A live event to expose the neglect toward Community Attendants and persons with disabilities trying to live in the community by the State of Texas.
WHERE: Facebook Live: https://fb.me/e/1TDXRFvUa
DATE & TIME: Friday, February 12, 2021 5pm CST, 4pm MNT
WHAT: Captivating testimony by Community Attendants and persons who use attendant services, related to neglect from their employers to protect them from COVID, low wages received by Community Attendants jeopardizing adequate and long-term employment and sufficient accessible housing options in the state
WHO: Community Attendants, Persons with disabilities, and invited speakers
FACTS:
- Community Attendants earn $8.11 per hour, have no benefits, and no sick leave.
- People with disabilities and seniors, that cannot find Community Attendants are forced into nursing facilities and other institutions, which are more expensive than community living.
- The majority of Community Attendants are women, people of color. Many of them are the sole wage earners for their families, working multiple jobs to make ends meet; often eligible for and dependent on, the same federal and state public assistance on which their clients depend.
- Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) and COVID vaccines continue to be minimally available to Community Attendants putting them and consumers at risk of cross contamination and contracting COVID-19.
“Personal attendants and their clients are intrinsically linked, so it is critical that state officials and the federal decision makers act now! Action and funding for wages, vaccinations and PPE must become a priority,” says longtime PAS user and PACT Organizer and ADAPT member Nancy Crowther.
Community attendants help people with disabilities stay in their own homes. Despite this valuable work, they are overworked, under paid, and now with COVID, their lives, the lives of the people they work with, and the lives of their families are being placed in jeopardy. We will hear from community attendants across Texas about the difficulties they are experiencing due to the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (ie. masks and gloves), low wages, and no sick leave among other issues. We invite anyone interested in the testimony from workers and people with disabilities, who receive home and community based services, to join us. We are inviting our elected officials, media, and the public to join us and learn about the struggles that community attendants and consumers in Texas face.
If you are an attendant that is not able to attend the event at the specified time, we encourage you to leave us your testimony in the discussion section of the event.
If possible, please provide a photo description in your post.
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Los asistentes comunitarios ayudan a las personas con discapacidades a permanecer en sus propias hogares. A pesar de este valioso trabajo, están sobrecargados de trabajo, mal pagados y ahora con COVID, sus vidas, las vidas de las personas con las que trabajan y las vidas de sus familias están en peligro. Escucharemos a los asistentes de la comunidad en todo Texas sobre las dificultades que están experimentando debido a la falta de equipo de protección personal (es decir, máscaras y guantes), salarios bajos y ausencia pagada de licencia por enfermedad , entre otros problemas. Invitamos a cualquier persona interesada en el testimonio de trabajadores y personas con discapacidades, que reciben servicios basados en el hogar y la comunidad, a unirse a nosotros. Invitamos a nuestros funcionarios electos, los medios de comunicación y el público a unirse a nosotros y conocer las luchas que enfrentan los asistentes comunitarios y los consumidores en Texas.
Si usted es un asistente que no puede asistir al evento a la hora especificada, le recomendamos que nos deje su testimonio en la sección de discusión del evento.
Si es posible, proporcione una descripción de la foto en su publicación.
