States will be able to improve their systems for recruiting and retention of direct care workers via technical assistance from the National Council on Aging’s Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center.
“Older adults and people with disabilities deserve to live and age in the place and community they choose — and the direct care workforce makes that possible,” NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin said last week in making the announcement.
Demand for direct care workers — for instance, home care workers; residential care aides in assisted living communities, residential group homes and other residential care settings; and nursing assistants in skilled nursing facilities — is one the rise. According to a September report from PHI, the direct care workforce is projected to add more than 1 million new jobs between 2021 and 2031, which represents the largest growth of any job sector in the country.
The Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center is using projections from PHI to help states improve recruiting, training and retention by providing resources, technical assistance and training.
Applications are available now to states for a program that will provide up to 250 hours of individualized technical assistance for up to six multidisciplinary state teams with representatives across disability and aging services.
“Participating states will receive access to subject matter experts, a designated technical assistance coach and facilitated collaboration across state agencies to develop state-specific plans to improve and sustain workforce development and retention,” according to NCOA.
Additionally, applications are open for “direct care workforce state peer-learning collaboratives” through which states collaborate in groups made up of four to six states each to discuss strategies for boosting the direct care workforce.
“Each learning collaborative will focus on a unique topic. The working groups will hold monthly meetings focused on group learning, information sharing, and developing best practices,” according to NCOA.
Lastly, the center is hosting its first in a series of webinars March 11 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time. Federal and NCOA leadership will discuss the initiative and how states can benefit from technical assistance opportunities.
