Michigan State University’s IMPART Alliance announced today that it has reached a new milestone, successfully enrolling 500 students in training courses, preparing them to join the direct care workforce. The program launched in early 2024 to fill an estimated 15,000 positions in the industry.
“Direct care workers (DCW’s), provide paid, professional support to older adults and adults with disabilities. They play an essential role in helping families care for their loved ones through life changes, from illness to the challenges of aging,” said Tracy Anderson, communications director for IMPART Alliance. “It’s an incredibly rewarding career and also an industry with strong demand, which is why we are empowering these healthcare heroes and giving them the tools and confidence they need to succeed.”
Housed in the College of College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University, IMPART Alliance is focused on transforming the direct care workforce to meet the growing needs across the state. It offers essential resources and training at no cost to both current and aspiring direct care workers (DCWs) as it works to build a strong, sustainable pipeline of care professionals.
Bethany Duyser is an RN and the assistant director and trainer at IMPART Alliance. She says that the investments being made in the direct care profession today will pay long-term dividends for the state. “Through training with IMPART Alliance, we are raising standards for knowledge, skill and competency. This improves job performance and care quality, ultimately leading to better healthcare outcomes, increased service access and better overall quality.”
The training program consists of four stackable courses designed for varying skill levels. Courses are able to be completed on their own, independent of one another and provide a mix of in-person and virtual training. Students learn both hard and soft skills such as managing medical emergencies, infection control, caring for those with mental illness, how to maintain professional boundaries and more.
“Students who have participated in IMPART Alliance training programs learn that DCW is not just a passion but a worthwhile career with tangible growth opportunities. It’s a great way to learn about yourself, learn about health care and to learn how to work with other people,” said Duyser.
This project has been made possible through a grant awarded to IMPART Alliance by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The funds are allowing the IMPART Alliance to address the need to fill the 15,000 new DCW openings projected to be needed by 2032 in Michigan while elevating the profession and positioning DCW work as a respected and viable career path.
“I have learned a lot of different things that were not necessarily taught in my initial training,” said Shawna Beaver, who is a level three IMPART program graduate. “I was able to hear from different perspectives and learn about other jobs in the industry, learning from their experiences.”
To learn more about rewarding career and training opportunities in the direct care field, please visit impartalliance.msu.edu.
This project has been made possible through a grant awarded to IMPART Alliance by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
