Advancing Care, Advancing Careers: Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce in Rural Wisconsin

“It’s so important to be able to keep people in their homes and as independent as possible.”

— Alicia Jellen, CISA at GT Independence, Wisconsin

Effective care delivery requires a stabilized, empowered workforce. With essential support from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP), PHI is advancing the Universal Direct Care Workforce™ (UW) Initiative, a comprehensive approach to direct care workforce training, credentialing, and employment that seeks to transform job quality at every level, in Wisconsin. The UW initiative leverages comprehensive entry-level, specialty, and advanced training to strengthen recruitment, retention, and professional recognition—and expand career mobility—for this essential workforce.

Today, MACP has published a profile authored by PHI’s Grant Writer Tasha Beauchesne, accompanied by a video created in partnership between PHI, Page Stephenson, and MACP. These new resources powerfully captures the impact an experienced direct care worker can have when empowered through PHI’s Care Integration Senior Aide (CISA) advanced role. The video draws from a MACP-supported 2023-24 PHI evaluation documenting the CISA role’s impact in rural Wisconsin. Through an innovative career advancement opportunity, the CISA is empowered as a member of the care team and is well-positioned to expand quality of life for older adults in their homes.

Discover how PHI’s work and the essential contributions of experienced home care workers are transforming care for clients like Gloria Walbeck, and how this innovation is shaping the future of care across the nation.

Watch the Video & Read the Profile Here

PHI is grateful for MACP’s consistent support for our efforts in Wisconsin.