City of Madison Common Council Moves to Develop a Comprehensive Response to the Crisis in Home Healthcare in Madison
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(MADISON, WI) On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, the City of Madison Common Council voted to authorize moving forward to develop a comprehensive response to the crisis in home healthcare in Madison. This resolution was championed by Alder Barbara Vedder, who was appointed to the Common Council as interim alder in January 2023. Alder Vedder is asking the Common Council to take the first step toward exploring and supporting solutions that address the lack of available caregivers, which will allow people with disabilities and the elderly to stay in their homes and not be forced to live in institutional care.
Alder Vedder, a person with a disability and limited income, knows firsthand the complex issues and barriers that people similar to her face. One of Alder Vedder’s main goals while holding her role as District 12 Alder was to put Madison’s home healthcare crisis on the map so the more than 18,000 people with disabilities who sought services for long-term caregivers in Wisconsin but were denied last year can remain in their homes and continue to play active roles in our community.
According to the Survival Coalition, about 70,000 direct care workers make up the current Wisconsin home healthcare workforce. In just three years (2026), the need for care workers will increase to over 93,000. One of the limiting factors for having enough caregivers is the low wages they receive. There is not enough funding and not enough workers to enable provider agencies to meet the increased demand for their services. This lack of funding puts strain on the current limited workforce and the families of those in need to supplement the lack of available home healthcare.
Alder Vedder first introduced the issue of the home healthcare crisis at the Disability Rights Commission on February 23, 2023. On March 21, 2023, all alders of the Common Council agreed to become sponsors of the resolution and unanimously voted in favor of the City to develop a comprehensive response to the crisis in home healthcare. The topic will be on the agenda for the next Disability Rights Commission meeting on March 23, 2023.
Two articles on the home healthcare crisis:
• https://www.wiworkforcealliance.com/_files/ugd/5411ca_8289aa61fab847eca…
• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-legislation-home-community-ser…
Legislation Details: https://madison.legistar.com/ViewReport.ashx?M=R&N=Master&GID=205&ID=60…)
About the Madison Common Council
The Common Council’s mission is to represent the residents of Madison by promoting the safety, health, and general well-being of the community, by incorporating the following city core values: Equity, Civic Engagement, Well-Being, Shared Prosperity, and Stewardship. For additional information about the Madison Common Council, please visit: www.cityofmadison.com/council.
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