Wages Adjusted for Inflation: Over the past decade, inflation-adjusted median hourly wages for Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants in Virginia increased by 15 percent, from $7.75 to $8.93. Real wages for Personal Care Aides and Home Health Aides have remained virtually unchanged over the same time period.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance: Compared to the national civilian workforce, fewer of Virginia’s direct-care workers have access to and use employer-sponsored insurance. Some work for employers that do not offer health insurance. Others work for employers that limit eligibility for health insurance to full-time employees. This creates a barrier for many direct-care workers, especially those in home and community-based settings, who often work only part-time due to the episodic nature of direct-care work. Even workers who do have access to insurance from their employer may find the co-pays and premiums unaffordable.
Guidebook: Retention and Recruitment of the Direct Service Worker: In 2004, with the support of a CMS Direct Service Workforce Demonstration Grant, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services launched a series of workforce initiatives that included collaboration with several local organizations to develop targeted recruitment and marketing materials, a training program for DSPs, and the development of this resource guide for retention and recruitment. As part of this initiative, DMAS conducted a survey of employers and individual workers about their access to health insurance coverage.
Virginia Association of Personal Care Assistants (VAPCA): VAPCA is an organization of home care workers that works in coalition with consumers and advocates to advocate for increased access to quality home care in Virginia. It seeks to give caregivers a voice to improve working conditions, reduce turnover, and build a stable workforce that ensures people with disabilities and seniors get the care they need to live at home for as long as they choose.
Virginia Nursing Assistant Institute: Established in 1999, this institute addresses the shortage of nursing assistants in central Virginia. The institute works to improve training and support for CNAs, thereby increasing recruitment and retention, and ultimately improving care for consumers.
Guidebook: Retention and Recruitment of the Direct Service Worker: In 2004, with the support of a CMS Direct Service Workforce Demonstration Grant, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services launched a series of workforce initiatives that included collaboration with several local organizations to develop targeted recruitment and marketing materials, a training program for DSPs, and the development of this resource guide for retention and recruitment.