Direct Care Workers
If you are interested in working in this field, or applying for one of our positions, we encourage you to read the following information that provides an introduction to the type of work a Direct-care worker performs.
Direct-care workers are known by many titles, including direct support professional, personal care attendant, certified nursing assistant (CNA), nursing assistant, home health aide, home care aide, and personal assistant. They provide an estimated 70 to 80 percent of the paid hands-on long-term care and personal assistance received by Americans who are elderly, chronically ill, or living with disabilities. There were approximately 2.5 million direct-care workers in the U.S. in 2003, and another 800,000 jobs are expected to open up over the next ten years as the population ages. Direct-care workers work in many places, including their clients' homes, adult day centers, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and other community settings. (National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce)

Direct Support Professionals:
JOB DUTIES AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: Direct Support Professionals
Direct support professionals (DSPs) generally support people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who need personal care and other assistance in order to be self-sufficient. DSPs provide this support to people in their homes, at their jobs, and in their neighborhoods and communities. To learn more about this work, go to the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals at http://www.nadsp.org/index.html.

Training Requirements
Working as a direct support professional requires special skills, knowledge and ethical judgment, but classroom training is usually brief. Most of the skills needed are learned on the job.

• We also encourage you to watch the video describing a Direct Support Professional position, which you can access on the Job Listings Page.

Personal Care Assistant:
JOB DUTIES AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: Personal Assistants and Home Care Aides
Personal assistants and home care aides provide personal assistance and support to clients with long-term disabilities. In addition to helping with personal care, they often help with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), such as housekeeping, meal preparation, medication management, shopping, and bill paying. Personal care assistants who are employed and supervised directly by consumers often provide clinical assistance as well.
In addition to working in people's homes, personal care assistants work in other community-based settings, such as adult day centers and group homes.

If you are interested in applying for one of our positions, you may do so on-line. Simply go to our Job Listings page and follow the instructions.