The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL) has announced new initiatives and resources to address the shortage of direct care workers, including home health aides. These include technical assistance opportunities for states to strengthen their recruitment, retention, and training systems, a national hub to connect stakeholders to best practices, and a webinar series on direct care workforce topics.

The Direct Care Workforce (DCW) Strategies Center will provide intensive technical assistance to state agencies and facilitate peer-learning collaboratives. The center aims to improve recruitment, retention, and development of direct care workers, crucial for sustaining the impact of the $37 billion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Additionally, the DCW Strategies Center website has been launched, serving as a hub for resources and information on best practices. A technical assistance webinar series will also commence, addressing topics related to supporting the direct care workforce. An informational call on these opportunities will be held on March 8 at 2:00 PM ET. Click here to learn more and register online.

The DCW Strategies Center will commence a technical assistance webinar series on Thursday, March 7, at 10:30 AM ET. This series will explore various topics concerning the enhancement and support of the direct care workforce. In the inaugural session, participants will receive insights into the DCW Strategies Center and hear from senior leaders from The White House, HHS, and the U.S. Department of Labor. These leaders will discuss federal initiatives aimed at bolstering the nation's ability to facilitate community living through improved recruitment, retention, and training of this essential workforce.