Wages and Benefits

Visit this on-line library for people in search of solutions to the direct-care staffing crisis in long-term care. The site includes government and research reports, news, issue briefs, on topics such as recruitment, career advancement supervision, workplace culture, and caregiving practices plus training manuals and how-to guides. The Clearinghouse publishes original research and analysis, fact sheets, an annual survey of state initiatives, and Quality Jobs/Quality Care, an on-line newsletter.

The brief reports findings of a survey to assess how many Kansas Working Healthy Medicaid Buy-In participants would likely increase their employment and earnings under a gradual Social Security Disability Insurance offset program. 25% of the respondents would try to work and earn more if this program was available and 25% maybe would do so. Researchers suggest benefit offset programs coupled with existing Medicaid Buy-In programs have potential to increase employment and earnings for people.

The South Dakota MIG grantees have developed this short overview of Employer Resource Networks (ERNs). The presentation is shown to prospective ERN groups and answers questions about how an ERN can address labor issues in the community and create partnerships.

MA grantees hired an independent evaluator to conduct qualitative assessments of consumers’ experiences at two and nine months of participation. At two months, the successes included connections to community supports and services. Identified challenges included developing and managing an individual budget. Successes at 9 months include increased independence, self-determination, and availability of workers and supports. Challenges included community liaison training and out-of-pocket spending.

The following information was presented at the Illinois 2004 Systems Change Seminar. Topics presented included: trends in long-term care, progress on the Illinois Community-based Treatment Alternatives for Children (CTAC) grants, the Illinois Housing Development Authority and how its work pertains to persons with disabilities, and Michigan’s progress on its Real Choice Systems Change grants.

This brief recognizes the issues that face home care workers – including low wages, difficult work, and few, if any, benefits. At the same time, demands for home health care are increasing. This document, written on behalf of the Service Employees International Union, advocates on behalf of home health workers to raise wages in order to encourage participation in a workforce that assists Illinois vulnerable populations.

The US is experiencing a severe shortage of qualified direct-care workers to provide personal care services (PCS). Evidence from a number of studies reveals that wages and benefits paid to PCS workers play a fundamental role in determining the quality and quantity of workers. Read this in-depth analysis of state and local practices that reviews the pros and cons of seven strategies for enhancing PCS-worker wages and benefits for direct-care workers delivering Medicaid personal care services.

In 2003 CMS launched the Demonstration to Improve the Direct Service Community Workforce by awarding five grants and five more in 2004. Six grantees are using funds to make health care coverage more affordable/accessible. Interventions vary in strategy but each takes three approaches: subsidizing employer-based coverage, offering arrangements that combine basic insurance and personal accounts, or outreach to enroll DSWs in public private partnerships. This report reviews the lessons learned.

This report analyzes the costs and benefits of the State of Michigan increasing the wages of Home Help workers. Home Help is one of several programs that provides for low-income individuals who need long-term care but do not want to move out of their homes. The report analyzes the effect of higher wages by focusing on two types of benefits and costs: public and private. The authors hypothesize that raising wages will reduce turnover and improve care, attracting more clients to the program.

This report highlights the work of nine CMS Money Follows the Persons Grantees, with a focus on Texas and Wisconsin. The report describes the initiatives, and discusses policy and design factors states should consider when developing MFP programs, including developing legislation and budget mechanisms for making transfers of funds, assuring availability of services and housing, identifying potential consumers for transition, developing NFT infrastructure, and monitoring and quality assurance.