june 7, 2012 national council on aging - aarp · a non-profit service and advocacy organization ©...

1 A non-profit service and advocacy organization © 2012 National Council on Aging

National Council on Aging June 7, 2012

55 and Thriving: Helping Seniors Get Good Jobs

Barry Lott

Director

Senior Community Service

Employment Program


National Council on Aging (NCOA)

NCOA is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization.

Our mission is to improve the lives of millions of older

adults, especially those who are vulnerable and

disadvantaged.


NCOA Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

SCSEP:

• Designed to foster individual economic self sufficiency through employment training and job placement

• Participants are 55 and older, unemployed and a total family income of less then 125% of federal poverty level

• NCOA manages 23 projects in 11 States


Economic Distress: Debt, Unemployment, Foreclosure, Bankruptcy • One-third of seniors are economically insecure

• Consumers age 65+ carried $10,235 in average

card debt

• Older adults are the most likely to be unemployed

for 99 wks or longer

• 50+ represented 28% of all foreclosures and

delinquencies

• 96% of Americans age 65-69 with income below the

poverty threshold possess retirement savings of less

than $10,000. NO cushion for emergencies.

• Baby Boomers accounted for 42% of all bankruptcy

filings in 2007. Filings increased 61% from 2002 to

2007, the most recent year examined by ABI.


The Problem

Labor Market Trends

• Decline in the number of older Americans working reversed in the mid-1990’s

• More baby boomers plan to work longer

• Industries and regions face skill and labor shortages due to demographic changes.

• Older workers are needed to meet these new labor shortages.


Current Efforts for Mature Workers

• Senior Community Services Employment Program ( SCSEP)

• Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and One Stop Career Centers

• American Association of Community Colleges Plus 50 Initiative

• USDOL’s Aging Workforce Initiative

• NCOA’s Direct Care Worker Initiative


What’s Missing or Not Working

• Innovation in the current training and job placement strategy for older workers.

• Current workforce development efforts for mature workers are siloed, fragmented and disjointed.

• Public training and skill building investments for older workers are rarely driven by labor market data or industry need.


What’s Missing or Not Working

• Training and job placement efforts for mature workers often fail to consider pathways to economically secure wages and reliable solutions

• Need new strategies to engage employers and “sell” them on the contributions of mature workers.


NCOA Initiative

• Funded in 2007 by US DOL (Section 502E)

• Partnered with PHI in development of a Direct Care Worker training curriculum and training in NJ, PA,NY

• Moved from the “train and pray” to an intentional, industry, or “sector strategy” approach


NCOA Initiative

Securing Healthcare Jobs for Mature Workers

Roger L. Leahy

Stephen J. Bruner

June 7th, 2012


Sites and Strategies

New Jersey:

• Allied Health occupations

• “Try before you buy”

Pennsylvania:

• Direct Care Worker

• “Train the trainer”

New York:

• Direct Care Worker

• “Teach and employ”


Goals for PA and NY

Train & Place 100 Direct Care Workers

Provide quality training to workers

• Decrease turnover among workers

• Increase pay of workers

• Provide worker with foundation for additional training to advance

Improve quality of care for seniors

• Higher quality workers

• Higher quality of care


Going rural in Pennsylvania

PHI

• Was already providing quality training to DCW employers in Pennsylvania

• Taught employers techniques to train older, less educated workers

We partnered with PHI

Had employers trained by PHI

• Three day “train-the-trainer” sessions

• We covered cost for employer to attend


Going urban in NYC

NCOA has a large SCSEP project in NYC

PHI is in NYC

Cooperative Home Care Associates is in NYC


New Jersey - Development

Initial Meetings

Exploratory classes

Re-evaluation of original concept

Restructuring

• Key question: “What is the essential motive of training and what is the direct outcome of the training?"


Step 1: Exploration

Community Healthcare Advocate

During early implementation, it was evident that there was neither national nor state credentials for this job title in state of New Jersey. No credentials, no jobs.


Step 2: “Wide Ranged and Deep”

Allied Health occupations

Certifications (EKG Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomist, Dental Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Office)

Training partnerships

Due to recession jobs with these titles dried up


Step 3: Try Before You Buy”

Direct Care Workers (Certified Home Health Aides, Certified Nursing Assistants)

In spite of recession DCW’s were high demand jobs

Employer partners trained participants with the promise to hire


Outcomes

228 Mature Workers trained, most as:

• Certified Home Health Aide

119 Mature Workers placed, most as:

• Certified Home Health Aide

• Home Companion

• Certified Nursing Assistant


Participant Profile

An example of a successful participant profile is available at this link:

http://www.ncoa.org/enhance-economic-security/mature-workers/









Best Practices: New Jersey

Fully investigate all options and make sure you understand the reality of the situation

Form good strong partnerships

Carefully screen your candidates

Give employers a chance to see participants’ ability to perform on the job


Best Practices – All Sites

“Try before you buy”

Industry involvement

Short-term, relevant training

Benefits of industry focus

Importance of continued support


NCOA 502(e) White Paper

http://www.ncoa.org/assets/files/pdf/Securing-Health-Care-Jobs-Issue-Brief.pdf













Closing Remarks

• Research has demonstrated that regional, industry focused “sector initiatives can be highly effective.

• Need to set realistic and achievable goals, and understand the industry, academic, and employment requirements.

• Need to revamp workforce policies and programs away from the outdated “train and pray” model toward more intentional, industry, or “sector strategy” approaches


Contact

[email protected]

Visit us on the Web at:

www.ncoa.org

www.benefitscheckup.org

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ncoa.org/

http://www.benefitscheckup.org/

june 7, 2012 national council on aging - aarp · a non-profit service and advocacy organization ©...

Documents