On July 25, 2023, the DC Coalition on Long Term Care sent out two critical letters to members of the DC Council and the DC Health Care Finance Agency (DCHF).
In the first letter, the Coalition addresses the DC Council Committee on Health regarding several key initiatives to help alleviate the direct care workforce shortage. These include the failure of DC Health to approve medication aide training programs, an advanced credential for CNAs and HHA that represents a real steps in a career ladder and higer pay for direct care workers; the failure of DC Health to bring forward legislative reforms to update certification requirements and processes for CNAs and HHA, and the failure of the Mayor to release or act upon the recommendations of the DC Health Care Workforce Task Force, which she appointed in 2023.
In the second letter, the Coalition writes to Melisa Byrd, the Medicaid Director, DHCF. This letter outlines the Coalition’s concerns regarding the low renewal rates, particularly for older adults and people with disabilities and makes recommendations to streamline, simplify and improve the process to reduce the number of District residents who face loss of their Medicaid benefits due to the inability to complete the process.