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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 416 635 EC 306 190 TITLE Direct Support Workforce Development. INSTITUTION Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Inst. on Community Integration. SPONS AGENCY National Inst. on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC.; Administration on Developmental Disabilities (DHHS), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 1998-00-00 NOTE 25p.; "Feature Issue" on this theme. CONTRACT H133B30072 AVAILABLE FROM Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, 109 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455; telephone: 612-624-4512. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Impact; v10 n4 Win 1998 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Attendants; Community Programs; *Developmental Disabilities; Labor Supply; Labor Turnover; *Personnel Management; *Recruitment; *Staff Development; *Training Methods ABSTRACT The fourteen brief articles in this theme issue all examine challenges in the development of direct support staff working with people who have developmental disabilities. The articles also include the views of direct support providers and people with developmental disabilities themselves, as well as examples of strategies used by provider agencies and others to improve the recruitment, retention, and training of direct support staff. The articles are: "Good Staff, Bad Staff, No Staff At All: Advice from Two Consumers" (Jim Beaty and Nathan Perry); "People Need People: The Direct Service Workforce" (Amy Hewitt and Susan O'Nell); "A Call to Exemplary Service" (Marianne Taylor); "Assessing Workplace Recruitment and Retention: The First Steps" (Sheryl A. Larson); "Expanding the Direct Service Workforce: Possibilities through School-to-Work" (Teri Wallace); "Reducing Turnover: The VNCC Approach" (Laurel A. Ditson); "Turning It Around" (Mary Claire Mohrfeld); "Peer Mentoring: Mission--Possible" (Sue L. Curtis and others); "Providing Culturally Competent Services" (William Ebenstein); "Strategies for Addressing Workforce Issues"; "A New Perspective on Training at Dungarvin" (Sandy Henry and others); "Training the Trainer: Minimizing Expense, Maximizing Skills" (Howard Miller and Jo Johnson); "Collaborative Training: The MATC Program" (Susan O'Nell and John Westerman); and "Self-Directed Work Teams: An International Learning Experience at Vinfen" (Harry E. Dumay and Elisa Velardo). Also contains information on related World Wide Web sites and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. (DB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIOF Once of Eoucatiaei Research and Improve, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMA CENTER (ERIC) ..document has been reproduced received from the person or orgarfira originanng Minor changes have been made to Improve reproduction quality. Pools of view or °pollens stated In I. document do not necessarily repro, out! official cocoon or policy Feature Issue on Direct Support Workforce Development Volume 10 Number 4 Winter 1998 Research and Training Center on Community Living Published by the Institute on Community Integration (UAP) From the Editors Clearly, the quality of services and supports provided to people with developmental disabilities is directly related to the quality of their direct support providers. Yet, as we have heard time and again from people with developmental disabilities, their family members, advocates, and provider agencies, finding and keeping quality direct support staff is a daunting task. Although it has al- ways been challenging to cultivate a quality workforce, it is especially difficult when community services are grow- ing rapidly, the economy is healthy, and the unemployment rate is low. ' This issue of IMPACT briefly outlines current workforce development chal- For Jim Beaty, as for many other persons with developmental disabilities, direct support professionals such as lenges. In addition, several direct sup- Lori Sparks are the key to a satisfying life in the community. See story below. port providers and people with developmental disabilities describe the im- portance of finding solutions to these Good Staff, Bad Staff, No Staff At All: problems. It also provides several examples of creative strategies used by Advice From Two Consumers provider agencies, educators, and others to enhance and impiove the recruit- by Jim Beaty and Nathan Perry ment, retention, and training of direct support staff. We hope that in reading these pages Jim Beaty and Nathan Perry are two consumers of the services provided by direct support service providers and policymakers will professionals in the community. When asked to describe the impact of direct service find practical tips for improving the lives workforce development on their lives, they shared the following thoughts. of people with developmental disabilities by improving workforce develop- if agencies have good staff we have good lives. If agencies To us it is really simple ment practices. We also hope this issue have bad staff who aren't trained, don't understand our disabilities or have attitude will stimulate continued sharing of problems, we suffer the effects. ideas regarding solutions to workforce We've been through the system, that's for sure! Institutions, groups homes, special development challenges. education, supported living, workshops, real jobs and semi-independent living. We've had more staff than we can count, some good and some bad. But, most of them have been really caring and nice. What's Inside To us good staff: D Overview of Issues Are supportive and try hard to understand our problems. Strategies Have creative ideas to help us resolve our anger and control our own behavior. Resources Know about our disabilities and understand the things that are out of our control. Try to understand where we are coming from. The College of Education Don't hold grudges. & Human Development '1111 (Beaty, continued on page 22J AVAILABLE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BEST