Steven Schwartz, Legal Director, Center for Public Representation, was the featured guest for a DignityMA Study Session on September 22, 2023. His topic is Using Class Actions to Promote System Change. Additional Information: Steven J. Schwartz currently is the Center’s Legal Director, after founding the Center in 1976 and then serving as its Executive Director […]
Category: Advocacy
On July 26, 2023, the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disability Act, Dignity Alliance MA submitted written testimony to a public meeting of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight in support of access to public meetings by older adults and people with disabilities. Download the submitted testimony (with […]
June 19, 2023 Dignity Alliance MA supports increasing the payment for PCA’s to at least $25 per hour. 45 individuals and organizations have endorsed the following letter to Governor Healey, asking her to implement this increase immediately. Letter to Governor Healey Dear Governor Healey, On behalf of the membership of the Dignity Alliance of Massachusetts, […]
Report, Webinar and Study Session Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, in a launch of the new DignityMA Study Sessions, hosted a state level discussion of nursing home finances and the need for more financial transparency through state audits and the passage of Senate Bill 377 / House Bill 633 following the National Consumer Voice Webinar. The Webinar […]
March 17, 2023. This legislation, sponsored in the U.S. Senate by Senator Edward Markey, has been endorsed by 21 members of DignityMA. The bill has not yet been assigned a number. Stay tuned. SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Disabled and Elderly Jurors Non-discrimination Act’’. SEC. 2. EXCLUSION FROM FEDERAL […]
Simmons v. Healey: An ADA Class Action Seeking to Compel Massachusetts to Stop the Unnecessary Institutionalization of People with Disabilities On October 11, 2022, the Center for Public Representation (CPR), a national disability rights law firm in Easthampton, Massachusetts; Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), a local legal services program; Justice in Aging, a national advocacy […]
Seeking Current or Former Nursing Homes Residents who lived in room with more than two residents could help this care. River Terrace Operator LLC, et al. v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts et al. Civil Action 2284CV01024 Dignity Alliance is assisting the Attorney General opposing about 30 nursing homes that don’t want to limit their facilities to […]
Avoid unnecessary institutionalization in nursing homes. January 27, 2023 by Alex Green and Bill Henning EVERY DAY, thousands of Massachusetts residents with disabilities are admitted to segregated nursing facilities, be it to recover from medical procedures, to receive respite and care because they’re homeless, or because of a lack supportive services that are needed to […]
The Dignity Dozen The Legislative Work Group has released their initial list of 13 bills supported by Dignity Alliance Massachusetts. These bills will improve the lives of older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. DignityMA has also endorsed a number of legislative proposals sponsored by other organizations. Read this initial document (pdf) to learn […]
*Boston Globe, January 4, 2023Letter to the Editor by James Lomastro Editor’s note: James Lomastro is Chair of Dignity Alliance’s Veteran Services Workgroup. Kay Lazar’s article “Stranded in a hospital bed, with no guardian and little recourse” (Page A1, Dec. 27) brought a focus to an issue that does not receive much attention: the plight […]