PHI - Quality Care Through Quality Jobs

In today's dynamic environment, workforce supervision is more important than ever. PHI's Coaching Approach? to Supervision is a specialized two-day online training designed for supervisors in home and residential care settings who want to break the cycle of direct care workforce turnover. ???????? ??????'???? ??????????: Active listening techniques to better understand your direct care team; methods to identify and address unconscious assumptions; communication skills that strengthen supervision effectiveness; and strategies to provide consistent, accessible, and supportive supervision. ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????: May 20-21, 2025 and September 16-17, 2025 ???????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? - Our training equips supervisors with the skills to provide consistent, accessible, and supportive supervision that helps workers succeed. ???????????????? ?????? at https://bit.ly/phi-oncs

Our Senior Policy Advocacy Specialist, Jake McDonald, recently participated in a key panel at the 9th Annual National Homecare Cooperative Conference, examining federal policy implications for homecare cooperatives. The panel featured policy experts from the US FEDERATION OF WORKER COOPERATIVES, National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA), and the U.S. Department of Labor. The panel explored tangible strategies for navigating policy challenges while leveraging new opportunities to strengthen cooperatives in addressing workforce stability, care quality, and economic security—issues that consistently rank among Americans' top concerns. PHI was well-represented, with Jake connecting with Adria Powell, President/CEO of Cooperative Home Care Associates and Secretary of PHI's Board of Directors.

This week, our Senior Director of Policy, Amy F. Robins, MPA, represented PHI at the Senate Special Committee on Aging reception hosted by Engage: Promoting Women's Economic Security. Amy connected with key policymakers, including The Office of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, and partners from the National Alliance for Caregiving to discuss the critical challenges facing older Americans and the caregiving workforce. Amy also participated in a hill visit with the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities and Disability and Aging Coalition to U.S. Senator Deb Fischer's office, continuing to advocate for policies that support direct care workers and the millions of Americans they provide care for.

The New York Times reports how heightened immigration enforcement is causing many workers to stay home out of fear, exacerbating the long-standing recruitment and retention challenges the long-term care sector faces. PHI's Vice President of Research & Evaluation, Kezia Scales, notes: "If immigrants are prevented from entering this workforce or are forced to leave the country by restrictive immigration policies and rhetoric, we will face systems collapse and catastrophic consequences for millions of people who rely on these workers." Across the country, nearly one-third of America's direct care workforce is foreign-born—rising above 50% in several states. Immigrant caregivers are foundational to delivering high-quality, person-centered care across America, with research showing that areas with higher levels of immigration maintain superior care outcomes and better staffing levels in nursing homes. Meanwhile, America's aging population is projected to grow from 60 million today to 80 million by 2050. Without a stable direct care workforce, quality care for millions of older adults and people with disabilities is at risk.

"We don't know how to measure the impact of people who need care not getting it. But it's not like their need is going to go away." Maine legislators are considering freezing cost-of-living adjustments for direct care workers, potentially reducing their wages by almost $5,000 through 2027. This freeze would make it harder to recruit and retain vital workers, worsen Maine's workforce shortage, and balance the budget on the backs of those who provide essential care for older adults and people with disabilities in the state. Direct care workers deserve fair compensation that keeps pace with inflation. Read more about this critical issue: https://ow.ly/yif550Vc1pG

The direct care workforce often operates in relative isolation, with limited support and little connection to the wider care team, placing them at risk of burnout, injury, and attrition. These workers often lack sufficient opportunities for advancement, increasing turnover and challenging continuity of care for the people who need it most. In response, PHI has developed the Care Integration Senior Aide (CISA) role. This advanced home care position improves care coordination, strengthens support for other direct care workers, and plays a key role in identifying negative social determinants of health, while creating vital career advancement opportunities for workers. A new report from PHI's Kezia Scales and Emily Dieppa Colo demonstrates how this advanced role can improve care quality while creating meaningful career opportunities. "Advancing Care, Advancing Careers” details the successful implementation of this innovative model with two home care agencies and one managed care organization in Wisconsin from February 2023 through September 2024. This effort was made possible by essential support from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

The federal government's recent actions risk abandoning 1.2 million nursing home residents, and the direct care workers who care for them daily, at a time when clear leadership, adequate funding, and collaborative oversight remain essential for strengthening our long-term care system.

PHI's Director of Research Stephen McCall recently presented at the National Association of Counties' Policy Steering Committee on the critical threat Medicaid cuts pose to home and community-based services. With 80% turnover rates, 40% of direct care workers in low-income households, and 1/3 relying on Medicaid themselves, these cuts would devastate both the workforce and the millions of Americans receiving care.

A new KFF report examines the critical workforce challenges in #Medicaid home care services across the United States, finding that all 48 surveyed states report significant shortages of direct care workers and provider closures despite widespread efforts to address these issues through increased payment rates, expanded training, and incentive programs. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eaJevFEE

Our latest research brief reveals that while 81% remain in direct care year-to-year, those who exit follow clear patterns: ??93% move to higher-paying occupations without needing additional education ??65% stay within healthcare, most commonly becoming medical assistants ??White men exit at higher rates, while women of color are most likely to remain With 8.9 million direct care job openings projected by 2032, these mobility patterns highlight a critical need: wages must be competitive with comparable occupations, and robust training opportunities are vital to building and maintaining a strong workforce. Read the full analysis: "Moving Within and Out of Direct Care: An Analysis of Annual Mobility of Direct Care Workers" here: https://lnkd.in/e8CX4vpe