Ohio’s Direct Service Workforce Initiative was established in response to the efforts of multiple state agencies (Job and Family Services, Aging, Education, Health, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Alcohol and Drug Addiction, and the Board of Regents) to cultivate a highly-trained and flexible direct service workforce and assure that Ohio is prepared to meet the growing demand for affordable, high quality long-term services. A Direct Service Worker is defined as "a provider of personal assistance services or supports to an individual needing assistance in order to participate in activities of daily life."
To achieve these goals, the State of Ohio will implement a consistent and portable system of (stackable) assessments and certifications for the direct service workforce, bring together stakeholders, gather data and sponsor research to support planning and policy.
Participating state agencies include:
This work is made possible through a subgrant from ODJFS to the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC). Funding to support this initiative comes from the Federal Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Grant to ODJFS.
- Job and Family Services
- Aging
- Education
- Health
- Mental Health
- Developmental Disabilities
- Alcohol and Drug Addiction
- Board of Regents
