PHI

11/27/2025

During this season of gratitude, and always, PHI is thankful for our nation’s 5.4 million direct care workers. Each day, personal care aides, home health aides, nursing assistants, and others provide essential support for older adults and people with disabilities. Whether for ourselves or our loved ones, for our friends or our neighbors. For entire communities: This workforce is essential.

When direct care workers tell us what makes their work meaningful, they often mention the gratitude of their clients, alongside that of family members who know they can rely on skilled and trusted caregivers for support each day.

Join us in thanking and honoring these dedicated individuals—not just today, but every day.

11/24/2025

PHI’s VP of Research & Evaluation, Kezia Scales, will be a featured speaker at the Global Observatory of Long-Term Care’s celebration of the UN’s International Day of Care and Support this Friday, November 28.

This day-long global event is dedicated to "Changing the Narrative on Long-Term Care." By dispelling common myths and stigmas, we can build systems where older adults and people with disabilities live with meaning, and where care workers enjoy the decent working conditions they deserve.

Kezia will be speaking on the panel "Long-Term Care jobs are skilled (and cherished) jobs" alongside experts from the UK, Spain, Italy, and Canada.

Date: Friday, Nov 28 Time: 11:00 AM ET / 16:00 GMT Register here: https://goltc.org/save-the-date-changing-the-narrative-on-long-term-care-a-celebration-of-the-uns-international-day-of-care-and-support/

Join us in recognizing the skill, value, and necessity of the direct care workforce.

Join us on the 28 November for the Global Observatory of Long-Term Care’s contribution to celebrating the UN’s International Day of Care and Support.

11/19/2025

Strong frontline supervision is more crucial than ever. For direct care workers entering the field, it can be the difference between excelling in their roles and costly turnover.⁣
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Join PHI facilitators and a group of your peers for the 𝐏𝐇𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡® 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧—a proven program that strengthens communication skills and equips supervisors with practical tools to support, motivate, and retain staff.⁣
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Focused on real-world challenges in long-term care, this training helps providers break the costly cycle of turnover and build a more stable, satisfied workforce—ultimately improving the quality, efficiency, and continuity of care.⁣
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𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:⁣
January 13-14, 2026 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET | Online Format | $500⁣

Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.⁣
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Learn more and register today:

PHI Coaching Approach® to Supervision training is designed to enhance core communication skills for effective supervision of direct care workers in home and residential settings. Break the cycle of direct care workforce turnover and improve the quality and continuity of care.

11/18/2025

How can states leverage data to forecast demand, guide smarter investments, and strengthen the direct care workforce?

Join the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center (Administration for Community Living) tomorrow, November 19, at 3:00 PM EST for a webinar, From Numbers to Action: Using Data to Strengthen the HCBS Direct Care Workforce.

We are thrilled to highlight that PHI’s Vice President of Research & Evaluation, Kezia Scales, will share insights on how data can drive evidence-based decision-making and help measure the impact of workforce investments in home and community-based services.

She will be joined by a panel of experts, including Dr. Julie Bershadsky (University of Minnesota), Mary Kaschak (National MLTSS Health Plan Association), and state leaders from New Jersey and Tennessee.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how to connect datasets across systems to drive policy change.

Register here: 2ed5f1fd-0239-4f48-b84f-6514a191b4f5@64430c8a-03ad-4ddb-8eae-39389e00a4a3" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2ed5f1fd-0239-4f48-b84f-6514a191b4f5@64430c8a-03ad-4ddb-8eae-39389e00a4a3

11/17/2025

Tomorrow at 1:00 PM ET, PHI Vice President of Research and Evaluation Kezia Scales joins the National Skills Coalition to address a critical question: how can workforce leaders shake loose long-held assumptions to meet the urgent need for better care jobs?

In this webinar, "Tackling the Care Workforce Challenge," Kezia and a panel of experts (San Antonio College and National Council on Aging) will discuss practical opportunities for workforce development leaders to tackle the complex challenges of low pay and difficult working conditions in the care sector.

Tune in to learn actionable steps to improve direct care jobs and strengthen the workforce pipeline.

Join the conversation: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0UcCwnaaTni9uZP7RizNug #/registration

11/14/2025

This week, Congress resolved the stalemate over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Even as funding temporarily returns to most government agencies and services resume, work on the FY26 federal budget remains unfinished. As a result of the extended budget process, critical attention and resources are being drawn away from issues with significant long-term consequences – including challenges that will have a damaging impact on our nation’s paid caregiving workforce. Read our full statement here.

This week, Congress resolved the stalemate over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Even as funding temporarily returns to most government agencies and services resume, work on the FY26 federal budget remains unfinished. As a result of the extended budget process, critical attention and...

