Advocating For Quality and Affordable Long-Term Care for Adults with Chronic Care Needs

The DC Coalition on Long Term Care was formed in 1995 by consumers, advocates and health care providers whose goal was to expand the quality choices of District adults with chronic care needs.

Extended Home Care
In the District, most of the Medicaid long-term care funds are spent on nursing home care. Working with the District government, the Coalition has helped to expand the availability of Medicaid extended home care is for persons who qualify

Consumer Directed Personal Attendant Service
Many people have relatives and friends who take care of them.  However, Medicaid will pay only home care agency employees for these services.   The Coalition is working with the District government to design a program which would enable the client to choose, employ and pay with Medicaid funds a personal care attendant who is not an employee of a home care agency.

Assisted Living Quality and Affordability
To obtain quality and affordable assisted living services in the District, the Coalition is cooperating with the DC Department of Health in the implementation of assisted living regulations and the establishment of a Medicaid rate which will enable low-income persons to live in assisted living residences.

The Medicaid rate has been designed and is going through government processes. The recent increase in the State Optional Payment for SSI recipients living in community residences will help them transfer to assisted living residences when the implementation is completed.

Workforce Development
Underlying all good long-term care programs is the availability of qualified workers. The District has experienced a shortage of home care workers because of the low reimbursement rates paid by Medicaid to home care agencies.   The Coalition has succeeded in raising the wages to $10.50 an hour in the beginning in January 2006. A further increase to $11.75 an hour will occur when the District Living Wage law is implemented.

The Coalition is also advocating that the District Board of Nursing review the current training of all long- term care workers, award certificates upon their successful completion of their training and monitor performance as the Board does for all nurses.

For additional information, you may contact Judith Levy, Senior Advocate for Iona and Coordinator of the DC Coalition on Long Term Care by calling 202-895-9435 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .