Contact:
Simona Combi
Public Relations Manager
571-527-3982
simona.combi@ncoa.org

April 21, 2025, Arlington, VA—The U.S. is facing a critical shortage of direct care professionals to meet the growing demand for home- and community-based services (HCBS). The need for bold, innovative solutions has never been more urgent to support older adults and people with disabilities to live independently. The Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, led by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), is excited to open applications for the second round of technical assistance opportunities for states to build a robust direct care workforce.

Between 2021 and 2031, the direct care workforce is expected to grow by over 1 million new jobs—bringing the total number of direct care positions that need to be filled to 9.3 million, according to PHI. Yet just as demand is surging, too few workers are entering the field. Low wages, limited access to full-time employment, and the lasting effects of the pandemic have made it increasingly difficult to attract and retain the workforce essential to supporting older adults and people with disabilities at the exact time the need for their services is growing.

Authorized by Congress and funded through Health and Human Services (HHS)  the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center is addressing this challenge by working directly with states through comprehensive, technical assistance provided by subject matter experts and key stakeholders to improve direct care workforce recruitment, training, and retention. The Strategies Center provides a comprehensive systems change approach to facilitate deep cross collaboration among state agencies—including Medicaid, aging, disability, labor, and workforce development systems—and key stakeholders to improve recruitment, retention, training, and professional development of the direct care workers.

“Older adults and people with disabilities deserve to live and age in the place and community they choose—and the direct care workforce makes that possible,” said Ramsey Alwin, NCOA President and CEO.

Direct care professionals also deserve to be treated with respect and given the support they need to succeed. We’re excited to lead this collaborative effort to build capacity in states across the country.”

A team of organizations will work with NCOA to lead two technical assistance opportunities that will support, enable, and grow a premier HCBS direct care workforce, including:  

• National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP)
• National Association of Council on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)
• National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
• National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)
• National Governors Association (NGA)
• PHI
• University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration
• Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging at Lincoln University

Today, the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center is announcing four levels of technical assistance available to states:

• Direct Care Workforce State Innovation Lab (SAL): This will provide up to 250 hours of individualized technical assistance for multidisciplinary state teams with representatives across disability and aging services, Medicaid, labor, and other state leaders. Participating states will receive access to subject matter experts, a designated technical assistance coach, and facilitated collaboration across state agencies to develop state-specific plans to improve and sustain workforce development and retention. Applications are now open.

• Direct Care Workforce State Peer-Learning Collaboratives (PLC): These will allow selected states to participate in working groups made up of four to six states each, with time spent discussing innovative strategies for growing and enhancing the direct care workforce. Each learning collaborative will focus on a unique topic. The working groups will hold monthly meetings focused on group learning, information sharing, and developing best practices. Applications are now open.

• Self-Paced Technical Assistance: The Strategies Center will launch a new, hands-on training workshop series designed for states looking to make quick progress on a specific goal tied to their direct care workforce efforts. These workshops will be offered over a 3–4-month period and are meant to help participants take meaningful steps toward system-level change—even if they don’t have the time or resources to join a full peer learning collaborative. Each session will build on the one before it, guiding participants through a step-by-step process to reach a key milestone. Updates regarding participation will be forthcoming.
• DCW Strategies Webinar Series: The Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center will host a free webinar series that will spotlight innovative strategies, practical tools, and emerging best practices to strengthen the direct care workforce. Open to states, providers, advocates, and stakeholders, each webinar offers actionable insights and opportunities for engagement as we work together to build a stronger, more sustainable care system.

“Without a strong direct care workforce, people cannot get the services they need to live in the community, the quality-of-care people receive is diminished, and families and caregivers face pressure to step into caregiving roles they are not equipped for,” said Josh Hodges, NCOA Chief Customer Officer.

The Strategies Center is working to support long-awaited revitalization to the direct care industry, so workers, people receiving services, and families can thrive.”

An informational call about the SAL and PLC opportunities will be held on Thursday, May 1, at 1 p.m. EST. Interested parties should register in advance  and review this sample application. Applications are due May 30, 2025.

About the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
Funded by Health and Human Services and operated by the National Council on Aging, in partnership with a cadre of national partners and subject matter experts, the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center provides technical assistance to states and service providers and facilitates collaboration with stakeholders to improve the recruitment, retention, training, and professional development of members of the direct care workforce. 

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @NCOAging.

This opportunity is supported by grant DCW 90DNCW0001 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points of view or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent official ACL policy.