Nationwide, there are at least 820,000 Americans on the waiting list for #HCBS essential services, and most wait over 3 years! The number of people with autism is growing. It’s time to tell Congress that #CareCantWait for these families! Take Action Now! https://bit.ly/2VBncLO
  • People with autism and other disabilities use home & community-based services to bathe, eat, work, and live in their homes and communities. During times of crisis, funding these services becomes even more critical. #CareCantWait Take Action https://bit.ly/2VBncLO
  • Qualifying for #HCBS is half the battle. The current funding allotment for these services offers unlivable wages that continue to exasperate an already struggling workforce. We need to #BuildBackBetter by giving these caregivers access to a living wage!  Contact Congress! https://bit.ly/2VBncLO 
  • Essential home care workers—most of whom are women and people of color— earn on average $11.50 per hour. This wage, when paired with the risks posed by the pandemic, has led to a 40 to 60 percent turnover rate. Congress needs to #BuildBackBetter by investing in #HCBS services! https://bit.ly/3ljioDM
  • Insufficient funding for home-based care puts strain on families to provide uncompensated care or place loved ones into institutions - which accounted for 40% of #COVID19 deaths. A great investment in #HCBS can fix this: https://bit.ly/3kJeFR4 #CareCantWait
  • People with autism and other disabilities use home & community-based services to live and work in their homes and communities. During times of crisis, funding these services becomes even more critical. Pass #BetterJobsBetterCare Act #CareCantWait Take Action https://bit.ly/2VBncLO
  • The Better Care Better Jobs Act will increase the number of individuals with autism receiving home and community-based services, increase the number of informal caregivers who will get jobs, and increase the number of direct care jobs that will be created delivering HCBS. See more Impacts  https://bit.ly/3ljioDM #CareCantWait
  • The Medicaid #HCBS provider infrastructure declined during the pandemic, with two-thirds of responding states reporting a permanent closure of at least one provider. See Kaiser report https://bit.ly/3EfRSni Pass #BetterCareBetterJobs Act now. #CareCantWait




Our Promise During COVID-19: The Autism Society of America promises to remain committed to improving the lives of all affected by autism across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, and will focus on providing information, resources, and advocacy efforts to address these urgent needs. 

No comments:

Post a Comment