Training & Workforce Development Program, Cooperative Home Care Associates
Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA) is a licensed home care services agency in the Bronx. For more than 25 years, CHCA and PHI have operated an employer-based training and workforce development program that provides free training and guaranteed employment opportunities for more than 600 low-income individuals annually.
Through the Training and Workforce Development Program, CHCA and PHI offer an array of services designed to support participants’ success as home health aides. Shortly after completing the four-week training program, graduates are paired with peer mentors, experienced home care workers who offer newly employed aides ongoing support navigating the professional and personal challenges of delivering home care (at times even accompanying them on client visits). Participants are also supported by case managers throughout the recruitment and onboarding process. Additionally, CHCA employs a specialized case manager for young adults who provides enhanced supports for participants under the age of 25, who make up approximately 20 percent of applicants. Additionally, all CHCA staff are trained in PHI Coaching Approach® curricula—which strengthens communication, problem-solving, and supervision skills—to support a culture of retention throughout the organization.
In addition to providing its workers benefits—health, dental, and life insurance; paid time-off; interest-free emergency loans; auto-enrollment in a 401(k) account; and the opportunity to become a worker-owner—CHCA works with financial institutions and related nonprofits to provide free financial literacy training, support its workers in opening bank accounts, and offer onsite financial advice. Workers are also regularly provided with opportunities for advancement within the organization to fill administrative, clinical, and peer support positions.
