In Washington state, home care workers care for more than 47,000 of our seniors and people with disabilities, despite having little training and no federal background checks. In fact, to become a home care worker here doesn't require a certification test, pays very little and provides less than half the amount of training of that received by a nursing home assistant.

While we do the same jobs as nursing home care assistants, home care workers receive just 34 hours of training, at the most. Many workers like myself are charged with caring for people with serious medical conditions we've never received any training on. Despite the serious importance of our jobs, we are barely recognized as professionals.

Three years ago, the voters of Washington passed Initiative 1029, which would have increased our training hours and required federal background checks. These steps would ensure that there are more qualified, screened home care workers to provide care for the aging baby boomer generation. And it's just as important to me as a worker. It would help me receive the professional recognition and certification we have worked so hard for.

I urge support for I-1163 in the Nov. 8 general election.

Camela Lumbert, Kennewick