Please take two minutes today to ask your members of Congress to support legislation that would enable people with disabilities to be supported by DSPs during short-term hospital stays.
- The Ask: Use our email tool to directly ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 5443 / S. 3220.
- The Details: In December, U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) introduced the Isaiah Baker and Margie Harris-Austin Act (H.R. 5443), which would allow states to reimburse DSPs’ time spent supporting individuals who are experiencing short-term hospital stays. This is currently not an option in Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) 1915 (c) waivers, which fund the bulk of HCBS disability supports.
- In early January, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced S. 3220, the Senate companion to the House bill. While these bills do not offer funding, they open the door for states to offer funding where that option did not exist before.
- DSPs are crucial advocates for the individuals they support, because they know their unique needs, ways of communicating, and the things in which they take comfort – all necessary for someone experiencing hospitalization.
Please do not end your day without asking Congress to ensure that people with disabilities have access to trained staff who know them as they navigate what can be a difficult experience. |