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BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Department of Aging announces that Maryland was one of nine states chosen by ADvancing States to participate in their Cross-State Caregiving Collaborative, an initiative to help states develop practices and policies that integrate family caregivers and direct care workers. Improving the connection between these two critical groups has the potential to improve the lives of paid and unpaid caregivers, as well as the people they care for.
“Family caregivers play a critical role in the health and wellbeing of care recipients in Maryland, a majority of whom are older adults,” said Maryland Department of Aging Secretary Carmel Roques. “At the same time, our direct care workforce continues to decline, resulting in fewer options for residents who want to age in their communities and reducing availability of respite support for family and other unpaid caregivers.”
The shortage of critical care professionals reached crisis levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than three-quarters of service providers declining new clients and more than half cutting services, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Through this new initiative, Maryland will join ADvancing States members and others in the aging and disability network from Arizona, California, Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah to share insights and learn from top national leaders and experts in this area about factors contributing to the care workforce shortage, including low wages, lack of benefits, and limited opportunities for career growth.
The demand for home and community-based services is expected to climb as the population of older adults grows. The Department of Aging’s multisector plan for aging, Longevity Ready Maryland, aims to ensure equal access to care and services so no one is left behind. In addition, the Department of Aging recently supported the Home Care Worker Rights Act during the 2024 legislative session to reduce home care worker turnover and improve access to community-based care.
The Cross-State Caregiving Collaborative is generously funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation and other partners, including PHI, the National Alliance for Caregiving, and National Academy for State Health Policy. ADvancing States is the national association that represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities and long-term services and supports. The partners will meet through the end of 2024.
To learn more about the Cross-State Caregiving Collaborative, go to advancingstates.org. To learn more about Longevity Ready Maryland, visit LRM.Maryland.Gov.
Media Contact:
Barbara Sigler, Communications Director, Maryland Department of Aging, barbara.sigler@maryland.gov.
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