News from Self-Directed PA Services

Addressing Barriers to In-Home Services

Do you know people with disabilities or older adults who are having difficulty finding and keeping direct care workers or service providers?

Idaho’s direct care workforce is in crisis. The pandemic, along with increasing wages in many industries, is pulling direct care workers away from their underpaid positions for higher paying jobs with benefits. This shift means that people with disabilities and older adults who live independently in the community with supports are at risk of being institutionalized. For individuals currently in an institution, the lack of direct care workers means they are unable to return to their own homes and communities to live independently.

It is critical that voices of people with disabilities and older adults are heard!

We are collecting the stories of people who are experiencing barriers to community-based services, such as finding direct care workers. These stories will be summarized and shared with Legislators, Idaho State Agency Staff, and the media to raise awareness of the workforce crisis. The questionnaire is available by clicking on the link below, or by contacting or referring someone to the project coordinator. The project coordinator will help people complete the questionnaire over the phone.

Here is the barriers to service questionnaire.

A Spanish version is also available here.