UW-Green Bay gets $865,000 to train caregiver supervisors | insightonbusiness.com
GREEN BAY – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will train caregiver supervisors starting this year to help address staffing shortfalls in health care.
UW-Green Bay was awarded an $865,010 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Grant funding is made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act and is part of $17 million distributed to 69 recipients statewide.
Currently, there is no training program in Wisconsin for those supervising the 39,000 caregivers who work in supportive home care, adult daycare, and respite care. A 2019 survey by UW-Green Bay that received more than 3,000 responses revealed a need for training, according to UW-Green Bay Program Specialist Kerry Winkler.
The survey asked direct care healthcare workers left their jobs at assisted living facilities and the second most common response was they left because of “management, company, or not appreciated or treated well as an employee.”
UW-Green Bay’s health educators will develop a leadership training program designed to give managers the skills they need to increase retention of employees in this important health care field, ensuring older adults and those with disabilities receive the vital care they need, Winkler said.
“UW-Green Bay exists to solve the problems facing our communities. We are proud to play a role in addressing Wisconsin’s caregiver crisis through training and education,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander.
Up to 250 supervisors will be trained at no cost to enrollees or their employers through the program which will be available by summer. The series will provide credit and noncredit learning opportunities, offering stackable credentials that can be earned on top of or alongside of degrees and other certifications.
The training series will be designed to align with professionals with little or no post-secondary education and will focus on core management topics, including conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, critical thinking and operational management skills.
The Home and Community Based Service Provider Management Training Series will be delivered in a flexible format, allowing managers to learn based on their needs. The training series will also create a career ladder, empowering direct care workers to advance into management positions, resulting in better management of direct care staff and reduced turnover.
To learn more about the management training program, email Winkler at winklerk@uwgb.edu.
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