Direct Care Workforce

The Montana Medicaid Infrastructure Grant has produced this variety of survey tools, designed to obtain information on the employment of people with disabilities in Montana and assist the State in developing and/or improving programs and services that will enable Montanans with disabilities to gain employment.

Supported by a Comprehensive Employment System - Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Minnesota developed a competitive employment program called Pathways to Employment. Outreach materials produced by Pathways to Employment include: a website, a Postcard on Myth Busters and a Conference Folder with information on employment services and supports.

Supported by a CES - Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Minnesota developed a strategic plan to increase competitive employment of people with disabilities, called Pathways to Employment. The strategic plan describes how Pathways to Employment, through its partners and stakeholders, will work together to build a more comprehensive, coordinated system of employment services and supports for Minnesotans with disabilities. Additionally, the brochure and work plans for 2006 and 2007 are included.

Developed by the Comprehensive Employment Opportunities – Medicaid Infrastructure grant, a strategic plan project was initiated to increase the competitive employment of people with disabilities in Minnesota. The report, based on data obtained through individual interviews and focus groups in 2005, is included. Additionally, the Continuation of Funding Application for 2006 is available.

As part of the Missouri Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, surveys and focus groups were conducted with a wide range of audiences from people with disabilities and their families to state agency staff and providers concerning employment issues. The surveys and focus groups yielded a great deal of information that is helpful in understanding the challenges people with disabilities face when trying to obtain and maintain employment. Included are three reports describing the information gathered.

The Institute for Human Development at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is administering the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) to enhance the use of Medicaid resources in Missouri. This report provides a review of research and the activities and findings related to a retreat to assess needs of Missouri employers and people with disabilities. It also provides analysis of a follow-up survey of 153 agency providers and people with disabilities. Suggestions are made for future research.

The Ticket to Work Panel released its final report to the President and Congress. Included are five recommendations including the idea of extending the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant and Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment program through 2014, creating a panel and an advocate position within the Social Security Administration to enhance beneficiary perspective, publish the final rule, create a demonstration project and examine the impact of changing the disability definition.

This MIT Report offers a ten-point plan to start a statewide conversation on change, a research summary on the role that families play as a "shadow workforce" in geriatric healthcare system, and expert commentary on the issues surrounding family caregiver support programs. This new report points the way for state-level action to support family caregivers and for state-level public policy to improve quality of life.

As part of the January 2008 Monthly ADRC TAE call, Dorie Seavey and Hollis Turnham presented the idea of worker registries. Supporting materials offer an overview of the concept and state examples. Also included is a two-page hand out that lists worker registry websites and offers and example of the database potential functionalities.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated a demonstration project to improve the Direct Service Community Workforce to test the effectiveness of different workforce interventions on the retention and recruitment of Direct Service Workers (DSWs). This report identifies promising practices in direct service worker marketing, recruitment, and selection across the CMS grantees.