Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
Without a strong direct care workforce, families and caregivers face increased pressure to step in and deliver care that is often insufficient for the complex health needs of older adults and people with disabilities. The Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, funded by the Administration for Community Living, supports the nation’s direct care workforce by providing critical resources, tools, and training.
The pandemic highlighted the growing gap between the demand for direct care and the available workforce nationwide. To build a stronger, more sustainable care system, we must support both direct care workers and the individuals they serve.
With funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), NCOA's Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center is dedicated to developing and coordinating actionable policies, resources and tools that strengthen and sustain a stable, thriving direct care workforce.
Harnessing the collective strength and expertise of individuals and organizations specializing in disability, aging, and workforce issues, NCOA facilitates intentional peer-to-peer sharing of promising practices through learning collaboratives and supports collaboration between state systems, including: Medicaid, aging, disability, and workforce agencies; service providers; and aging, disability, and labor stakeholders. Selected states receive targeted technical assistance that support substantive system change to improve their direct care workforce. .
2025 Technical Assistance Opportunities will be announced in early Spring 2025.
Please sign up below to receive updates, and and check back regularly as we continue to create and share resources from the federal government, highlight state and local model policies and best practices that can be replicated or adapted, and share training and technical assistance materials.
Funding for the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
NCOA was awarded a 5-year grant from ACL to establish the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center to strengthen the care economy. This initiative will provide technical assistance to states and service providers, and facilitate collaboration with stakeholders to improve recruitment, retention, training, and professional development of direct care workers.
The content and views expressed herein are those of NCOA and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, ACL.
How to contact NCOA's direct care workforce team
- Nicole Howell, Director, Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
- Salugla Ali, Program Associate, Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
General inquiries can be directed to directcareworkforce@ncoa.org.
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About the Center for Economic Well-Being
The Center for Economic Well-Being helps organizations enroll seniors and younger adults with disabilities with limited means into the benefits programs for which they are eligible so that they can remain healthy and improve the quality of their lives. Learn more about our work, including the training and technical assistance NCOA provides.