The Direct Care Workforce State Index, updated in 2024 by PHI, ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C. based on policies supporting direct care workers and their economic outcomes. It reveals significant variations across states in areas such as wage pass-through policies, Medicaid expansion, paid leave laws, and worker protections.
Key Takeaways
There are significant differences across states in both policies supporting direct care workers and economic outcomes for this workforce.
Even the highest-ranking states like Washington and Rhode Island still show concerning economic indicators for direct care workers, such as low wages and high poverty rates. This underscores the need for continued policy efforts nationwide.
The report identifies several policy areas that can impact direct care worker outcomes, including wage pass-through policies, Medicaid expansion, paid leave laws, training standards, and anti-discrimination protections.