11/14/2025

As Home Care Week comes to a close, PHI continues to celebrate National Care at Home Month—celebrating nearly 3.2 million essential home care workers across the United States.

Home care workers provide critical personal assistance and support that enables millions of Americans to age in place and maintain their independence. Their work requires skill, compassion, and dedication—yet they face persistent challenges that threaten both their livelihoods and the sustainability of care.

Despite their critical role, home care workers earn a median hourly wage of just $16.77, with median annual earnings under $22,500. Many work part-time without benefits, 41% live in low-income households, and more than half rely on public assistance. Demand is projected for more than 681,400 new home care jobs over the next decade—making this occupation the fastest growing by volume in the U.S.

To honor direct care workers, we need to ensure they work in quality jobs. We cannot afford to maintain the status quo.

Today and every day, we call for our nation to:

✅ Invest in fair wages and benefits that reflect the skill and value of home care work

✅ Support training and career pathways that create advancement opportunities

✅ Strengthen workforce protections, including overtime pay and workplace safety standards

✅ Ensure adequate Medicaid funding to support sustainable compensation and quality care

11/12/2025

“Direct care is at an inflection point,” the brief said. “Recent actions by the administration and Congress threaten to degrade employment conditions and undermine care and support for people and families in every US state. Cuts to Medicaid and other public benefits, harsh immigration policy shifts, and the removal of basic labor protections for this workforce are just three among multiple areas of concern.”

PHI, an organization that researches and advocates on behalf of direct care workers, on Friday released a brief challenging several of the federal administration's policies.

11/06/2025

In a dramatically changing policy environment, direct care workforce-focused investments and innovations are more important than ever—to improve the quality and efficiency of care, bolster the U.S. economy, and build a better future for people and families in every state.

In PHI's newest policy brief, we offer a direct account of both longstanding and current challenges and define an urgently needed path forward for state and federal policymakers. In Part One, we offer strategies to preserve our nation’s existing long-term care system and strengthen outcomes for all whose lives intersect with it. In Part Two, we offer proactive strategies to reimagine care and build a better future for direct care workers, older adults, people with disabilities, and all who rely on our nation’s care infrastructure.

"Our nation’s long-term care system has long needed deeper investment. That reality hasn’t changed—and there is much work ahead to build the future Americans deserve.” - Jodi M. Sturgeon, PHI, President and CEO

View our full report here:

In a dramatically changing policy environment, direct care workforce-focused investments and innovations are more important than ever—to improve the quality and efficiency of care, bolster the U.S. economy, and build a better future for people and families in every state. In this brief, we offer a...

11/03/2025

“Halting this program puts food assistance for millions of Americans and their families — including hundreds of thousands of the nation’s essential direct care workers, and a significant percentage of the people they provide essential care for — at unacceptable risk,” according to PHI.

SNAP also is critical for many of the people receiving care from direct care workers, PHI said, noting that a KFF analysis showed that almost one in four people covered by Medicaid also receive SNAP benefits.

“The administration’s decision to pause SNAP benefits during the federal shutdown is compounded by another cruel policy change from the federal administration that will cut $186 billion from the program and restrict access for those who need it most,” PHI said.

Many direct care workers could face food insecurity amid the federal shutdown, according to an opinion piece from PHI.

10/31/2025

PHI is grateful for CD&R Foundation's essential support, and for the guidance and technical assistance they're providing to help us maximize impact for the people we serve! PHI's Executive VP of Finance & Administration Erica Brown-Myrie and Director of Data & Technology Irma Rivera were grateful to join the CD&R Foundation team, along with expert trainers and a range of other Talent Solution Partners, for an informative session on the best ways nonprofits like PHI can use AI to advance our missions.

10/30/2025

Last week at the GIA (Grantmakers In Aging) Conference, PHI's Emily Dieppa Colo, Vice President of Workforce Innovations, and Jeannine LaPrad, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives, connected with key partners advancing direct care workforce solutions. We were grateful to connect with so many seeking to improve care for older adults. Pictured with us are Jaime Renner, MACP Program Officer, Quality of Life, and Daniel Wilson, former PHI staffer and Senior Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy at the National Council on Aging.

Emily and Jeannine presented on "Strengthening Direct Care Roles in Aging: Building Infrastructure for Training and Advancement," sharing insights from PHI's Universal Direct Care Workforce Initiative™—a comprehensive effort to transform training, credentialing, and career pathways for the nation's direct care workers. Through demonstration projects in Wisconsin and New York, PHI is piloting innovative approaches, including entry-level training, specialty certifications, and advanced Care Integration Senior Aide (CISA) roles.

As the conference theme "Branch Out: Growing Investments in Aging" emphasized, investing in the direct care workforce is essential for ensuring quality care as our population ages. Quality care depends on quality jobs.