Ohio lawmakers are eyeing a statewide approach to strengthening the direct care workforce as the state’s older adult population grows and the demand for aging services increases.

Sponsored by state Reps. Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) and Jodi Salvo (R-Bolivar), HB 530 would establish a commission tasked with examining Ohio’s direct care workforce shortage and recommending solutions to lawmakers.

Specifically, the bill would establish the Long-Term Care Workforce Study Commission to examine:

• Current and future demand for direct care workers
• Statewide recruitment campaigns
• Career ladders and advancement opportunities
• Training needs
• Educational pathways
• Hiring barriers
• Job quality improvements
• Shared staffing models
• Potential funding mechanisms and pilot programs

According to data from Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center in Oxford, OH, the Buckeye State is home to more than 2 million older adults, including more than 230,000 residents aged 85 or more years. Among that older adult population, 266,000 people have high needs for long-term services and supports.

The Ohio Assisted Living Association, the state partner of Argentum, called HB 530 as a “constructive step” in elevating the statewide conversation around the direct care workforce shortage without creating new mandates or operational requirements for assisted living operators.

“The bill creates a structured forum for examining workforce challenges and developing recommendations, which aligns with the issues our assisted living providers face daily,” OALA Executive Director Melissa Shanmugam told McKnight’s Senior Living. “Its purpose is to bring stakeholders together to study the workforce landscape and identify potential solutions.”

The Ohio Health Care Association, the state affiliate of the American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living, said HB 530 presents an “important opportunity” to build on the work of the state’s Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force, which provided a roadmap for strengthening Ohio’s long-term care workforce and improving quality outcomes.

Although many sectors have recovered or surpassed pre-pandemic staffing levels, OHCA CEO Scott D. Wiley told McKnight’s Senior Living that senior living and care providers continue to face significant workforce challenges. The association has made “substantial” investments to address those shortages through workforce pilot programs, grant-funded initiatives, induction coalitions, scholarships and workforce development programs, but no single organization can solve the challenge alone, he said.

“Addressing Ohio’s workforce needs will require sustained collaboration among employers, educators, workforce agencies, policymakers and local communities,” Wiley said.

Data from OhioMeansJobs — a state-sponsored workforce development system and job board — and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show strong demand for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants across the state, he added. “Without meaningful action to strengthen the healthcare workforce pipeline, Ohio will face increasing challenges in meeting the needs of its aging population,” Wliey said.

Read more @mcknightsseniorliving