COPY 2 2 Di ect Setwice-Ofierwew People Need People: The Direct Service Workforce by Amy Hewitt and Susan O'Nell understatement to say that there will be A generation ago, institutional care was to bathe, get dressed, brush your teeth, a significant and sustained need for hu- the primary model for providing human learn new skills and get along in the man service workers and that the ability services to persons with developmental community changed every year. to recruit the types of workers who have disabilities. Today, most persons with In addition to affecting service qual- traditionally filled direct support roles developmental and other disabilities re- ity and consumer satisfaction, high turn- will diminish. The Bureau of Labor Sta- ceive services within the context of typi- over rates increase costs, decrease qual- tistics projects a 136% increase in the cal community housing, local work set- ity of communication between staff, number of human service workers and a tings, and neighborhood schools. Work- decrease continuity of supports, in- 120% increase in personal and home force issues such as recruitment, reten- crease administrative costs, increase job care aides by 2005 (Kilborn, 1994). tion, and training of direct support staff stress, reduce productivity and satisfac- Simultaneously, it can be anticipated have become more common as services tion, and lead to staff shortages. The es- that the recruitment of direct support have grown in number and decentral- timated cost in 1993 of recruiting, ori- staff will become even more difficult. ized, and as the demographics of the enting, training, and supervising re- While direct support staff have tradi- workforce pool have changed. placement staff in residential settings tionally been women between the ages The movement of services from one alone was estimated at $80-100 million of 18-34 with limited education beyond big place (the institution) to many dollars annually. high school, the proportion of the U.S. Nationally, direct support staff smaller places (small group homes, indi- population in this age range is expected vidual supports in a home or apartment) earned an average wage of $5.97 per to drop by 19% by 2005. In addition, be- spread over a large geographic area, hour in private residential programs and tween now and 2005, the human service along with increased expectations of $8.56 per hour in public residential ser- industry will be in intense competition fully integrating people with disabilities vices in 1992 (Braddock & Mitchell, for scarce personnel at the entry level. into our communities, have created real 1992). Wages varied tremendously from Service agencies in this industry will not changes for the direct support staff. It state to state. For example, institutional just be competing among themselves, means increased isolation from peers workers earned an average of $4.77 per but also with other service oriented in- and supervisors because these workers hour in Mississippi while institutional dustries such as hotels, restaurants, are often working alone and their super- workers averaged $13.03 per hour in telemarketing, and travel. One conse- visors are often responsible for more California. Similarly, private agency quence is that the developmental dis- than one site. It also means that direct workers earn an average of $4.38 per ability industry can no longer depend support staff need a variety of new skills hour in Tennessee, while those in Con- on typical recruitment strategies such as to effectively build bridges between necticut earned $9.29 per hour. In 1994, newspaper advertising, which is costly community members and people with the average wage for nursing assistants and ineffective and which yields employ- developmental disabilities who receive and personal care attendants was $7.60 ees who are not likely to stay in their po- services and supports. These changes per hour. At these wages, the average di- sitions more than a few months. make it even more important to unite rect support staff does not even come the workforce, to share training, and to close to earning a livable wage, and build collaborative approaches to re- many earn an income below the poverty Retention Challenges solve problems facing the developmen- level for a family of four. Average turnover rates in private com- tal disability industry. If changes don't Direct support staff constitute be- munity residential settings range from occur, there is a risk that many of the tween 80-86% of the developmental dis- 57% to 71% per year (Jaskulski & Eben- goals people with developmental disabilities workforce, yet they have the stein, 1996). Annually, an estimated least amount of power and visibility of abilities and their advocates have such 190,000 direct support staff in the as full inclusion and citizenship in their all workers in the field. Direct support United States leave their positions in communities staff do not have professional status, will not be realized. residential settings alone. Add to this and are not afforded many of the oppor- the turnover experienced in educational, tunities provided to career professionals Recruiting for the Future vocational, and health services, and it who work with people with developmen- seems obvious that turnover has affected Recruiting new workers is a major hu- tal disabilities, such as membership in the quality of services to citizens with man resource barrier to providing ad- professional associations, a body of lit- developmental disabilities. Imagine if equate community services to people erature describing their work and value 50% of the people who were helping you with developmental disabilities. It is an in society, a code of ethics, standards of 3 3 CAGOges632 Direct Care Realities... to direct support staff, and to ensure practice, and educational requirements. that workers actually learn the desired skills, is a challenge and will continue to Imagine that you are a person with a Training Needs be so in years to come. disability. You are completely dependent on The developmental disability