Members recently received communication from the Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) regarding efforts to recruit direct care staff including CNAs, CRMAs, DSPs, and PSSs in all long-term services and supports settings to obtain their ideas regarding their employment. The goal for this project is to learn about strategies that can be implemented to recruit and retain direct care staff in all long-term services and supports settings. MHCA reached out to LTCOP for more information on this work and here's what we learned:

Discussion groups will be held both virtually and in person. Participants will receive a $50.00 gift card. Meetings will last 1 to 1/12 hours. ETHOS Marketing and Design will conduct the discussion groups with a series of questions regarding what is most important to caregivers about their work. At the conclusion of the groups, ETHOS will provide a report that will be shared with providers as well as the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Providers/employers will not be identified by name in the report. Direct Care Worker responses included in the report will be considered in the workforce initiatives being implemented by DHHS. Recruitment and retention grant projects for providers may be possible as well. 

Additionally, LTCOP will ask direct care staff if they have an interest in submitting an application to serve on the Direct Care Worker Advisory Council that will be established in 2022. Council members will be chosen to ensure representation across geography, gender, race, citizenship status, job classification and care setting. The Council will have a central role in advising the DHHS regarding workforce initiatives that will be critical to recruitment and retention. 

Members have received the attached flyer along with a request to share with staff. LTCOP notes that collaboration among all stakeholders will make a difference in working to build a strong direct care workforce. 

This work is being carried out with support from a grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation and HCBS FMAP funds received under the American Rescue Plan. 

Free training available 

The Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) offers a variety of free in-service trainings for staff employed in nursing homes and assisted housing programs, including residential care and assisted living. These trainings are offered to help staff better support the residents they care for by understanding residents' rights and mandatory reporting to protect residents from abuse, neglect and exploitation. LTCOP has a collection of videos relating to long-term care that may be borrowed by nursing homes, residential care and assisted living. To schedule a free in-service for your staff, or to request a training video, contact (800) 499-0229 or (207) 621-1079. 

Staff contact: ngrosso@mehca.org