The Home Care Association of Florida (HCAF) appeared on WLRN’s South Florida Roundup on Friday, August 28, to discuss the growing consequences of the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals.

HCAF Executive Director Denise Bellville, RN, BS, and Senior Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications Kyle Simon joined host Tim Padgett for a discussion about the critical role Haitian caregivers play in Florida’s home care workforce, particularly in South Florida, and what their loss could mean for providers, patients, and families.

During the interview, Bellville and Simon explained that the home care sector was already experiencing serious recruitment and retention challenges before Haitian TPS expired. Providers compete for workers with hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, private-pay employers, and businesses outside health care, often while relying on Medicaid reimbursement rates that limit their ability to increase caregiver wages.

The loss of experienced Haitian caregivers adds another significant strain to that workforce. For home care agencies, fewer available workers can mean difficulty staffing authorized hours, accepting new patients, and maintaining consistent care for older adults, children with complex medical needs, and people with disabilities.

The discussion also highlighted the human consequences of the policy change. Caregivers do not simply fill shifts. They often develop longstanding relationships with the people they serve and become trusted members of patients’ support systems. When those caregivers are suddenly removed from the workforce, providers may have no immediate replacement available.

Bellville and Simon also addressed the difficult position in which the expiration places home care employers. Agencies must comply with federal employment eligibility requirements while preparing for the potential loss of valued employees whose legal authorization to work has ended.

HCAF emphasized that this is not only an immigration issue. It is also a health care access issue, a workforce issue, and a continuity-of-care issue.

The appearance on South Florida Roundup is part of HCAF’s ongoing effort to ensure that the experiences of home care providers, caregivers, and patients remain part of the public discussion surrounding the expiration of Haitian TPS. HCAF has continued engaging with state and national media, including a recent appearance on MS NOW, to explain how federal immigration decisions can directly affect Florida’s capacity to care for older adults and people with disabilities in their homes.

HCAF is also communicating with providers and other health care stakeholders to better understand the effects being experienced across the state. That engagement will help the association document workforce losses, identify emerging access concerns, and ensure policymakers understand the consequences for patients and families.

HCAF will continue working with the media, policymakers, health plans, providers, and community partners to elevate these concerns and advocate for solutions that protect Florida’s caregiver workforce and preserve access to essential home-based care.

Listen to the full interview on WLRN’s South Florida Roundup.