The National Council on Aging,in partnership with ACL, has announced the next round of states and territories selected to participate in the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center’s Technical Assistance Program.
Eighteen teams will receive tailored support over the next year to advance solutions in recruitment, retention, well-being, and career advancement for the direct care workforce serving older adults and people with disabilities. Launched in 2024, the program equips states with up to 250 hours of expert support, collaborative learning, and customized technical assistance to build a stronger, more sustainable workforce for home and community-based services.
This year’s participant states and territories will center their work in three areas of focus:
- Joining the Workforce: These teams will focus on strategies to recruit new individuals into the direct care field.
- California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Vermont, and West Virginia.
- Well-Being at Work: These teams will focus on improving the day-to-day experience of direct care professionals, including supportive services, responsive trainings, and cultivation of strong workplace culture.
- Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee.
- Career Progression: These teams will focus on building clear and meaningful career pathways, training, and credentialing opportunities.
- Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington.
Addressing the needs of the paid and unpaid caregiver workforce is one ACL’s top priorities. According to PHI, over 860,000 new direct care professionals will be needed by 2032 to meet growing demand, which is more new jobs than any other occupation in the U.S. “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to recruit, retain, and train the direct care workforce to effectively support older adults and people with disabilities to live and thrive in the community,” said Mary Lazare, Acting ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging. “The DCW Strategies Center will support states to replicate and scale strategies that will have near-term and long-lasting impact. ACL congratulates the 18 teams that have committed to work together, with support from the DCW Strategies Center, to improve access to this vital workforce in the community.”
The ACL-funded Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center provides resources, technical assistance, and training to state systems, providers, and stakeholders to improve workforce recruitment, training, and retention.