PHI - Quality Care Through Quality Jobs

Immigrants care. Today, on #NationalImmigrantsDay, PHI celebrates the vital role of immigrants in our nation’s direct care workforce. They represent more than 1 in 4 direct care workers (28 percent), providing essential care and support to millions of older adults and people with disabilities each day. Immigrant direct care workers: ✅ Speak 55+ different languages and span at least 163 countries of origin. ✅ Are more likely to stay in long-term care roles for a year or longer. ✅ Help address critical workforce shortages in U.S. long-term care. PHI is proud to uplift these essential workers. Together, let's support policies that strengthen opportunities for immigrant workers and caregivers while ensuring quality care for all. PHI's 2023 brief, “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Support for Immigrant Direct Care Workers and Meeting Long-Term Care Needs,” offers more information: https://lnkd.in/ersr_Ct7 #NationalImmigrantsDay #FocusOnCare

PHI's Ben Freeman writes: "The U.S. elections are now less than two weeks away. It’s a time for looking to the future—and placing trust in candidates that we think will best represent our needs going forward. As our nation decides on a new federal administration and a new Congress, we will rely on our newly elected officials to implement concrete solutions to our growing collective need for care. The U.S. population of older adults is projected to increase to 88.8 million by 2060—creating ever increasing demand for direct care workers. Meeting demand will require stronger leadership than ever. The stakes have never been higher." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ebbjc-MK

Limited Space Available: Take Part in a Special Online Pilot Training! Join PHI facilitators and a group of your peers for an exclusive opportunity to participate in a pilot PHI Coaching Approach® to Supervision training in November. Designed to enhance core communication skills for effective supervision of direct care workers in home and residential settings, this training can help you to break the cycle of direct care workforce turnover, and improve the quality and continuity of care. This training will be offered for the first time in a standalone, two-day online format, made available to a limited number of applicants. Learn more here: https://ow.ly/jByR50TR5jh

Our latest annual research report reveals that despite their indispensable contributions, direct care workers continue to face significant challenges that require urgent attention if we are to meet the growing demand for their services Read our findings here: https://lnkd.in/eHGTSJr3

“Expanded employment benefits, enhanced entry-level and ongoing training, improved supervision and support, better respect and recognition of this workforce, and new opportunities for career advancement are all critically important,” Kim concluded. “However, there is no doubt that without increasing wages, this job sector will remain at a competitive disadvantage, as workers are forced to make the rational choice to seek higher wages elsewhere.” https://ow.ly/5vHi50TOLEo

Direct care wages are still lagging behind. Our latest analysis reveals persistent wage disparities between direct care workers and similar occupations across all 50 states. Key findings: - Median hourly wage for direct care workers: $16.72 in 2023 - Wage gap ranges from $0.46 to $5.56 per hour compared to similar occupations - 39 states have a wage gap of $2+ per hour This competitive disadvantage makes it harder to recruit and retain workers in this critical field. We need transformative changes to ensure fair compensation for direct care workers. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eJXWay6n

We recognize the people who first called this land home and celebrate the enduring spirit, invaluable contributions, and cultural heritage of Indigenous communities.

As Alison Barkoff concludes her impactful tenure as Principal Deputy Administrator of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and Assistant Secretary for Aging, we at PHI want to express deep gratitude for her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to strengthening and supporting the direct care workforce.   Her tenure at ACL saw the launch of the groundbreaking Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, a landmark initiative reshaping our nation's approach to supporting and strengthening the workforce. Alison has championed efforts to improve job quality, wages, and career advancement opportunities for direct care workers, recognizing their critical role in our long-term care system. And she spearheaded initiatives to enhance training and professional development, ensuring these workers have the skills and support needed to provide high-quality, person-centered care—while also elevating their voices in policy discussions at the highest levels of government.   Alison's efforts have laid a strong foundation for supporting and elevating the direct care workforce. We wish her the best and look forward to continued direct care workforce-focused collaboration as she moves into her new role at The George Washington University- Milken Institute School of Public Health.

It’s excellent to see Vice President Harris's proposal to expand Medicare to include home care services, which would bring essential support from direct care workers to millions of older adults and their families. If enacted, a Medicare home care benefit would likely significantly increase demand for direct care workers--creating an opportunity, and an even more pressing imperative, to improve the quality of the jobs in this sector. Direct care work is already the U.S.'s largest occupation, with the most anticipated job growth. As demand for care grows even more, we 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 ensure that that these jobs are better valued, compensated, and supported.

PHI is grateful and excited to announce that Jeannine LaPrad is joining our organization as Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives. In her most recent role as Managing Director of Policy Research for the National Skills Coalition, she led the organization’s efforts in policy research, development, and implementation. Jeannine joins PHI with decades of strong leadership experience in the nonprofit, government, education, and business sectors, working to reshape employment and education policy and practice in ways that create more equitable outcomes for workers and communities. She brings a strong commitment to collaborating with partners to center worker voice and experience, improve job quality and economic mobility, and advance racial and gender equality. Prior to her work at NSC, Jeannine worked with the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce for 23 years, including serving as a Senior Fellow from 2018-2021 and President and CEO from 2006-2017. She will lead PHI’s efforts to establish a universal training system for direct care workers, a pivotal effort to strengthen this workforce, meet rapidly growing demand, and ensure professional recognition for the essential role these workers play in the lives of millions of Americans. Please join us in welcoming Jeannine to our organization!