On Friday, January 27th, the DC Coalition of Disability Services Providers welcomed members of the DC Council and their legislative staff to a breakfast at the Occidental Grill across from the Wilson Building. Special thanks to DC Councilmember Brianne Nadeau – the new Chair of the DC Council Human Services Committee – for her kind words and inspiring comments. We look forward to achieving our common goals with the support of the DC Council.
Leaders from member organizations of the DC Coalition filled the Presidential Room at the Occidental which resulted in a “standing room only” audience. Also in attendance were staff representatives from Councilmembers Bonds, Robert White, Allen, Grosso, Todd and Gray. DC Coalition Legislative Committee Chairs, Russ Snyder and Arthur Ginsburg, as well as organization President, David Carrington and Executive Director, Ian Paregol, outlined the Coalition’s legislative agenda as it relates to our engagement with the DC Council. Specifically, the DC Coalition is seeking Council support:
- in securing process changes in the Living Wage Act so that any future increases in the living wage are fully funded with respect to Medicaid and ICF services and are issued contemporaneously with living wage implementation;
- in securing proper funding for implementation of Universal Paid Leave Act to include not only funding allocations for the increase in payroll taxes that will be enacted to pay for UPLA, but also an allocation towards the labor components of provider funding to reflect the additional costs of overtime, training and individualization of services that must be delivered: and
- developing a workforce initiative in concert with the DC Council that connects those persons who need paid employment within the District while also generating engagement from the business community in employing citizens receiving supports.
The support and reaction to this first ever Legislative Breakfast from Coalition members was exceptional. We look forward to more opportunities like this one.