Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution directs the Disability Rights Commission and City staff to develop a report related to home healthcare. The resolution does not amend the budget, and the study will be performed with existing staff resources.
Title
SECOND SUBSTITUTE: Authorizing the City of Madison to develop a comprehensive response to the crisis in home healthcare in Madison
Body
WHEREAS, in Madison active people who are influential in community life are being immobilized and made invisible in their homes or otherwise being sent into institutional care only because of the crisis in home healthcare, which deprives both the city and people with disabilities of their mutual enrichment; and,
WHEREAS, over 18,000 people with disabilities sought and were denied services for long-term caregivers in Wisconsin last year due to a lack of available caregivers; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Caregiver Crisis Coalition of Wisconsin, “over half of family caregivers report that their current situation is unsustainable”; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Caregiver Coalition of Wisconsin, “due to staff shortages in provider agencies, the staff who remain on the job are often overextended and expected to work overtime to fill the gaps in individual care plans”; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Survival Coalition, about 70,000 direct care workers make up the current Wisconsin home healthcare workforce, while the projected need in just 3 years, in 2026, is for over 93,000 of these workers to provide care for those who need it; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Survival Coalition, home healthcare agencies “rely upon state and federally determined reimbursement rates that dictate the wages they can pay their employees”; and,
WHEREAS, the current wages of home healthcare workers are woefully low and, according to the Caregiver Crisis Coalition of Wisconsin, “many providers are reporting that workers are leaving to take better paying jobs in fast food restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and other jobs with better pay and/or benefits”; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council recognizes the need for a comprehensive response to the home healthcare crisis and directs the Disability Rights Commission along with City staff and other relevant partners supports the establishment of a working group to study the issue, and to report back to Council their findings. , make recommendations, and following acceptance of the recommendations, will work on their implementation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these recommendations the study should include, but are not be limited to:
1. The establishment of a clearinghouse where information shall be gathered and worked on
2. Connecting and developing a functioning plan to recruit students from UW and other higher level learning institutions
3. Evaluating the ability of offering grants, scholarships or other tuition assistance to students from UW and other higher level institutions
4. Connecting and developing a functioning plan to recruit immigrants and/or refugees from different countries
5. Connecting and developing a functioning plan to recruit unemployed or underemployed people
6. A PR campaign including, but not limited to: Madison Metro bus wrap around ads, radio ads, City Channel ads and other involvement, student newspapers, ads in or through neighborhood associations, thereby increasing awareness of the home healthcare crisis
7. Offering bus passes to home healthcare workers
8. Offering childcare benefits to home healthcare workers
9. Other ways of increasing the awareness of the caregiver crisis and the growing importance of caregivers in the lives of Madisonians
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) shall submit the report to the Common Council by October 1, 2023, outlining a summary of findings and recommended next steps. vote on whether to form this working group as a subcommittee of itself at its next meeting following the passage of this resolution and assign at least two (2) three (3) DRC members as voting members of the subcommittee working group and one DRC member as an alternate member and may shall be staffed by the staff person assigned to the DRC.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group will form by April 1, 2023, and submit a report to the Common Council in six months, and every three months thereafter.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Common Council strongly encourages the Wisconsin State Legislature to provide funds to increase the wages of home healthcare workers and directs this resolution be transmitted to legislators representing Madison.
Sources & Resources
<https://www.wortfm.org/caregivers-adults-with-disabilities-weigh-in-on-caregiver-crisis/>
<http://www.survivalcoalitionwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Survival-Coalition-Background-Paper-2022-Workforce-acc.pdf>
<http://www.survivalcoalitionwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SurvivalCoalition2022FamilyCaregiverSurvey-Summary_100422-.pdf>