Pols Win RI Partnership for Home Care Award

WARWICK, RI — The RI Partnership for Home Care recently awarded Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi, Sen. Mark McKenney and Rep. Julie Casimiro at a ceremony Sept. 12 at Chelo’s in Warwick.

Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) received the Thomas A. Lamb Home Care Advocacy Award, the highest honor bestowed by RI Partnership for Home Care, for his leadership, advocacy and commitment to Rhode Island’s vulnerable homebound population.

The award is given to someone who demonstrates the vision, integrity, spirit and tenacity of the late House Majority Leader Thomas Lamb, who the association calls the “Father of Home Care.” Lamb was an early advocate for home care, arguing that patients do better when they are cared for at home, and that home care is the most cost-effective health care delivery system.

“I am humbled to accept this award, which is even more meaningful in that it is named after the late House Majority Leader Thomas Lamb, and I am proud to continue his work,” said Speaker Shekarchi. “As Rhode Island’s population ages, we need to ensure that we have supports in place for our seniors — as well as the people who care for them. We need to provide supports for seniors to age in place and remain in their homes, living independently. A great option — which was the top legislative priority for AARP this year — is creating more Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs. I’m very proud that, after a few years of pushing, we were able to get the legislation over the finish line this year, and it is now law in Rhode Island.”

Senator McKenney and Representative Casimiro were presented with the partnership’s Legislative Champion award for supporting timely access to home care, increased reimbursement rates for competitive staff wages and better operating conditions to keep home care companies in business.

“As senators and reps, we can only do so much,” said Senator McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick). “We can frequently help in getting something over the finish line, but in terms of laying the groundwork and putting together a bill, we must often rely on the people who are committed, like those in the Partnership for Home Care.”

“I want to thank everyone here for being such strong advocates for everything we do in the State House,” said Rep Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter). “Without your advocacy and hard work, we never would have accomplished what we were able to. I look forward to continuing to help home care companies that are trying to compete for nurses and therapists in the Rhode Island market.”

About RI Partnership for Home Care

Established in 1990, the Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care (“The Partnership”) represents home care, home nursing care and hospice agencies licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health to serve patients and clients in every Rhode Island community. As the only association in our state to promote access to quality home healthcare, The Partnership is committed to promoting optimal home healthcare service delivery, ethical healthcare business practices and positive patient and client outcomes to ensure that access to home care and hospice remains an integral component of our post-acute and long-term healthcare system.