PHI has been covering the effects of rising gas prices on direct-care workers since early this summer. Now, as our nation’s economic crisis grows more severe, the challenge to these low-wage workers has intensified.
The National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center held a webinar earlier this week called “Gas Price Increases & Other Transportation Challenges for Direct Service Workers.” The presentation included an overview of the problem, a description of approaches used by states and providers to address the issue, and information on related Medicaid reimbursement policies and options. Continue reading ‘Gas Prices & Transportation Webinar’
About 50 or 60 long-term care stakeholders were on-hand at a September 11 reception held by the Direct Care Alliance to inaugurate its new midtown Manhattan headquarters.
Stacey Easterling of The Atlantic Philanthropies praised the DCA for giving voice to “a group that is essentially voiceless when it comes to impacting the direction of the long term care field. Not only am I certain that DCWs have a lot to say, they have important things to say,” she added. The Atlantic Philanthropies is one of the DCA’s main funders.
Direct-care worker Bridget Siljander (pictured), a graduate of the DCA’s Voices Institute, focused her remarks on the need for better wages, benefits, and support. “It is very difficult to support oneself and it is more difficult to also support a family on the wages we earn and with the lack of benefits. We often work in isolation and do not have much of a sense of having a professional community. Respect for the profession and the workers is inadequate… Without drastic changes to the workforce, the availability and quality of direct care will deteriorate further,” she said.
The Hartford Foundation’s Chris Langston described the event as “a coming-out party for the Direct Care Alliance, which is finding its footing. It is mobilizing the three groups of stakeholders, getting direct-care workers to raise their voices, and becoming the organization that it is meant to be.”
Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org
Staff Stability Toolkit
Quality Partners Rhode Island has released a Staff Stability Toolkit that provides “how-to” tips and practical tools for nursing homes seeking to reverse turnover rates.
The premise of the guide is that staff stability is the key foundation to implementing other initiatives, quality improvements, or culture change.
The toolkit lays out an overall method and framework for increasing staff retention, discusses management practices that support stability, offers worksheets that allow facilities to gather and analyze data, and lays out options and advice on providing staff training. It also includes a case study that models the methods discussed in the toolkit.
Twelve Steps for Creating a Culture of Retention
Another recently released “how-to” guide, PHI’s 12 Steps for Creating a Culture of Retention (pdf), offers concrete steps and tools to guide agencies in developing recruitment, selection, and retention practices. The 12 steps that frame this workbook are based on the principle that direct-care workers must have quality jobs to provide the highest quality care for consumers: “quality care through quality jobs.” Intended for use by organizational leaders, the workbook encourages principles of participatory management.
Find more resources on retention at PHI’s National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce.
Seven states will receive a share of over $8 million in grants from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase awareness of home- and community-based long-term care options for people leaving hospitals who otherwise may enter a traditional nursing home.
The $8.3 million in grants are part of the Real Choice Systems Change (RCSC) grant program, which is designed to help states and territories rebalance their long-term support programs to help people with chronic illness or disabilities reside in their homes and participate in community life.
Over $7 million of the awards will be used to develop person-centered hospital discharge planning models. These new models for the discharge planning process will place greater emphasis on involving patients and their families in after-care plans, including exploring home-based alternatives to institutional care.
| Organization |
FY08 Award |
| Kansas Department on Aging |
$1,272,179 |
| Oregon Department of Human Services |
$1,600,000 |
| State of Alaska, Dept. of Health and Social Services |
$1,237,107 |
| Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services |
$1,598,913 |
| South Carolina Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging |
$1,224,801 |
| Idaho State University |
$800,000 |
| Total New Grants |
$7,733,000 |
| Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services |
$332,746 |
| State of Alaska, Dept. of Health and Social Services |
$241,867 |
| Total Supplemental Awards |
$574,613 |
| Total Awards for FY2008 |
$8,307,613 |
Since fiscal year 2001, the CMS has awarded approximately $270.3 million in Real Choice Systems Change (RCSC) Grants for Community Living.
Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today launched Ask Medicare, a website to help family caregivers — those who are family members or friends who help people with Medicare — access and use valuable health care information, services, and resources.
“Caregivers are often overwhelmed… Ask Medicare will be a single, go-to place for help and information,” said Kerry Weems, CMS acting administrator.
The CMS, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), launched the new caregiver initiative through a live webcast hosted by Acting Administrator Weems. During the live online forum, national partner organizations, including HHS’ Administration on Aging, AARP, and the National Alliance for Caregiving, joined CMS in answering questions from caregivers.
The Ask Medicare website will provide links to key partner organizations that assist caregivers and beneficiaries, and present personal stories from caregivers in the community. Support information and tools to help caregivers address common problems will also be available. Website visitors also have the opportunity to subscribe to a bimonthly e-newsletter.
Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org
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