Direct Service Workforce Core Competencies Annotated Bibliography

This resource was developed in response to requests from several states for information about developing core competencies for DSWs across sectors. Although each sector has its own sets of competencies, no state or national body has yet developed a common set of core competencies and career path for DSWs across the physical disabilities, aging, behavioral health, and intellectual/ developmental disabilities sectors. This annotated bibliography summarizes the recommendations from six state-level reports, two national studies, and a Federal bill to develop such competency-based training across sectors.
(PDF)
November 6, 2009

Work Where You Live: A Case Study of the Annapolis Housing Authority

This case study describes how the Annapolis Housing Authority overcame challenges in recruiting personal care assistants to provide needed services to tenants with disabilities in their own homes.
(PDF)
April 15, 2009

The Need for Monitoring the Long-Term Care Direct Service Workforce and Recommendations for Data Collection

This white paper from the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center argues that states need better data about the long term care workforce in order to assess the magnitude of their workforce challenges, design appropriate policy responses, and, finally, assess the impact of new policies and/or trends over time. Over the past several years, many of the states we have worked with on workforce initiatives have asked for our recommendation about what data they should collect in order to track their progress. In response, this paper recommends a standard minimum data set that states should collect across LTC settings and different sectors of the workforce, including three basic elements: (1) volume (2) stability, and (3) compensation.
(PDF)
January 31, 2009

A Synthesis of Direct Service Workforce Demographics and Challenges

This paper created by the DSW Resource Center presents an overview of direct service workforce challenges and practices across across intellectual and developmental disabilities, aging, physical disabilities, and behavioral health. It includes recommendations for action steps that could be taken in partnership across these different sectors to address workforce challenges.
(PDF)
October 31, 2008

Emerging Strategies for Providing Health Coverage to the Frontline Workforce in Long Term Care

This report by PHI provides an overview of the health coverage interventions implemented by the CMS Direct Service Workforce Demonstration grantees, and examines four different approaches taken by Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Washington in detailed case studies.
(PDF)
December 31, 2006

Promising Practices in Marketing, Recruitment and Selection

This report by the University of Minnesota identifies promising practices in direct service worker marketing, recruitment, and selection used by the CMS Direct Service Workforce Demonstration grantees. These grants were awarded in 2003 and 2004.
(PDF)
November 30, 2006

National Evaluation of the Demonstration to Improve the Recruitment and Retention of the Direct Service Community Workforce
This report from the RAND Corporation, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and the American Institutes for Research, presents the findings from the national evaluation of the 10 demonstration grants awarded by CMS in 2003 and 2004 to better understand how to improve recruitment and retention of the direct service workforce.
(External Link)
November 6, 2009