House
Resolution
117
-
Introduced
HOUSE
RESOLUTION
NO.
117
BY
WESSEL-KROESCHELL
A
Resolution
requesting
that
the
legislative
council
1
establish
a
multistakeholder
legislative
interim
2
study
committee
to
identify
compensation
enhancement
3
strategies
for
those
who
work
in
the
high-demand
4
occupation
of
direct
care.
5
WHEREAS,
direct
care
workers
encompass
a
range
of
6
individuals
who
provide
supportive
services
and
care
to
7
people
experiencing
health
conditions,
illnesses,
or
8
disabilities
for
which
they
receive
compensation;
and
9
WHEREAS,
direct
care
workers
provide
care
in
10
a
variety
of
settings
including
homes
and
other
11
community-based
settings,
assisted
living
programs,
12
nursing
facilities,
hospice,
and
hospitals,
have
over
13
thirty
job
titles,
and
serve
Iowans
of
all
ages
and
14
abilities;
and
15
WHEREAS,
the
demand
for
direct
care
workers
is
16
increasing
and
will
continue
to
increase
as
more
than
17
eight
hundred
thousand
Iowans
will
reach
retirement
age
18
by
the
year
2030,
increasing
the
potential
need
for
19
long-term
care
services
in
some
type
of
setting;
and
20
WHEREAS,
ninety
percent
of
direct
care
workers
21
nationwide
are
women
aged
twenty-two
to
forty-five
and
22
are
disproportionately
women
of
color;
and
23
WHEREAS,
the
population
of
women
in
the
United
24
States
aged
twenty-two
to
forty-five
will
significantly
25
decline
in
the
coming
decades;
and
26
WHEREAS,
the
top
hiring
issues
identified
in
a
2016
27
Iowa
workforce
survey
for
employers
of
direct
care
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H.R.
117
workers
included
lack
of
applicants
and
low
wages
and
1
compensation,
with
low
wages
and
compensation
also
2
identified
as
a
top
retention
issue;
and
3
WHEREAS,
jobs
with
inadequate
compensation
and
lack
4
of
benefits
also
create
a
greater
reliance
by
this
5
workforce
on
government
support;
NOW
THEREFORE,
6
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
SENATE,
That
the
senate
7
requests
the
legislative
council
to
establish
a
8
multistakeholder
interim
committee
comprised
of
9
members
of
the
senate
and
house
of
representatives
10
and
representatives
of
direct
care
workers
providing
11
services
to
various
populations,
including
those
with
12
disabilities,
in
various
settings;
the
Iowa
caregivers;
13
community
colleges;
the
Iowa
skills2compete
coalition;
14
the
department
of
education,
the
department
on
aging,
15
the
department
of
public
health,
the
department
16
of
human
services,
the
department
of
workforce
17
development;
managed
care
organizations
and
other
18
third-party
payors;
the
Iowa
health
care
association;
19
leadingage
Iowa;
HCI
care
services;
visiting
nurse
20
services
of
Iowa;
the
Iowa
assisted
living
association;
21
the
business
community;
AARP
Iowa;
the
child
and
family
22
policy
center;
an
individual
with
a
disability
who
23
receives
supports
from
a
direct
care
worker;
a
family
24
caregiver
utilizing
services
of
a
direct
care
worker;
25
and
others
as
deemed
appropriate;
and
26
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
the
interim
committee
27
shall,
at
a
minimum,
provide
an
update
on
the
status
of
28
the
current
direct
care
workforce;
define
compensation
29
for
the
direct
care
workforce;
research
best
practices
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in
elevating
the
compensation
of
the
direct
care
1
workforce
that
may
exist
in
other
states;
identify
2
potential
strategies
for
increasing
direct
care
worker
3
compensation,
reducing
reliance
on
public
supports,
4
and
the
feasibility
and
fiscal
impact
of
each
strategy
5
identified;
and
provide
a
report
of
the
committee’s
6
findings,
including
recommendations
identified
by
7
priority
and
an
outline
for
implementation
of
each
8
strategy
recommended,
to
the
general
assembly
by
9
December
20,
2018.
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