Direct Care Workforce

This cross-disability synthesis white paper presents an overview of direct service workforce (DSW) challenges and practices across sectors and provides a call to action regarding these issues. Little has been written about how DSW jobs vary by population served. Beyond demographics and challenges, the authors also examine the development of different service models, promising practices and areas for planning and action. The appendix catalogs core competencies for each group.

Find answers to your questions about FMS. The Cash & Counseling National Program Office originally presented this overview during a technical assistance call. It defines self-direction and reviews the duties of FMS agencies and issues in the field. Among these are definitions of services and employee categories, types of FMS, tax and labor laws, costs, and funding models.

This report presents findings of a national review—or environmental scan—of caregiver training programs and curricula, conducted by the International Longevity Center (ILC) as an initiative of the Caregiving Project for Older Americans, a joint project of the ILC and the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education.

This report provides an overview of the activities of n4a, in partnership with AoA and CMS, and the contracts provided to 31 community-based organizations to implement community-based low-income subsidy enrollment campaigns. It contains helpful information on outreach techniques, including how to reach specific populations, including low income and rural groups.

The goal of Rewarding Work is to give people who need support with daily activities choice and control in finding personal assistants. So far, the site has partnered with five states in the Northeast. The searchable database can be used by both people looking to hire help and job seekers. The attached news release describes a special connection these services made possible - the example, a 14-year-old with severe disabilities, and a nursing student looking for a work as PCA.

Check to ensure that your providers are eligible to receive Medicaid funds. Bases for exclusion include convictions for program-related fraud and patient abuse, licensing board actions and default on Health Education Assistance Loans. States cannot be reimbursed with Federal Medicaid dollars for any item or service furnished, ordered, or prescribed by individuals or entities on this list. Further, no payment will be made for services or products from providers that employ someone on this list.

What curricula are used to train paid and unpaid individuals caring for older adults in the home? The authors conducted a 4-month search to identify and categorize existing curricula nationwide. It was used as a discussion primer for a March 2007 conference that sought to discuss specialized vs. comprehensive training models, standards, and possible credentialing for caregivers and training programs. Contact information for the curricula discussed is provided.

What significance does employment hold for women with disabilities? What is known and unknown about these women? This issue of “Impact” answers these questions with articles by women with disabilities and researchers. Issues covered include self-employment, mentoring, transition planning, disparities across ethnic groups, and career development. Several women with disabilities who are successful artists, scientists, educators and entrepreneurs are profiled.

Investing in the workforce has more benefits than improving the quality of care. The long-term care industry employs more people than nearly any other in the U.S. Direct-care jobs are the employment core of this industry and are among the nation’s fastest-growing occupations. Improving the quality of these jobs is not only vital to our social infrastructure, but has the potential to drive economic growth, particularly within low-income communities.

Tips on how to develop successful relationships with independent providers are offered here for people with developmental disabilities and their families. The tool box provides advice around establishing relationships and expectations, recruiting and hiring workers, and problem solving.