Improve the quality of direct care careers.
Strategies:
Explore opportunities to address the recruitment and retention of direct care workers by providing a living wage and access to benefits.
Overview of Progress Made
- The Maryland Department of Labor’s Direct Care Workforce Innovation Program will provide nearly $240,000 in matching grants to help employers and workforce organizations recruit, retain, and advance direct care workers. The investment will support occupational training, licensing costs, and wraparound services—including offsetting transportation costs—to help workers remain engaged and successful in their careers.
Key Initiatives
- Direct Care Workforce Innovation Program – Workforce Development & Adult Learning: Provides matching grants to eligible entities that create and expand upon successful recruitment and retention strategies in an effort to increase the number and availability of direct care workers across Maryland.
Engage direct care workers as participating stakeholders in the design of relevant state policies to improve the quality of direct care careers.
Identify and implement career pathways focused on skills-based job opportunities for direct care workers to utilize past lay experience and credentialed certifications to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Explore the adoption of recommendations of the 2024 Together in Care initiative, including the development of direct care worker registries.
Outcomes:
Short-Term (1-3 years)
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Identify existing workforce development supports for direct care workers
Mid-Term (4-6 Years)
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Expand training opportunities for the direct care workforce
Long-Term (7-10 years)
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Increase living wage and benefits for direct care workers