A group called Missourians for Quality Home Care just called to say it  filed a ballot initiative petition today to create “a Quality Home Care Council.”

The group says the council would be “a consumer-led body that would make it easier for consumers to find a caregiver they can depend on through a comprehensive statewide workforce registry, provide backup services when regular caregivers are unavailable, and help improve wages and benefits for home caregivers to reduce turnover.”

The Associated Press just reported that the group is backed by the Service Employees International Union, and that the ballot measure would allow home-care workers to unionize, although it bans strikes.

“The statewide registry would also begin to address some of the loopholes
cited in State Auditor Susan Montee’s November 2007 report that put
Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens at risk,” the group said in a release.

“More than 8,000 home care workers provide the assistance that allows
thousands of Missourians with disabilities and seniors to live at home
instead of more costly institutions. In-home caregivers help with
bathing, dressing, cleaning, and meal preparation and provide other
essential services.

“But low wages and lack of benefits result in a high workforce turnover, which puts consumers’ ability to live at home at risk. ”

” ‘We believe a Council will assist people with disabilities by helping
stabilize the workforce by advocating for improvements to benefits and
wages for attendants who provide critical services,’ said Richard Blakely, executive director of Disabled Citizens Alliance for Independent Living.  ‘DCAI fully supports this ballot measure.’ “

The group says the number of elderly Missourians is expected to increase by more than 70 percent over the next 20 years, creating even more demand for in-home services.

 “The creation of a Quality Home Care Council will help ensure a stable workforce of reliable caregivers is in place to meet the demand” and held elderly Missourians remain in their homes.“

Under the ballot initiative, the Council would consist of a majority of governor-appointed consumers and consumer advocates.

Various state departments, including the Secretary of State and the Attorney General’s office, must weigh in before the group will have approval to begin collecting signatures to get the measure on the ballot.