Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Staff Turnover
For some reason, the people who control the purse strings have decided that working with adults with developmental disabilities is an “entry level” job. Oh, really? At our agency, this “entry level” job entails not only things like being responsible for the safety of adults with no street safety skills in the community, but also identifying their current skill level, identifying the needed skills, identifying how the individual learns new tasks, and communicating with (in some cases non-verbal, non-responsive) individuals in a way to make them understand the new task you are trying to teach.
Shoot, who can’t do that? Well, believe it or not, most of the 20 year old high school graduates with no job experience applicants we hire, who are willing to work for just over minimum wage, don’t come prepared with those skills. Apparently our high schools are not teaching college level psychology. And even many of the college grads don’t have any actual experience working with consumers… but they’ve read about them in books.
Oh, and it was pointed out to me that everyone may not know what a “consumer” is. Substitute the word “client” or “participant” or whatever label you are using where you live. There is someone, somewhere, with a great government job (making way over minimum wage, I’ll bet) whose entire responsibility is to think up labels so that we don’t have to label people. But I digress.
I know for a fact that our agency is not the only one with staff turnover problems. I heard someone from Canada once say that he didn’t know how it is in the U.S., but in Canada, staff turnover is on Thursdays.
Money is a problem. State funding with no rate increases in what, 13 years in California, has an effect on recruitment and retention of staff. Have you tried living on minimum wage lately? But you know what? Money may not be the only problem.
Why is staff turnover such a problem? I can think of a couple of reasons, but consistency in training for consumers is the biggest. How are consumers supposed to learn new skills if new staff are constantly coming in, unsure of their own skills, much less unsure of what the consumer has already been told. Does the consumer start from scratch every time a new staff person comes in? And we won’t even talk about teaching stranger awareness. Many consumers consider a stranger as a staff person they haven’t met yet.
So what do we do? I can’t solve your money problems, but I can tell you about the SNAP Curriculum. This curriculum was designed with new, inexperienced staff, and consumer needs in mind. There are over 200 individual curriculum for staff to look over and to facilitate discussion with consumers about. No longer will you have to worry about what the last staff may have told Bob about reading body language or dealing with rejection. It’s already written down for you. All staff can actually think about their consumers and look through the curriculum to find information that may assist them in teaching new skills… or to even identify topics that we all take for granted, but consumers don’t.
The curriculum can shorten the staff learning curve by several weeks also, which may help staff retention. Staff tend to stay longer if they feel that they have the tools needed to do their job. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be new and told to talk to Bob about identifying emotions, and sat, wondering just what am I supposed to say? Smile, Bob. Let’s draw another picture while I try to think of something. No amount of wages can fix that. Giving me the tools to do my job can.
Making staff’s job easier to learn may well postpone that decision to go to McDonald’s to make more money.
Shoot, who can’t do that? Well, believe it or not, most of the 20 year old high school graduates with no job experience applicants we hire, who are willing to work for just over minimum wage, don’t come prepared with those skills. Apparently our high schools are not teaching college level psychology. And even many of the college grads don’t have any actual experience working with consumers… but they’ve read about them in books.
Oh, and it was pointed out to me that everyone may not know what a “consumer” is. Substitute the word “client” or “participant” or whatever label you are using where you live. There is someone, somewhere, with a great government job (making way over minimum wage, I’ll bet) whose entire responsibility is to think up labels so that we don’t have to label people. But I digress.
I know for a fact that our agency is not the only one with staff turnover problems. I heard someone from Canada once say that he didn’t know how it is in the U.S., but in Canada, staff turnover is on Thursdays.
Money is a problem. State funding with no rate increases in what, 13 years in California, has an effect on recruitment and retention of staff. Have you tried living on minimum wage lately? But you know what? Money may not be the only problem.
Why is staff turnover such a problem? I can think of a couple of reasons, but consistency in training for consumers is the biggest. How are consumers supposed to learn new skills if new staff are constantly coming in, unsure of their own skills, much less unsure of what the consumer has already been told. Does the consumer start from scratch every time a new staff person comes in? And we won’t even talk about teaching stranger awareness. Many consumers consider a stranger as a staff person they haven’t met yet.
So what do we do? I can’t solve your money problems, but I can tell you about the SNAP Curriculum. This curriculum was designed with new, inexperienced staff, and consumer needs in mind. There are over 200 individual curriculum for staff to look over and to facilitate discussion with consumers about. No longer will you have to worry about what the last staff may have told Bob about reading body language or dealing with rejection. It’s already written down for you. All staff can actually think about their consumers and look through the curriculum to find information that may assist them in teaching new skills… or to even identify topics that we all take for granted, but consumers don’t.
The curriculum can shorten the staff learning curve by several weeks also, which may help staff retention. Staff tend to stay longer if they feel that they have the tools needed to do their job. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be new and told to talk to Bob about identifying emotions, and sat, wondering just what am I supposed to say? Smile, Bob. Let’s draw another picture while I try to think of something. No amount of wages can fix that. Giving me the tools to do my job can.
Making staff’s job easier to learn may well postpone that decision to go to McDonald’s to make more money.
