Michigan Quality Home Care Campaign Timeline

Over the last four years, the members of the Michigan Quality Home Care Coalition have stood together to protect and strengthen our state’s home care program.

2003

The Quality Home Care Coalition is launched as several of Michigan’s leading senior and disability advocates join together for a highly publicized rally in Grand Rapids calling for more home care funding in Michigan. The Coalition organizes to defeat a proposal to cut $17 million from the Home Help program. The cuts would have slashed services and cut wages to home care providers. Hundreds of coalition members turned out to hearings in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing. T

he Michigan Quality Home Care Campaign and its partner organizations successfully advocate for an expansion of the MI Choice program. This expansion provided thousands of Michiganders – who would have otherwise been placed into nursing homes – with in-home care services.

2004

The Coalition begins to educate lawmakers on the importance of home care and the issues facing the state’s home care system. In particular, a summit at the state Capitol was well attended by lawmakers and their staff.

2006

A campaign to stabilize the home care workforce and cut down on provider turnover by raising wages is launched.

Days after advocates, home care clients and caregivers flood a Senate hearing in Lansing, an influential Senate committee votes unanimously to give home care workers a raise. 

After months of letter writing and hundreds of telephone calls to lawmakers, the state budget is passed with the majority of home care workers getting a raise from $5.15 per hour, to $7 per hour. All other workers received a $0.50 per hour increase.

With support from the Coalition, legislation is passed to create Single Points of Entry (SPEs) so Michigan citizens can have easier access to the whole range of long term care options.