- A Synthesis of Direct Service Workforce Demographics and Challenges (PDF, 1.22 MB) (PDF, 1.22 MB) presents an overview of direct service workforce challenges and practices 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.
- Strategies for Improving DSW Recruitment, Retention, and Quality: What We Know about What Works, What Doesn't, and Research Gaps (PDF, 787.29 KB) (PDF, 787.29 KB) provides examples of efforts that have demonstrated positive impacts in these areas by summarizing key findings from several national studies that reviewed the research on efforts to strengthen the direct service workforce.
- Finding Direct Service Workforce Information and Resources Online (PDF, 347.16 KB) (PDF, 347.16 KB) is a one-pager of helpful websites for people looking to learn about the DSW.
- Funding Direct Service Workforce Development Activities (PDF, 417.54 KB) (PDF, 417.54 KB) is a one-pager and checklist of funding sources to consider for DSW development activities.
- 2013 CMS Direct Service Workforce Resource Center Summer Webinar Series White Paper (PDF, 333.71 KB) (PDF, 333.71 KB) summarizes some of the common themes that emerged across the 2013 summer webinar series, “Celebrating Success in Direct Service Workforce Development,” highlights successful strategies and recommendations made by presenters and commitments to action from participants.
- Building Capacity and Coordinating Support for Family Caregivers and the Direct Service Workforce: Common Goals and Policy Recommendations Emerging from the CMS Leadership Summit on the Direct Service Workforce and Family Caregivers (PDF, 580.62 KB) (PDF, 580.62 KB) is a white paper developed following the 2010 Summit on Building Capacity and Coordinating Support for Family Caregivers and the Direct Service Workforce sponsored by CMS in partnership with the Office on Disability and the Administration on Aging, which are now part of the Administration on Community Living.
- 2008 Symposium on Strengthening the HCBS Direct Service Workforce Discussion Summary (PDF, 465.15 KB) (PDF, 465.15 KB) highlights main themes from small discussion groups at this 2008 symposium hosted by the DSW Resource Center (RC) with the support of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor. This event provided a forum for showcasing best practices in direct service workforce development, highlighted federal and state workforce initiatives, and disseminated research findings.
- Two short documents, were developed to provide easy access to basic information on DSW issues: Direct Service Workforce Background Information Handout (PDF, 269.1 KB) (PDF, 269.1 KB) and DSW Demonstration Fact Sheet (PDF, 61.96 KB) (PDF, 61.96 KB)
- The Need for Monitoring the Long-Term Care Direct Service Workforce and Recommendations for Data Collection (PDF, 1.15 MB) (PDF, 1.15 MB) recommends a standard minimum data set that states should collect across LTSS settings and different sectors of the workforce, including three basic elements: volume, stability, and compensation.
- Strengthening the Direct Service Workforce in Rural Areas (PDF, 701.71 KB) (PDF, 701.71 KB) contains a summary of the challenges of the direct service workforce in rural areas and strategies that rural stakeholders can use to provide high-quality long-term care services and supports.
- Cooperatives: A Growing Strategy for Strengthening the Home and Community Based Services Direct Service Workforce (PDF, 753.32 KB) (PDF, 753.32 KB) provides background on cooperatives. It examines examples of worker cooperatives in the DSW and considers the potential for their expanded use to improve recruitment, retention, and quality.