industry staff hired by a human service agency for requires that direct support staff have all of your physical needs, including when Finding Solutions important skills, even though they are Now, you will get out of bed in the morning. There are a number of strategies that not required to have professional de- imagine that each morning, as you wait for have been proposed to overcome the grees. A recent national study reported the staff person to knock on your bedroom challenges of recruiting and retaining that over 90% of all residential service door, greet you and say good morning, and qualified individuals as direct support providers require classroom inservice help you prepare for the day, you have no staff. When direct support staff are training and 80% require on-the-job idea who it is that will be coming through asked for solutions, they point out the training for direct service employees the door. You have little or no assurance need for clearer, more consistent job de- (Braddock & Mitchell, 1992). Although that it will be the same person as yesterday, scriptions, better training, an enhanced many states require training and/or cer- will be or if that person who is here today public image and greater valuing of tificate programs for direct support back tomorrow. And imagine that this is the their work, supportive work environ- staff, requirements and certificates vary life. case each and every morning of your ments, better pay and benefits, and rec- substantially and do not exist in all M.C., direct support professional ognition of their professionalism by states (Jaskulski & Ebenstein, 1996). credentialing. Central to the success of Most states require training related Currently, the majority of our workforce any solution is direct support profes- to such health and safety areas as first that works full-time is living below poverty sionals and individuals with disabilities aid, CPR, and blood borne pathogens level. Our responsibilities involve con- working with agency administrators and (e.g., hepatitis and HIV), and on confi- tinuous medical care and emergencies, policymakers to effect change. It is this dentiality of services. No state, however, [responding to] behavioral issues, and partnership of all stakeholders that can has training requirements that cover all overall responsibility for human lives. The ensure that persons with disabilities re- the skill areas outlined in the Commu- expectations that employershave for the ceive the services they desire and need to nity Support Skill Standards, a body of employee far surpass the present wage. be included as full citizens within their standards which summarizes the core Many employees are forced to seek a own communities. skills necessary to be competent at di- second source of income in order to finance rect support work in the community. the basic necessities in life. Amy Hewitt is a Program Director and Most agencies deliver training to their K.K., direct support professional Susan O'Neil is a Program Coordinator employees, with success typically mea- with the Research and Training Center on sured based on the content delivered We would not trust our cars to non- Community Living, University of Minne- (for example, through a written test at experienced mechanics, so why would we sota, Minneapolis. Amy may be reached at the end of the training session) and not entrust the lives of our children...siblings... 612/625-1098 and Susan at 612/624- on the employee's competence as mea- friends...neighbors to those without the sured in on-the-job performance. In ad- 0386. necessary skills and experience? It is time dition, many employees report that they for those of us who know what we do, and feel devalued and humiliated by the References: how to do it well, to come together and common practice of requiring them to Braddock, D., & Mitchell, D. (1992). Residential services teach those skills to others. It is time that and developmental disabilities in the United States: A attend the same training year after year. we offer accredited training programs, national survey of staff compensation, turnover and related issues. Washington D.C.: American Association on Human service agencies also have dif- continuing education courses, and skill Mental Retardation. ficulty in locating and providing a suffi- assessments for applicants. Jaskulski,T. & Ebenstein, W. (Eds.) (1996). Opportunities cient number of high quality training L.S., direct support professional* for excellence: Supporting the frontline workforce. Wash- ington, D.C.: President's Committee on Mental Retarda- opportunities, and in securing inter- tion. agency cooperation and collaboration to Next to our families, it is professionals and Kilborn, P.T. (1994).A nation at risk: The imperative for deliver affordable training opportunities direct support workers who can have the education reform. Report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Washington, DC: U.S. Gov- to their workers. Literally hundreds of most important influence on our lives. ernment Printing Office. effective, high quality training materials A. F., self advocate* exist, yet their dissemination is costly and a systematic method for getting in- "Note: Quote excerpted with permission from Jaskulski,T. & Ebenstein, W. (Eds.) (1996). Opportu- formation out to provider agencies does nities for excellence: Supporting the frontline not exist in all states. Finding ways to de- workforce. Washington, D.C.: President's Committee on Mental Retardation. liver high quality and relevant training 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Stptesies, 4 A Call to Exemplary Service by Marianne Taylor Some scientists believe that the earth is ing a sequenced, coordinated approach titioners, families, consumers, educa- continually engaged in an ecological bal- to learning and usually does not offer tors, employers, and policymakers ancing act understood as the Gaea prin- the learner the kinds of awards that throughout the United States, the CSSS ciple (Gaea for "earth" after the Greek carry weight and confer