Training Requirements for Personal Care Aides across the 50 States

There are substantial gaps in both geriatric and long-term care content in health professional education programs, and nearly no formal training programs for most home care workers. In this project, we explore differences in training requirements for Personal Care Aides (PCA), who provide assistance to older adults and people with disabilities in their homes and in long-term care facilities. Although there are nearly one million people working in this field, there is little consistency in the training requirements across the 50 states. Our study provides valuable information about regulations, as well as an assessment of the rationale underlying specific training requirements.

This study was conducted in partnership with PHI.

This project aims to answer these questions:

1. What are the demographics, tasks and drivers of demand for and supply of the PCA workforce?
2. What do states require (or not) in their existing training requirements?
3. What constitutes a rational conceptual framework with which to evaluate the rigor and uniformity of PCA training standards, as states look ahead to training reform?

Interactive Map of Personal Care Aide Training Requirements