New Jersey Releases Comprehensive Direct Care Workforce Strategic Plan to Strengthen Recruitment, Retention and Training

New Jersey Human Services, in partnership with seven state agencies, announced the release of the New Jersey Direct Care Workforce Strategic Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to support, grow, and stabilize the workforce that provides essential care to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and residents with behavioral health needs.

“Direct care workers make independence possible for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans, and their work is fundamental to the health, safety, and dignity of the people who we serve,” Commissioner Sarah Adelman said. “This strategic plan reflects our commitment to building a stronger, more supported, and more sustainable workforce - one that is valued for its skill, compassion, and essential role in New Jersey’s communities and economic success.”

The plan outlines more than 40 data-driven strategies to improve recruitment, strengthen training and career pathways, and support the long-term retention of direct care workers including direct support professionals (DSPs), certified home health aides (CHHAs), personal care assistants, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), peer recovery specialists, youth support professionals, and self-directed employees.

Developed through more than a year of collaboration among Human Services and the departments of Labor & Workforce Development, Children and Families, Education, the Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, the plan draws on workforce data and extensive engagement with stakeholders. Input came from listening sessions with direct care workers, employers and consumers, and support from the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center and partners such as PHI.
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“If we want New Jerseyans to live and age in their community with dignity, stability, and choice, we must ensure the workers who make that possible have the support, respect, and opportunities they deserve,” Commissioner Adelman said. “This strategic plan reflects what we heard directly from families, workers, and providers across the state, and it outlines actions that will strengthen pathways into the field and better support workers on the job.”

Read more HERE.