2018: Addressing worker shortage will require many strategies

Access Press
8/10/2018 by Jane McClure

Ways to address Minnesota’s growing direct care worker shortage continue to be scrutinized. Seven main priorities, along with several related recommendations, are under study by Minnesota’s Olmstead Subcabinet and a working group.

The report, Recommendations to Expand, Diversify, and Improve Minnesota’s Direct Care and Support Workforce Workplan, was reviewed by the Olmstead Subcabinet July 23, 2018. A cross-agency direct care and support workforce shortage working group has spent months studying Minnesota’s critical workforce shortage. Several group members presented aspects of the report, which contains more than 120 ideas. The top recommendations and related strategies were reviewed by the Subcabinet.

Mary Tingerthal, Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and chair of the Subcabinet, praised the report for its thoroughness. Tingerthal said she was “pretty blown away” by the level of detail on problems and solutions. Other subcabinet members also praised the working group’s efforts and said the work exceeded their expectations.

Working group members said they have not only gathered data from Minnesota and Minnesotans affected by the care crisis, they have also looked to other states. But they and Subcabinet members noted the challenges going ahead, including the fact that Minnesota will have a new governor and potentially many new House members next year. The change in the governor’s office will mean changes in who leads state agencies, and ultimately, how recommendations and strategies go forward. That’s especially true for the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Department of Employment and Economic Development. Those departments have the most ties to the report’s recommendations and strategies that could come forward during the 2019 legislative session.

Working group members emphasize the urgency of the situation. “We have a significant shortage of workers,” said Linda Wolford. “There are more than 10,000 openings around the state.” Legislators “have failed us” in not addressing the workforce crisis, said Jeff Bangsberg. While the personal care attendant (PCA) programs have been put at greatest risk by the failure to raise wages, all types of direct support staffing have been harmed by low wages.

Recommendations are reviewed

The need to increase worker wages and/or benefits is a top recommendation. The strategies to do so are led by the need to provide a livable wage to enhance job satisfaction and retention and address statutory limits on reimbursement rates that make it difficult for providers to pay direct care and support staff a livable wage. Another related recommend would require provider reporting of wages paid to track progress toward a livable wage. The need to offer or improve benefits provided to direct care and support professionals, including health coverage, paid time off, and holiday pay is cited. Another strategy is to assess the potential of creating an employee pool group consisting of direct care and support professionals throughout the state to achieve the best possible health coverage at the most affordable price.

A second priority is to expand the worker pool. One way to do this would be to create incentives for high school and college students choosing direct care and support career paths, such as help with tuition. Non-traditional candidates could be recruited to expand the worker pool, including students, people on public assistance and more immigrant Wolford said one benefit that could be cited is the flexibility of direct care schedules, for people who need work hours that mesh with their schedules or who don’t want to work full time.

One barrier in expanding the worker pool is transportation, so the working group has proposed exploring options to address transportation barriers for direct care and support professionals and the people who depend on their services. Another strategy is to provide resources to help organizations utilize recruitment and retention strategies known to increase the quality of candidates hired. Other ideas including developing apprenticeship opportunities for direct care workers and developing a service corps through partnerships with colleges, universities, and/or private partners.

A third recommendation is to improve the workforce by enhancing training for direct care and support professionals. Dena Belisle, a working group member who is a PCA, spoke of the need for improved training. She outlined the importance of developing a training and scholarship program consistent with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s career pathway model.

Promoting use of existing training and development options and providing tiered credential options and career ladders for direct care and support professionals are other strategies. Belisle said direct care work could be a pathway to related work. “Direct care work can be a great starting point for other health and human services careers,” she said.