2023 was a year of remarkable growth for our organization and for the long-term care workforce. The state’s extension of the Career Pathways Program, funding of the CNA Registered Apprenticeship Program, and continued investment in specialized caregiver training show the growing recognition of the value of training caregivers. All of these align with our commitment to advancing the professionalization of long-term care work.
As we look ahead to 2024, we remain committed to setting the standard for caregiver training and building a workforce of highly trained caregivers that many Californians can’t live without.
2023 HIGHLIGHTS:
Language equity: We continue to address the need for equitable access to training by providing our programs in multiple languages. We increased our language offerings to eight: English, Spanish, Armenian, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian and Vietnamese. This ensures training and continuing education courses are accessible for IHSS workers who are most comfortable learning in a language other than English.
Nationally recognized curriculum: Our training programs are evidence-based, refined through worker feedback, and backed by our impact studies. Our specialized curriculum has been licensed by organizations outside California, utilizing our experience and expertise to support sister training funds and union workers across the country.
Condition-specific training: We offer condition-specific training courses to equip caregivers with the skills and knowledge they need to provide quality care. IHSS providers can enroll in courses that teach them essential skills, basic health and safety, emergency preparedness, as well as condition-specific knowledge (Alzheimer’s and related dementia, autism, diabetes, heart disease, traumatic brain injury).
SNF industry solutions: Since the launch of the CNA Registered Apprenticeship Program earlier this year, we have trained and placed Certified Nurse Assistants at skilled nursing facilities across the state. We also now run our own CDPH-approved NATP as a hybrid offering to alleviate some of the barriers workers face, such as demanding schedules and transportation needs.
Climate-resilient workforce: We released our Impact Report and hosted an Impact Study Briefing about the outcomes of our pioneering Caregiver Resiliency Teams project, underscoring the importance of investing in caregiver workforce training to build a climate-resilient California. cca.fyi/crtimpact
Stipends for specialized skills: Part of our long-term goal of linking specialized skills to increased wages for caregivers, stipends are a hallmark of our training programs.
- IHSS providers: Paid the hourly wage rate of their hours in training
- CNA Registered Apprenticeship Program participants: Receive stipends for child care, transportation and grocery expenses, as well as retention bonuses.
LOOKING AHEAD: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2024
Groundbreaking research: We are partnering with the renowned J-PAL North America at MIT, which will conduct a randomized control trial on our IHSS Essentials training program in San Bernardino County. This will be the first RCT across the nation on IHSS training. The RCT, along with the impact study from UC San Francisco on the ADRD training, will lay the foundation for policy change that will recognize worker specializations, improve worker retention, create advancement within the home care workforce, and secure long-term funding for caregiver training.
Upskilling the IHSS workforce: We will deliver IHSS Essentials, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia care, and Caregiver Resiliency training to IHSS providers in San Bernardino County, addressing the need for highly trained caregivers in under-invested communities. Access to this specialized Alzheimer’s training is especially important to support the caregivers caring for those with ADRD in San Bernardino. Given the extreme heat the region experienced in 2023, the Caregiver Resiliency training will give IHSS providers an increased understanding of climate change impact and the skills they need to address climate-related emergencies.
Training for unpaid family caregivers: We are excited to start providing Alzheimer’s and dementia care training for unpaid family caregivers in the Inland Empire. This project is in partnership with CDPH and UC Irvine, which will research the impact and value of the training program. Classes begin in February.
Impact studies: We will continue to measure the impact of our training programs through knowledge checks and pre- and post-training surveys. Through our relationships with academic institutions and research organizations such as UC San Francisco and UC Irvine, we can demonstrate how our customized training programs advance quality care, improve retention, and reframe the value of care work.
Elevating care: Now on the seventh year of our partnership with L.A. Care, we continue to elevate the quality of care the health plan’s members receive from their IHSS providers. L.A. Care’s utilization studies of the training’s impact have consistently shown a decrease in emergency department visits and inpatient utilization among members whose caregivers completed our training.