status and value were shaped by the consensus of major Goddess). They see Gaea as a quality in our society such as certificates, credits stakeholders. The CSSS represent the that provides nature with the ability to or degrees. Direct service practitioners first time that accepted occupational counterbalance life-threatening trends, have been among the most underpaid analysis and validation methods have such as global warming, through the ini- workers in the United States, signifying been used to develop a comprehensive tiation of self-correcting, natural healing a lack of public awareness and regard and progressive vision of direct service processes often unknown to observers. for their work and making it next to im- practice at the national level. By identify- I think that the analog to the Gaea possible for practitioners to make a ing the skill and knowledge sets, ethical principle in the human services world is commitment to a direct service career. posture, and attributes associated with the belief that the basic goodness and effectiveness in community service envi- warmth of people individually and to- ronments, the CSSS provide the critical Crafting the Standards gether as communities will ultimately elements necessary for the direct sup- create a world that welcomes and sup- One recent response to the challenge of port role to be viewed as a profession. ports people with disabilities. But, just strengthening our direct support work- The CSSS provide descriptions of as Gaea cannot maintain a healthful eco- force was the development of the Com- work approaches arranged in 12 broad logical balance without help, most munity Support Skill Standards (CSSS) domains of human service practice people who work in the human services (Taylor, Bradley & Warren, 1996) and called competency areas (among these or care for people who rely on human the various activities that have emerged are participant empowerment, commu- services, understand that full participa- from the national, collaborative effort to nication, community living skills, advo- tion does not just happen without pro- build the standards. The CSSS are a cacy). The practitioner role captured in fessional and personal action. Mediating comprehensive set of practice guidelines the CSSS incorporates important char- structures are essential to ensure the full for community-based human service acteristics of work as it is defined in a participation of people with disabilities practitioners in direct service roles. They post-industrial society. These standards in the "good life" that is characterized, are a tool that can be used by employers, describe a worker who is multi-skilled among other things, by developing educators, and others for a variety of and, through proper preparation and an friendships, finding satisfying work or staff preparation and development pur- accommodating work culture, is em- other daily activity, choosing one's own poses, including the following: powered to make decisions alone and in path, and giving to others. teams and to work in partnership with Conducting training needs assess- Among the most important mediat- participants and their families. Chal- ments for current personnel. ing structures in the lives of people with lenged to solve complex problems and Assessing strengths and weaknesses developmental disabilities are the direct to exercise creativity, the direct support of current orientation and training support staff who, next to family and practitioner in these standards assumes programs. friends, are the ones that people most personal responsibility for professional often walk with, talk with, laugh and cry Encouraging post-secondary educa- growth and development. with along the hard road of life. They tional programs to modify curricula are teachers, mentors, coaches, and to be more relevant to contemporary The Spirit of the CSSS networkers and, all too often, the only community services. friends of the people they support. It is Employers, teachers, and others using Helping local secondary schools to an enormous responsibility to fill any these standards as a foundation for em- develop school-to-work opportuni- one of these jobs, let alone all of them. ployee development or instructional de- ties in human services. Despite the depth and demands of sign should consider the philosophical Developing job descriptions and job this role, our field has done little beyond tenets they embrace. Throughout the performance reviews for direct sup- basic training to prepare and sustain the standards development phase, project port practitioners. direct support practitioners in their jobs staff devised approaches to ensure that and help them grow in a meaningful ca- the CSSS acknowledge the shared values reer path. Training that does exist is not Developed and validated by a col- that enable us to make a positive differ- typically organized into programs offer- laborative national partnership of prac- ence in people's lives, and reflect and [Taylor, continued on page 23] 5 5 Community Support Skill Standards Competency Areas barriers to service delivery; negotia- available community resources, out- These competency areas describe the tion. reach. broad knowledge and skill sets required of competent direct support staff. With- Vocational, Educational, and Ca- Facilitation of Services. The DSS is in each competency area several specific reer Support. The DSS should be knowledgeable about a range of par- skill standards and concrete work activi- knowledgeable about the career- and ticipatory planning techniques and is ties also are identified. education-related concerns of the skilled in implementing plans in a col- participant and should be able to mo- laborative and expeditious manner. Participant Empowerment. The bilize the resources and support nec- Topics: collaborative relationships, competent direct support staff (DSS) essary to assist the participant to ethical standards of practice, indi- enhances the ability of the partici- reach his or her goals. Topics: voca- vidualized plans, strategies to achieve pant to lead a self-determining life by tional assessment, opportunities for participant outcomes, developing suc- providing support and information career growth and advancement, cessful program plans. to build self-esteem and assertiveness marketing skills, environmental ad- Community Living and Supports. and to make decisions. Topics: self- aptations, job interviewing, job reten- The DSS has the ability to match determination; empowerment; con- tion, vocational services. specific supports and interventions to sumer-driven services; self-advocacy; Crisis Intervention. The DSS the unique needs of individual par- human, legal and civil rights; deci- should be knowledgeable about crisis ticipants and recognizes the impor- sion-making. intervention and resolution tech- tance of friends, family, and commu- Communication. The DSS should niques and match such techniques to nity relationships. Topics: human be knowledgeable about the range of particular circumstances and indi- development; sexuality; health; effective communication and basic viduals. Topics: crisis intervention grooming; toileting; personal manage- counseling strategies and skills neces- strategies, conflict resolution, de-es- ment; household management; nutri- sary to establish a collaborative rela- calation, environmental adaptations. tion and meal planning; laundry; tionship with the participant. Topics: transportation; adaptive equipment; Organizational Participation. The communication skills, augmentative physical, occupational and communi- DSS is familiar with the mission and and alternative communication, ac- cation therapy intervention; develop- practices of the support organization ronyms and terms used within the ment of friendships and socialization; and participates in the life of the or- field, basic supportive counseling consumer-driven recruitment; train- ganization. Topics: program evalua- skills. ing of service providers. tion, organizational structure and de- Assessment. The DSS should be sign, cultural sensitivity, peer Education, Training, and Self-De- knowledgeable about formal and in- support, organizational develop- velopment. The DSS should be able formal assessment practices in order ment / budgetary issues. to identify areas for self-improvement, to respond to the needs, desires, and pursue necessary educational/train- Documentation. The DSS is aware interests of participants. Topics: as- ing resources, and share knowledge of the requirements for documenta- sessment strategies and processes; with others. Topics: completing tion in the organization and is able to conducting assessments; identifying required/mandated training, profes- manage the requirements efficiently. preferences, capabilities, and needs sional development, community out- Topics: data collection and analysis, of participants; using assessment reach. confidentiality, ethical practice, docu- tools; disseminating findings to the mentation strategies. Advocacy. The DSS should be knowl- participant. edgeable about the diverse challenges Community and Service Net- facing participants (e.g., human working. The DSS should be knowl- rights, legal rights, administrative and For additional information on the Community Support edgeable about the formal and infor- Skill Standards contact Marianne Taylor, Human Ser- financial issues) and should be able to mal supports available in his or her vices Research Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 617/876-0426.0r see Taylor, M., Bradley,V., & Warren, R. identify and use effective advocacy community and skilled in assisting (1996). The Community Support Skill Standards: Tools for strategies to overcome such chal- the participant to identify and gain managing change and achieving outcomes. Cambridge, MA: Human Services Research Institute. lenges. Topics: identifying advocacy access to such supports. Topics: mak- issues. laws, services, and community ing community connections, build- resources for people with disabilities; ing support networks, identifying 6 Strategies 6 Assessing Workplace Recruitment and Retention: The First Steps by Sheryl A Larson Sharon was at the end of her rope. She Developing Job Descriptions higher than 100%) reflects the annual had just completed her fifth exit inter- crude separation rate. The first step in establishing a baseline view this month and now had three va- To compute the average tenure of assessment of recruitment and reten- cant positions. The agency had to find a leavers, identify all leavers in the past 12 tion practices is to develop complete way to stop the revolving door. months. For each leaver, note the total and accurate job descriptions for all po- This scenario is all too common in number of months worked before quit- sitions in the agency. An accurate job de- agencies that provide direct support to ting. Add the number of months for scription can guide the selection of in- persons with developmental disabilities. each leaver and divide the total by the terventions and assist in assessing the One answer to the question, "How do we number of leavers. The formula is: training needs of direct support workers attract and keep good staff?" is to use a and first line supervisors. Average tenure of leavers = workplace assessment to begin identify- Sum of number of months in site ing and solving staffing problems. A for all leavers workplace assessment involves develop- Examining Retention Outcomes ing an accurate job description, examin- Number of leavers Four recruitment outcomes should be ing retention outcomes and recruitment The result is the average number of examined, including average tenure, cur- practices, evaluating workers who leave, months a worker stayed before leaving. rent separation rate, average tenure of summarizing the findings, and selecting Computing separate numbers for work- leavers, and percent of leavers with vari- an intervention. ers who were fired versus those who quit ous lengths of tenure. A recent study of workplace recruit- voluntarily may be helpful. Be sure to in- To compute the average tenure of ment and retention in 110 