By Natasha Bryant
A new grant will enable the LTSS Center to assess a training program for consumer-directed personal care attendants in Massachusetts.
The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston has partnered with 1199SEIU Training and Upgrading to evaluate a paid training program for personal care attendants (PCA) in Massachusetts. PCAs in the program are hired directly by the individuals receiving services and primarily assist with activities of daily living.
LTSS Center researchers will conduct their evaluation through a contract with the 1199SEIU League Training and Upgrading Fund, one of several funds managed by the larger 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds. Both funds aim to support career advancement and skill development for 1199SEIU members.
About the Training Program
The 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds offer workshops for PCAs with at least one year of experience in consumer-directed care. The workshops aim to strengthen the skills of PCAs, enhance their job satisfaction, and improve the quality of care that consumers receive. The first 200 PCAs who complete 25 hours of training are eligible to receive a $1,000 stipend.
PCAs taking part in the training program must complete four core workshops totaling 14 hours of core training:
- Adult First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
- Communication and Boundary Setting.
- Resiliency for Caregivers.
- Independent Living and Disability Rights.
Program participants are also required to complete 11 additional hours of elective workshops on topics such as infection control, stress management, nutrition and diabetes, emergency preparedness, and other relevant subjects.
All courses are offered online, except for the Adult First Aid workshop, which is conducted in person. Interpretation support is available for participants who are not proficient in English.
About the Evaluation
The LTSS Center’s evaluation will be designed to help researchers better understand program participation and trainee experiences, identify implementation challenges and successes, and assess short-term outcomes for PCAs and the individuals they support.
The evaluation will include the following components:
- A survey of all PCAs who complete the program and receive the stipend.
- Interviews with a sample of PCAs who complete the program.
- A survey of PCAs who begin but do not finish the training.
- Interviews with care recipients served by participating PCAs.
- Interviews with the program instructors.
The evaluation findings are expected to guide future training efforts and provide insights into the impact of the $1,000 stipend and training. The report will be available in Winter 2026.
Natasha Bryant is managing director of the Washington, DC, office of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Her work focuses on developing, testing, and disseminating workforce improvement initiatives to attract and retain quality staff at all levels of aging services organizations.