Congratulations to the IMPART Alliance mini-grant awardees!
We are thrilled to support your advocacy to help build a stronger Direct Care Workforce in Michigan and to announce our awardees. Read more for our complete list of all awardees.
News
Lunden Home featuring smart tech opens near Grand Rapids
Providing solutions for the shortage of direct care workers is a work in process. But an exciting new option exists that leverages technology so that some Direct Care Worker /Direct Support Professional (DCW/DSP) tasks can be performed remotely, making it possible for the individuals they support to have increased access to services. Lunden Home in Kentwood […]
Mini-Grants in Action: 39 Direct Care Workers Attend Conference To Expand Specialized Brain Injury Training.
As one of the few post-acute brain injury programs in West Michigan, Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation has received referrals for cases it cannot currently support. However, with additional staff training and equipment, the program could expand its offerings. Hope Network Neuro Rehabilitation is a community-based brain injury rehabilitation provider serving the Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and […]
MSU leads collective effort to strengthen Michigan’s direct care workforce
Armed with a recent $25 million grant, Michigan State University is spearheading an ambitious initiative to address the severe shortage of direct care workers who provide health care support for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Michigan’s Direct Care Workers Convene at MSU to Shape Future Standards
Direct Care Workers (DCWs) from across Michigan convened at East Lansing’s Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center to spearhead the development of a new credentialing exam pivotal to their field. Hosted by IMPART Alliance in partnership with WorkCred, the gathering aimed to enhance training protocols and ensure DCWs possess indispensable skills for their roles. Throughout the week, […]
Michigan’s Hidden Crisis: The Urgent Need for Direct Care Workers
Imagine if you or a loved one, who is older or living with a disability, needed critical or long-term care, and there was no one to provide this type of support. This is happening right now in Michigan because we don’t have enough direct care workers (DCWs). These vital workers, who go by many titles, […]
MSU nonprofit research team receives $25 million to improve direct care workforce
Michigan State University has received a $25 million grant to address the state’s shortage of direct care workers from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. A research team housed in the College of Osteopathic Medicine will use part of the grant to establish a Direct Care Worker Career Center. IMPART Alliance is an […]
MSU receives $25 million to address the direct care worker shortage
Michigan State University received much-needed funding to address the state’s critical shortage of direct care workers. Those are the people who provide long-term care and support to people with disabilities or older adults. “You need to be compassionate, you need to be empathetic and you need to have a lot of patience,” said Kelli Ohnstad, […]
MSU receives $25M to take lead on long-term health care needs of Michigan residents
Michigan State University has received a $25 million grant that will address the state’s critical shortage of direct care workers, or DCWs, by establishing a Direct Care Career Center that aims to increase pathways into the field and transform the public view to one that recognizes the workforce as a respected profession.
DCWs provide long-term support to individuals with disabilities and older adults. They assist with hands-on care and tasks needed to maintain as much independence as possible. Paid direct care assistance beyond what families can provide is often a necessity, but there is a dire shortage of people trained to do this kind of work. Employers are facing serious challenges in hiring and retaining staff. About 190,000 DCWs are currently serving the state’s residents; at least 36,000 more are needed.
IMPART Alliance is tackling a problem faced by all of us, including our parents, our partners and, ultimately, ourselves,” said executive director and leading faculty researcher Clare Luz. “The U.S. and Michigan’s populations are rapidly aging, which is creating a greater demand for high-quality, lower cost supports and services at home, where most people prefer to live for as long as possible in their later years.”
IMPART Alliance leaders and Direct Care Workers from across the state recently joined forces to focus on job analyses
This collaborative effort is a crucial step towards developing competency assessments, which will serve as the basis for granting competency-based credentials for Direct Care Workers.
