Podcast # 179: Paid Family Caregiving, Direct Support Professionals & Why Are There Waiting Lists for HCBS... w/Gary Blumenthal

Gary Blumenthal is the brother of Steve Blumenthal, a senior adult with profound autism, and dementia, now receiving hospice services in his HCBS group home in Lawrence, KS. He is a former high school Civics teacher, former six-term member of the Kansas House of Representatives, and former disability official in the Clinton and Obama administrations, and is currently serving as a Senior Political Advisor for The National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals.Timeline of the conversation: 1: 00 Backstory of Gary and Steve Blumenthal 3:25 Transition from institutional living of "3 hots and a cot" to home and community-based services (HCBS)5:41 Civic engagement and voting6:30 Education and communicating with Legislators.8:50 Be educated and to educate9:32 Paid Family Caregiving12:00 Get out the Vote (GOTV)15:38 Why do States have waiting lists for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)16:33 Funding Priorities and Policies to determine funding of services and advocates making their voice known in an environment of lobbyists and money in politics. 17:00 Advocacy and Activism 18: Call to Action: Get Out The Vote (#GOTV) Please read Gary's recent opinion in the Kansas City Star: 60 years of disability progress helped my brother. I fear we’re reversing it Read more at: