Home Care Associates of Philadelphia

Home Care Associates (HCA), is a worker-owned home health agency founded in 1993 to provide both high quality paraprofessional home care services and high-quality paraprofessional jobs in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.  As a worker-owned company, HCA must legally be a for-profit corporation. Yet its mission of serving two vulnerable adult populations places it within the not-for-profit arena, particularly in developing new models for providing quality care to home care patients.  The efforts of HCA have been recognized by a number of public organizations; most recently HCA received an Employer Recognition Award from the Philadelphia County Assistance Office for its welfare to work program.  Over the past eight years, HCA has received over $2.5 million in grant support for its innovative training and service delivery programs.

Based on the model of service pioneered by Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA) in the Bronx, New York, HCA employs  more than 118 workers.  HCA primarily trains people who are transitioning from welfare to work as home health aides.  After six months, the employee can purchase a share of stock in the company, providing an incentive for increased employee involvement in the company and motivation to provide high quality services.

Since its founding, HCA has made significant strides in attaining its goals, namely:

Job Creation for Low Income Women: The HCA workforce is predominantly comprised of African American and Latina Women, most of whom were formerly dependent on public assistance.

Economically Positive Jobs:  The Home Health Aide position is one of the lower paid positions within the industry. Typically, each aide must juggle a number of part-time jobs in order to accumulate enough hours to approach a decent income.  At HCA, home health aides typically work 33-35 hours per week.  In addition, HCA aides have paid time off, health insurance, benefits not offered to most home health aides.  HCA also provides a weekly Transpass to aides.

Creation of Market Place Value: HCA's training programs produce skilled, motivated employees who are highly valued by the clients they serve and by the full-service agencies that contract with HCA.  Among full-service agencies, HCA aides are known to be reliable, well-trained and courteous, an asset that HCA cultivates through its training program which emphasizes communications and problem-solving as well as clinical skills.

Mentoring of New Graduates: HCA has recognized that even after the extensive training is completed aides need coaching and support during the transition period into their new position.  Supervisors are trained  in a "coaching" methodology that emphasizes support and problem solving over punishment for infractions.  HCA also employs a counselor who is available to all staff to assist with overcoming barriers that interfere with continued employment such as childcare, housing, or other family crises.

Employee Ownership and Control: HCA provides the opportunity for employees to buy into the company and have major decision-making power.  During profitable years, HCA pays dividends to worker-owners based on the number of hours worked for the company.  At all times, the employees comprise over 50% of the board of directors, resulting in majority control.

Quality Care: HCA's home health aides provide quality care to a variety of clients. The primary home care providers that HCA subcontracts with include Liberty Resources, Wissahickon Hospice, Jefferson Hospice, Jefferson Home Care, Homemaker Services of Philadelphia, LIFE Program-St. Agnes, Jeanes Home Care, Temple Continuing Care Center, VNA of Greater Philadelphia/ Family Home Hospice and LIFE Program- Penn Care.

For more information on HCA click here.