State of New Hampshire Looks to UW-Green Bay for Direct Care Workforce Training

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 4, 2024

Program will mirror Wisconsin program that has certified 4,000 caregivers in 15 months

GREEN BAY, Wis.—Beginning mid-November, members of the state of New Hampshire interested in providing invaluable direct care services will be trained through the same instruction model offered in Wisconsin. This collaborative training model, developed by UW-Green Bay’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training (CEWT) program in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, offers Certified Direct Care Professional training designed to create long-term solutions for the caregiver shortages facing the nation.

“As the American population continues to age, the entire country struggles to keep up with the growing demand for paid caregivers,” said Margie Reichwald, director of the Wisconsin Training Registries with UW-Green Bay’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training program. “The successful training partnership established with the state of Wisconsin for its caregivers has resulted in a significant increase in the number of available and prepared caregivers. Since July of 2023, more than 4,000 additional individuals have registered to become Certified Direct Care Professionals. We’re proud to be a part of a successful training movement that addresses the caregiver shortage in Wisconsin and excited to share our program on a national scale.”

Professionally trained caregivers are on the front line of delivering vital care, allowing people to live as independently as possible when they can no longer do everyday activities on their own. An increase in the older adult population as well as families with children and adults with disabilities contribute to the demand for home health and personal care aides. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this job demand is projected to grow by 33 percent from 2020 to 2030. That rate of increase is much higher than the average for all occupations.

In July of 2023 the Wisconsin Training Registries and UW-Green Bay launched a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to create a Certified Direct Care Professional training program designed to create long-term solutions for the caregiver shortages in Wisconsin. Through national recognition for the success of this training model, the state of New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services wanted to offer the same program in their state. With help from UW-Green Bay, the partnership with New Hampshire’s Gateways Community Services and Department of Health and Human Services will benefit:

• Nearly 3,000 children and adults with disabilities by building a sustainable, well-trained workforce of Direct Service Providers (DSPs.)
• New Americans and immigrants by creating a unique pathway to join the workforce by community integration, valuable job training and stable employment opportunities.
• Gateway’s ability to fill critical workforce gaps and further enhance their ability to provide comprehensive care and support.
• Local communities through a better-trained and more diverse workforce that will improve the overall quality of care and support services available.

“Gateways recognizes that one of the biggest challenges in our field is the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals,” said Sandy Pelletier, president/CEO of Gateways Community Services in New Hampshire. “We were fortunate to receive state funding to create a pipeline for new Americans to join this caregiving field. After extensive national research, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s efforts in their state were considered a national best practice. Gateways is proud to launch this pilot in New Hampshire in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.”

About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 11,188 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 85,883 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With four campus locations in Northeast Wisconsin, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest-growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.

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