FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]
Care Workers and Advocates Rally at Georgia State Capitol to Demand Medicaid Dollars Reach Care Workers
ATLANTA, GA – Today, care workers and advocates from the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) We Dream in Black (WeDiB) Georgia chapter held a lobby day at the Georgia State Capitol to push for the Direct Care Workforce Data Bill, legislation that would require Medicaid-funded home care agencies to report data on wages, job vacancies, and workforce demographics.
The bill comes after the Georgia General Assembly approved nearly $120 million in new Medicaid funding for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in 2024. While this funding was meant to increase wages for care workers, the lack of accountability means there is no guarantee that these investments are reaching the workforce.
“Without data transparency, we have no way of knowing if this money is making it to the people who provide care every day,” said Jacqueline Lamar, a care worker and member of WeDiB Georgia. “I’ve worked in home care for several years, and I still struggle to make ends meet because wages are too low. We need real solutions, not empty promises.”
The Direct Care Workforce Data Bill would require Georgia’s Department of Community Health (DCH) to collect critical information from Medicaid HCBS provider agencies, including:
- Wages and benefits provided to direct care workers
- Workforce vacancy and turnover rates
- Demographic data to address inequities in care work
“Georgia lawmakers made a historic investment in care workers last year, but without transparency, there’s no guarantee that providers will pass that investment down to the workers,” Chanelle “C.C” Croxton, NDWA’s Senior Director of Care Organizing said. “This bill is about accountability. We need to ensure that public dollars meant for care actually support the workers who make home and community-based services possible.”
Despite widespread support for care workers, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) is hesitant to support the bill, claiming more time is needed for provider agencies to pass on the new increases to workers and see an impact on wages overall.. Without tracking these funds or proper oversight measures, there is no way to ensure Medicaid investments reach the intended workforce.
WeDiB Georgia sees this effort as part of a long-term strategy to organize workers, raise standards for the workforce and care consumers, educate legislators, and build political power for future care policy reforms.
The Lobby Day was a pivotal moment in the National Domestic Workers Alliance’s nationwide campaign to transform care across the country. Participants emphasized that fair wages, improved working conditions, and transparent systems are not just policy issues, but moral imperatives that impact the lives of countless Georgia families.
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National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. Learn more at
www.domesticworkers.org. NDWA is a non-partisan non-profit organization that does not endorse, support, or oppose any candidates for public office.
