Indiana Home Care Task Force

Background

In 1986, The "Indiana Home Care Task Force" claims that approximately 70 groups joined together to form an organization that advocates expansion of home health care services.1 John Cardwell is the chairman and key spokesman for the task force,2 which has taken an increasingly active role in opposing Indiana plans to privatize the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), including statewide distribution of form letters used to lodge complaints against the privatization.3

The task force, which does not have a publicly available website or list of component groups, does reportedly include the AARP, United Senior Action, the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans (IARA), and the Generations Project.4

Cardwell also leads the Generations Project, a small organization dedicated to long term health care policy issues.5 The Generations Project has partnered with unions such as the UAW to increase awareness of their views on health care issues.6 The president of the Generations Project’s governing board, Elmer Blankenship,7 is also the president of the IARA,8 a group affiliated with numerous unions.9 Blankenship is himself a former Assistant Director of the UAW.10 Cardwell is also on the executive board of the IARA11

Jim Wallihan.12 Wallihan is the chairman of United Senior Action,13 a group that shares staff with the Generations Project.14

Lack of Transparency

The lack of transparency regarding the composition of the Indiana Home Care Task Force, as well as the significant overlap described above, calls into question the organization’s purported representative reach, especially in regards to its opposition of the FSSA modernization plan currently in the pilot stage in Indiana.

Only John Cardwell has ever been quoted in relationship to the number of members who are part of the Task Force.  There is no website.  Of the members Mr. Cardwell frequently mentions, he is in significant personal control of nearly all of them. 

Union Connections

It seems highly likely that the Indiana Home Care Task Force is heavily influenced (if not controlled) by labor unions.

• The organization was originally founded as a project of the Citizens Action Coalition, a group founded by unions.  The Citizens Action Coalition provides training services for the SEIU and has union members on its board.
• A main member is the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans, an organization fully funded by labor unions.

Partisan Ties

• A quick search of campaign finance records reveals that board members and staff of the Indiana Home Care Task Force have contributed over $10,000 to Democrats.15
• Denny Lanane of Madison County Triad, a member of the organization, is the brother of Senator Tim Lanane (Indiana Senate Democrat Caucus Chair)
• John Cardwell, President of the task force, has contributed $700 to the opponents of Republican Governor Mitch Daniels. 16

1. 1. http://www.citact.org/hcwhpaper.html
2. 2. http://chestertontribune.com/Indiana%20News/3173%20southern_and_western_indiana_cou.htm
3. 3. http://hoosieraccess.com/files/2008/10/home-care-front.jpg ; http://hoosieraccess.com/files/2008/10/home-care-back.jpg
4. 4. http://www.kokomoperspective.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=6943&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1
5. 5. http://www.generationsproject.org/staff/
6. 6. http://www.generationsproject.org/press/release01072003.pdf
7. 7. http://www.generationsproject.org/events/
8. 8. http://web.mac.com/soar3/IARA/IARA.html
9. 9. http://www.retiredamericans.org/ht/d/sp/i/334/pid/334
10. 10. http://www.uaw.org/solidarity/07/1207/uf06.php
11. 11. http://web.mac.com/soar3/IARA/Executive_Board.html
12. 12. Ibid.
13. 13. http://www.usaindiana.org/index.cfm
14. 14. http://www.usaindiana.org/documents/Advocate%204-08.pdf ; http://www.generationsproject.org/staff/
15. 15. http://www.indianacampaignfinance.com
16. 16. http://www.indianacampaignfinance.com/inpublic/Reporting/ContributionSearchResults.aspx?Type=Only