small Minne- clude all workers who were paid for one workers at a particular site or agency, sota group homes (Larson & Lakin, in or more hours of work. It is very com- list each worker and their number of press) provided the following results: mon for some workers to quit after months at the site. Add the number of training or in their first few days. Crude separation rate: 48% months for each worker at the site and To compute the proportion of leavers divide by the total number of workers. Average tenure of staff: 26 months who stayed less than six months, count The formula can be written as: Average tenure of staff who quit: the number of workers who left in the 7 months Average tenure = last 12 months. Then count the number Sum of number of months tenure of Percent who quit by 6 months: 46% of workers in that group who stayed less all current staff at the site than six months before leaving. Divide this number by the total number of Number of staff positions at the site The same study assessed the percentage workers who left and multiply the result of stayers and leavers recruited through by 100. The formula is: The result will be the average number of various sources, finding the following: months workers have been at the site. % of leavers w/< 6 mos tenure = Newspaper ads: Stayers (31%), To compute the turnover rate for a Num leavers w/< 6 mos. tenure Leavers (51%) particular site, count the number of x 100 Current employees: Stayers (43%), Total number of leavers workers in a particular category (e.g., di- Leavers (21%) rect support workers) who left within the last 12 months. Divide by the aver- Direct support staff in other agen- This same formula can be used to com- age number of workers at the site each pute the proportion of leavers who cies: Stayers (12%), Leavers (6%) day during the last 12 months. Multiply stayed 6 to 12 months, and the propor- the result by 100. The formula is: tion who stayed more than 12 months. These results are an example of the valuable information an assessment pro- Crude separation rate = vides. The remainder of this article de- Number of leavers in 12 mos. Examining Recruitment Practices x 100 scribes the steps providers can follow in Number of positions at site It is helpful to maintain information on assessing staffing in their own agencies. the proportion of direct support posi- The resulting percentage (which may be tions vacant, the total cost of advertis- BEST COPY AVAILABLE 7 Evaluating Current Workers leave) the extent to which several factors ing in the previous month, and the total made the person want to stay or leave. cost of overtime in the site for the previ- Many exit interview questions also can Items to rate could include salary, paid- ous month. These data, observed over be asked annually of current direct sup- leave policies (sick, holiday, vacation), time, can assist in monitoring organiza- port workers and first line supervisors. benefits policy (medical, dental), sched- tional investments in recruitment. Ongoing formative evaluation allows uling practices and hours worked, op- Parallel information should be main- agencies to identify and address issues portunities for promotion or career ad- tained on recruitment sources and their as they emerge. Annual assessments of vancement in the agency, training and relative effectiveness. Such an assess- organizational commitment can provide career development opportunities, com- ment could list the primary recruitment an index for agencies of the current feel- pany policies regarding the treatment of sources used by the agency (e.g., internal ings of workers. Likewise regular assess- people with developmental disabilities, postings, recruitment by current or ments of job satisfaction can provide an relationships with supervisors, relation- indication of how workers feel about ships with coworkers, relationships with their job. Using such indexes over time the people supported in the site, specific can identify areas of relative weakness One answer to the question, job tasks (ask the worker to specify), and and monitor changes that may be associ- specific frustrations or disappointments ated with positive initiatives (e.g., a "How do we attract and keep (ask worker to specify). training program for supervisors) or Qualitative exit interviews are useful changing contextual factors (e.g., de- good staff" is to use a workplace in drawing out valuable information to creasing real dollar wages). Another area assess and modify agency practices. for ongoing evaluation is the extent to assessment to begin idenhfying Open-ended questions provide a rich which the expectations of new hires source of information about the reasons were met during their first few months. and solving staffing problems. direct support workers left or consid- The results of such interviews can be ered leaving their jobs. Among the most used to improve the information pro- productive qualitative interview items vided to recruits before they are hired. are questions such as: former employees, newspaper advertise- What would you tell a friend consid- Summarizing and Intervening ments, employment agencies, tempo- ering taking your job? rary agencies, colleges, walk-ins, and Developing a good assessment of re- Give an example of one or two spe- other). For each source, the number of cruitment and retention is a helpful first cific incidents that made you want to applicants recruited in the last 12 step in addressing workforce develop- stay on this job. months should be recorded along with ment problems. Once the information is Give an example of one or two spe- the percent of new hires from each gathered and summarized, interven- cific incidents that made you want to source, the percent of leavers from each tions that match the problems can be se- leave this job. source, and the percent retained over lected and tried. Their success or failure different periods of time. Such informa- What could (your supervisor/this can be measured by comparing the as- tion, when combined with the estimated agency) do to make your job better? sessment of the outcomes after imple- costs of each recruitment source, will al- mentation with the findings of the base- What type of position do you plan to low the agency to assess the relative cost- line assessment. Then, because work- work after you leave this position ? effectiveness of each recruitment source. force needs are constantly changing, on- Such analyses may lead agencies to in- going efforts to assess workforce issues Agencies will also want to integrate vest more heavily in their most produc- and evaluate interventions should be- other information along with the spe- tive recruitment strategies. come a regular part of an agency's work- cific exit interview responses including force development plans. status at exit (e.g., whether leavers were Evaluating Workers Who Leave fired or left for other reasons). Agencies Sheryl A. Larson is a Research Associate may also want to include the job perfor- Another component of an agency's self- with the Research and Training Center on mance of the leaver, whether the leaver assessment is an exit interview for work- Community Living, University of Minne- will continue "on-call," and where the ers who leave their positions. This can sota, Minneapolis. She may be reached at person went when they left the agency be done by asking leavers to indicate on 612/624-6024. (e.g., to perform similar roles for an- a scale of one to five (1 = strong reason other agency, better position in the field, to stay, 2 = moderate reason to stay, 3 = Reference: Larson, S.A. & Lakin, K.C. (In press). Turnover of newly hired direct support workers: Longitudinal study lateral move for higher pay). not a factor in my decision, 4 = moder- results and intervention suggestions. Washington, DC: ate reason to leave, 5 = strong reason to American Association on Mental Retardation. 8 8 trategtes, lvrt Expanding the Direct Service Workforce: Possibilities Through School-to-Work by Ten Wallace As a nation, we face significant chal- work along a career path. Developed sion of the direct service workforce in lenges in recruiting, training, and retain- with the input of business, education, development of school-to-work systems. ing direct support workers in human labor, and community-based organiza- Some activities include: services. A number of recruitment strat- tions that have a strong interest in how Participating on local and state egies have been identified in the litera- American students prepare for careers, school-to-work advisory groups. ture as useful in supporting this work- the effort to create a national school- Providing work-based internship op- force, including developing training and to-work system contains three funda- portunities to students through local support activities, improving wages and mental elements: school-to-work initiatives. benefits, developing a better under- School-based learning. School -based standing of the unique needs of this Developing articulation agreements learning opportunities link academic workforce, and targeting recruitment ef- between secondary and post-second- subjects to the world of work. Educa- forts. While each of these is important ary environments to build career lad- tors collaborate with employers to in creating a comprehensive system of ders for individuals interested in pur- develop broad-based curricula that workforce development, this article will suing further education in the human help students understand the skills focus on the School-to-Work Opportuni- service area. needed in the workplace. ties Act of 1994, which creates new op- Recruiting high school students into Work-based learning. Work-based portunities to expand the pool of quali- human service preparation pro- learning provides students with op- fied direct service staff to meet the pre- grams. portunities to study subject matter sent and future shortages. Identifying connecting activities and and workplace skills in a hands-on, Today's workplaces, and those of the strategies to facilitate partnerships real-life environment. Working in 21st century, require a new kind of between schools and community- teams, solving problems, and meet- worker: one who excels at solving prob- based organizations. ing employers' expectations are work- lems, thinking critically, working in place skills that students learn best Providing credits for community- teams, and constantly learning on the through doing and master under the based experiences. job. Nowhere is this more evident than guidance of adult mentors. in human services where supports are Creative strategies are needed to re- often provided in community settings Connecting activities. Connecting cruit individuals into the direct service away from supervisors and co-workers, schools and workplaces requires a workforce. The School-to-Work Oppor- during hours uncommon to most em- range of activities to integrate the tunities Act of 1994 provides structures ployees, and in a field that is constantly worlds of school and work. Connect- for such strategies. Across the country changing. The school-to-work, or ing activities provide program coor- agencies have available to them their school-to-careers, movement provides a dination and administration, facili- state-level School-to-Work contact to as- timely response to this situation, creat- tate school and business staff ex- sist them in taking the next steps toward ing a new form of education for a new changes, and provide student sup- partnerships that will better prepare economy that links education and work. port, such as career counseling and today's secondary students to fill the vi- The goals of the school-to-work college placements. tal direct service positions that open the movement are to provide better educa- doors into the community for so many tion, better employment prospects, individuals with disabilities. There are many benefits experienced by adult role models, and multiple post- those involved in school-to-work sys- secondary options for all students. tems. Among them are that employers Teri Wallace is a Research Associate with School-to-work experiences are designed have an available pool of new workers Institute on Community Integration, Uni- who understand the needs and expecta- to develop young people's competence, versity of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She confidence, and connections that can tions of their business, can reduce em- may be reached at 612/626-7220. To locate ployee training costs and turnover, and ensure successful careers and citizen- the School-to-Work office in your state, ship. They connect students to a range improve morale and management skills contact the School-to-Work National of adult workers. of postsecondary options, including Learning and Information Center at 800/ There are several important strate- four-year college, two-year college, tech- 251-7236, or visit their Web site at gies that can be used to ensure the inclu- nical training, and structured entry-level www.stw.ed.gov. 9 Strategies A School-to-Work Example: Work-Based Learning and Skill Standards at Tyngsborough High School felt that the standards and activities re- was developed that involved identifying In 1996, Tyngsborough High School in suiting from their integration with the objectives, classroom activities and pro- Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, applied English curriculum caused some disen- cedures, materials, minimum skills to be to their local School-to-Work Partner- franchised students to become more in- taught, and evaluation. They also devel- ship for a grant to design and pilot test a volved with their English classes. oped projects in which students demon- school- to-work model based on the A recent evaluation of the project strated both skills identified in the state- Community Support Skill Standards (Taylor, et al., 1997) made the following wide English curriculum framework and (CSSS) for direct service workers. The observations about its effectiveness: communication skills embedded in the CSSS were identified as the reference human service industry. point for the model because of the rich- The CSSS cover a common core of Lessons in the curriculum included: ness of the community support worker skills essential to the personal and ca- career development resources in the lo- reer success of high school students Career exploration research papers cal community, and the realization that and provide a useful base from which on what human services is and what many of the fundamental skills required to explore other career specialities. community support workers do. by entry level human service workers The structure and organization of Career interest assessments to inves- would be useful and beneficial to all the standards help teachers to think tigate the education requirements, young people (e.g., supporting empow- about their curricula and establish physical demands, temperaments, erment, resolving conflict, planning, links between the skills and curricula. earnings, aptitudes, and so forth of a documenting, and reporting). specific career group. The use of the standards facilitates Initially, a planning committee con- the emergence of a school-to-work Practice seeking positions in human sisting of the principal, key teachers, ad- program that focuses on what work- services. ministrators, and human service profes- ers need to know and be able to do sionals from the local community out- Design of a path from school to a se- rather than on what it takes to obtain lined a process of career exploration lected job. entry level employment in specific that included school-based and work- Discussions about career pathways occupations. Students learn about based learning activities. An advisory and portfolio development. the relationship between what they committee was organized to oversee the learn in school and the skills they project. It induded representatives from Many challenges and benefits were need in life. Massachusetts Rehabilitation Center, realized by these activities. First, the skill Massachusetts Department of Mental standards were very helpful to the Retardation, Merrimack Valley Goodwill Currently, Tyngsborough High school in developing its first School- Industries, Tewksbury Hospital, Middle- School has plans to expand this project to-Career Initiative, and in redesigning sex Community College, Education De- by developing career exploration experi- its approach to education. Secondly, velopment Center, and Human Services ences for seventh through ninth graders, school staff felt that working with the Research Institute. and by expanding site visits and intern- skill standards made the conversation During spring of 1996, 120 sopho- ships for eleventh and twelfth graders. among educators, business partners, mores participated in project field test and students more realistic and mean- activities that introduced them to the For more information contact Ann ingful for students. The emphasis on human services industry. The CSSS were Romano, Greater Lowell School-to-Work what workers need to know and be able integrated into the 10th grade English Local Partnership, Middlesex Community to do allowed students to explore careers classes that are mandatory for all stu- College, Lowell, Massachusetts. She may be through learning what happens in work dents. Students participated in a reached at 978/656-3155. on a day-to-day basis. Talking to front- research-based career project in which line workers helped them understand the communication competency area of Note: Much of the information in this article was that expecting to leave high school mak- the skills standards was practiced. Edu- adapted with permission from Taylor, M., Warren, R., ing $25,000 to $30,000 a year was an un- Leff, J., & Malyn-Smith, J. (1997). The Community Sup- cators crosswalked the CSSS with the port Skill Standards Project: Technical report on imple- realistic expectation. The English teach- state curriculum framework for 10th mentation and demonstrations. Cambridge, MA: Human ers implementing the field test activities Services Research Institute. grade English. A common lesson format BEST COPY MALAWI '0