Direct Care Workforce

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.

Who are people with disabilities? What do we know about people with disabilities? How many individuals with disabilities use assistive devices? How many people with disabilities are working? What are people with disabilities' demographics? Numerous resources are available to provide statistical data to answer these questions and provide information on other disability related topics. This website compiles a list of other sites which have disability data readily accessible.

The Job Accommodation Network: JAN Fact Sheet reports findings from over 1,000 employers interviewed between Jan '04 and Dec '06. Findings include the following: employers want to provide accommodations so they can retain valued and qualified employees, most employers report no cost or low cost for accommodating employees with disabilities, employers report accommodations are effective and employers experience multiple direct and indirect benefits after making accommodations.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released it annual report covering the period from Oct 1, 2005-Sept 30, 2006 and contains selected measures of agencies’ progress toward model equal employment opportunity programs, including workforce profiles of 59 federal agencies. The report finds that the participation rate for individuals with targeted disabilities (such as deafness, blindness, paralysis, intellectual disabilities, and mental illness) continues to fall.

The goal of NFI is to remove barriers to full integration for Americans with disabilities. This report highlights the activities in several areas: increasing access through technology, expanding educational opportunities for youth with disabilities, integrating individuals with disabilities into the workforce, and promoting full access to community life. The report describes initiatives, regulations, grant programs and other efforts to improve integration for youth and adults with disabilities.

This report provides a systematic review of recent research (primarily since 2002) while it also identifies limitations and gaps in this research. The report reviews research in a variety of areas including supply-side factors influencing employment, employer attitudes and practices, labor market organization, work accommodations, progression of disability benefits and disability management, impact of public policy on employment, and vocational services interventions.

The Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities contracting with Valek & Co. to design and provide services relating to the recruiting, training and matching of mentors/mentorees for those interested in sharing their experience about rejoining the workforce. Included are two versions of recruitment letters, phone scripts, booklet and flyers. They received 23 mentor applications and 19 mentoree applications. Review the extensive training materials, exit surveys, and final reports.

What are the steps of the hiring process? According to a training presentation from the Alaska MIG program, the four step process includes recruitment, interviewing, selection and retention. The slides cover ways to overcoming perceived barriers and the hiring process. The presentation also included an exercise and quiz.

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.

The West Virginia Medicaid Infrastructure (MIG) is transitioning to Comprehensive Employment Strategies (CES) Grant. The CES grant has 3 major goals: Maximizing employment for people with disabilities, Increasing the state’s labor force through the inclusion of people with disabilities, Protecting and enhancing workers’ healthcare, other benefits and needed supports. Review the presentation and overview of their strategic plan including a comprehensive workforce infrastructure.