National Evaluation of the Demonstration to Improve the Recruitment and Retention of the Direct Service Community Workforce

Abstract

Direct service workers (DSWs) provide personal care or nonmedical services to individuals who need assistance with activities of daily living. Direct service work is low-paying and very physically and emotionally demanding, and turnover rates among DSWs are high. In 2003-2004, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services funded ten efforts to increase recruitment and retention among DSWs. This volume evaluates these efforts.