§ 17b-706f — Personal care attendants career pathways program. Development of training curricula. Report.

(a) As used in this section, “personal care attendant”, “consumer” and “personal care assistance” have the same meanings as provided in section 17b-706. (b) Not later than January 1, 2024, the Department of Social Services shall establish and administer a personal care attendants career pathways program to improve the quality of care offered by personal care attendants and incentivize the recruitment and retention of personal care attendants in the state. A personal care attendant who is not employed by a consumer, but who is eligible for employment by a consumer, may participate in the program following the completion of a program orientation developed by the Commissioner of Social Services. (c) The career pathways program shall include, but need not be limited to, the following objectives: (1) Increase in employment retention and recruitment of personal care attendants to maintain a stable workforce for consumers, including, but not limited to, through the creation of career pathways for such attendants that improve skill and knowledge and increase wages; (2) Dignity in providing and receiving care through meaningful collaboration between consumers and personal care attendants; (3) Improvement in the quality of personal care assistance and the overall quality of life of the consumer; (4) Advancement of equity in the provision of personal care assistance; (5) Promotion of a culturally and linguistically competent workforce of personal attendants to serve the growing racial, ethnic and linguistic diversity of an aging population of consumers; and (6) Promotion of self-determination principles by personal care attendants. (d) The Commissioner of Social Services shall offer the following career pathways as part of the career pathways program: (1) The basic skills career pathways, including (A) general health and safety, and (B) adult education topics; and (2) The specialized skills career pathways, including (A) cognitive impairments and behavioral health, (B) complex physical care needs, and (C) transitioning to home and community-based living from out-of-home care or homelessness. (e) The Commissioner of Social Services shall develop or identify, in consultation with a labor management committee at a hospital or health care organization, the training curriculum for each career pathway of the career pathways program. (f) Not later than January 1, 2025, the Commissioner of Social Services shall report in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and public health, on the following information concerning the career pathways program: (1) The number of personal care attendants who enrolled in the program and types of career pathways chosen by each attendant; (2) The number of personal care attendants who successfully completed a career pathway and the types of career pathways completed by each attendant; (3) The effectiveness of the program, as determined by surveys, focus groups and interviews of personal care attendants, and whether the successful completion of a career pathway resulted in a related license or certificate for each personal care attendant or the retention of employment as a personal care attendant; (4) The number of personal care attendants who were employed by a consumer with specialized care needs after completing a specialized career pathway and who were retained in employment by such consumer for a period of not less than six months; and (5) The number of personal care attendants who were employed by a consumer with specialized care needs after completing a specialized career pathway and were retained in employment by such consumer for a period of at least twelve months.

Legislative History

(P.A. 23-97, S. 11.) History: P.A. 23-97 effective July 1, 2023.