When Crystal Baran took a job in a residential facility for adults with developmental disabilities, she received two weeks of hands-on training. She learned how to administer medication, how to safety lift an adult out of bed, and how to work with people who had difficult behaviors associated with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Years later, when Crystal began working as a homecare worker, she was shocked to learn how little training the state provided.

In Oregon there are about 30,000 homecare and personal support workers who provide services to seniors and people with disabilities. These are among the fastest-growing jobs in Oregon. In some parts of the state, particularly rural areas, in-home support work is already one of the most common jobs.

As this workforce grows, many are raising red flags about the lack of support workers receive.

Crystal Baran speaks about Medicaid at a Measure 101 rally in Portland (January 2018)

“A three-hour class simply isn’t enough,” Baran said, referring to the three-hour orientation that comprises the only required training homecare workers receive.

“This needs to be better,” Baran continued. “Training will get people ready to succeed at this job. It’s safer and it’s better for the people we care for.”

The Oregon Home Care Commission provides training programs at no cost to workers. The classes cover topics such as bathing and grooming, end-of-life care, medication safety, and stress management. There are financial incentives for training, but the state is not required to provide it to every worker. In fact, a recent survey of homecare and personal support workers conducted by SEIU 503 found that many aren’t participating.

The survey uncovered several reasons for low participation. Many workers say the quality is lacking or the content doesn’t fit their situation. Others say they can’t afford to miss a day of work or struggle to find respite care. Many more point to barriers such as language or geography.

Maleta Christian is a personal support worker in Roseburg, Oregon

“I have friends who drive three hours each way to attend trainings in Portland,” said Maleta Christian, a personal support worker in Roseburg, Oregon. “For me, I have never taken a training because I don’t want to miss a day of work driving that far.”

While basic trainings are offered in Maleta’s area, the more specialized courses relevant to her consumers are far away. This is a serious disincentive to a low-wage workforce that is spread out throughout the state.

This year legislators have the opportunity to take action. A bill offered by the Senate Committee on Workforce would require the state to provide training to every homecare and personal support worker in Oregon and provide minimum training standards. This would give workers more support no matter what part of the state they live in, and provide an opportunity for homecare and personal support workers to engage on content development, format, and other issues addressed through standards. For some, it has even bigger implications.   

Crystal Baran, for example, will be entering nursing school this year. She hopes that her on-the-job experience and training will give her a leg up in her coursework. But if training could be directly transferable, she thinks more caregivers would pursue higher-paying jobs in healthcare.

“There are so many caregivers out there who just don’t know what to do next,” Baran said. “They have the opportunity to go to school with the skills that they’ve learned. Training programs should push people to do that.”

Many homecare workers have no desire to pursue other jobs in healthcare, and yet most still support training. 56% of the workers who responded to SEIU 503’s survey said they would recommend training to other workers. 58% of respondents believe that training improvements, tied to higher wages, should be a priority.

Training has been shown to reduce turnover and lead to better outcomes for consumers. In a recent audit of Oregon’s homecare programs, the Secretary of State called for more training in order to improve outcomes for seniors and people with disabilities.

Legislators have a chance to pass a training bill in February. This would be a good first step in what should be a long conversation about how Oregon can support the people who care for us.