# posted by John @ 2:03 PM 
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Americans Ask Congress, Who Will Care?
Thousands of Americans from across the nation have signed on to www.WhoWillCare.net to send more than 28,000 letters to all 435 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to support bipartisan legislation for professional caregivers.
Professional caregivers, also known as direct support professionals, are the backbone of community-based health services for millions of people with disabilities and aging Americans. They assist people with disabilities and aging Americans with their daily affairs, including getting dressed, taking medications, personal hygiene and preparing and eating meals. With the help of direct support professionals, individuals with disabilities work, volunteer and contribute to their communities.
However, direct support professional wages, which are almost entirely publicly financed through Medicaid, are increasing well below comparable jobs and even the minimum wage. According to the Department of Labor, the wages of personal and home care aides increased only $0.82 from 1992-2000 versus $4.11 for fast food workers.
As a result, the annual direct support professional workforce turn-over rate is between 40 to 75 percent nationwide. Making matters worse, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the demand for direct support professionals will increase 62 percent by 2010 as Americans grow older.
WhoWillCare.net and its supporters are calling on Members of Congress to join Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Lois Capps (D-CA) in co-sponsoring the Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act H.R. 1264.
If enacted, the legislation would promote fair support professional wages in an effort to stabilize the high turnover and vacancy rates. Increased wages and lower turnover rates will improve support for people with disabilities to live in their community and provide families with assurances that their loved one’s health and independence is ensured.
WhoWillCare.net is an Internet-driven campaign created through a partnership between the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), two of the nation’s largest non-profit health organizations whose respective members and affiliates provide services to hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities.
Visitors to www.WhoWillCare.net can send a free letter to their Member of Congress, learn more about the caregiver crisis, read stories about direct support professionals and sign a petition calling on state lawmakers to take action on this important issue.
About ANCOR
The American Network of Community Options and Resources is a nonprofit trade association representing and advocating on behalf of the more than 800 private providers of services and supports for 385,000 Americans with disabilities. ANCOR is distinguished in the provider industry by its balance of leading practices resources and advocacy for member agencies and the people and families they serve and support. For more information, visit www.ancor.org or call (703) 535-7850.
About United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy is one of the nation’s leading organizations serving and advocating for the more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Most UCP consumers are people with disabilities other than cerebral palsy. Through its nationwide network, United Cerebral Palsy offers services to individuals, families and communities such as job training and placement, physical therapy, individual and family support, early intervention, social and recreation programs, community living, state and local referrals, and instruction on how to use technology to perform everyday tasks. For more information, visit www.ucp.org or call (800) 872-5827.
Post a Comment
Thousands of Americans from across the nation have signed on to www.WhoWillCare.net to send more than 28,000 letters to all 435 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to support bipartisan legislation for professional caregivers.
Professional caregivers, also known as direct support professionals, are the backbone of community-based health services for millions of people with disabilities and aging Americans. They assist people with disabilities and aging Americans with their daily affairs, including getting dressed, taking medications, personal hygiene and preparing and eating meals. With the help of direct support professionals, individuals with disabilities work, volunteer and contribute to their communities.
However, direct support professional wages, which are almost entirely publicly financed through Medicaid, are increasing well below comparable jobs and even the minimum wage. According to the Department of Labor, the wages of personal and home care aides increased only $0.82 from 1992-2000 versus $4.11 for fast food workers.
As a result, the annual direct support professional workforce turn-over rate is between 40 to 75 percent nationwide. Making matters worse, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the demand for direct support professionals will increase 62 percent by 2010 as Americans grow older.
WhoWillCare.net and its supporters are calling on Members of Congress to join Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Lois Capps (D-CA) in co-sponsoring the Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act H.R. 1264.
If enacted, the legislation would promote fair support professional wages in an effort to stabilize the high turnover and vacancy rates. Increased wages and lower turnover rates will improve support for people with disabilities to live in their community and provide families with assurances that their loved one’s health and independence is ensured.
WhoWillCare.net is an Internet-driven campaign created through a partnership between the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), two of the nation’s largest non-profit health organizations whose respective members and affiliates provide services to hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities.
Visitors to www.WhoWillCare.net can send a free letter to their Member of Congress, learn more about the caregiver crisis, read stories about direct support professionals and sign a petition calling on state lawmakers to take action on this important issue.
About ANCOR
The American Network of Community Options and Resources is a nonprofit trade association representing and advocating on behalf of the more than 800 private providers of services and supports for 385,000 Americans with disabilities. ANCOR is distinguished in the provider industry by its balance of leading practices resources and advocacy for member agencies and the people and families they serve and support. For more information, visit www.ancor.org or call (703) 535-7850.
About United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy is one of the nation’s leading organizations serving and advocating for the more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Most UCP consumers are people with disabilities other than cerebral palsy. Through its nationwide network, United Cerebral Palsy offers services to individuals, families and communities such as job training and placement, physical therapy, individual and family support, early intervention, social and recreation programs, community living, state and local referrals, and instruction on how to use technology to perform everyday tasks. For more information, visit www.ucp.org or call (800) 872-5827.
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