Last week, we reported that the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced an exciting new program, the goal of which is to train 10,000 people as Certified Direct Care Professionals to work in the Home and Community- Based setting. To be eligible, an assisted living center must participate in a program that serves Medicaid Home and Community-Based Participants (ie:  Family Care).  The Program is free to candidates and to prospective employers.  Program background along with guidance from DHS on how a provider gets connected with successfully certified direct care professionals follow:

Sign up for access to a new pool of direct care workers

Find certified caregivers to fill your open positions

Competition for quality, talented caregivers is at an all-time high. In fact, one in four direct caregiver positions is currently unfilled. That’s why the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is investing in the caregiving workforce by training up to 10,000 new workers as certified direct care professionals (CDCPs) through WisCaregiverCDCP.com.

Our companion online platform, WisCaregiver Connections, makes it easy for eligible providers* to find CDCPs to fill open positions. You can gain a competitive edge in finding certified caregivers—at no charge to you. This one-stop platform lets you:

• Post job openings
• Auto-match with jobseekers
• Screen candidate profiles and credentials

Join WisCaregiver Connections Today!

Training new caregivers

People interested in becoming CDCPs can access the free, 30-hour online curriculum, created by our academic partner, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Participants advance through the modules at their own pace.

After successfully completing the curriculum and a supervised, online exam, individuals will be listed on the Wisconsin Certified Direct Care Professional Registry. CDCPs receive a $250 bonus upon hiring and an additional $250 six-month retention bonus if employed by an eligible agency or provider.

In addition, employers’ and agencies’ current employees are eligible to earn certification and to receive bonuses. This is at no cost to you when you become an eligible provider registered on WisCaregiver Connections.

Questions?

Contact us at cdcp@uwgb.edu if you have questions or would like to learn more about the
CDCP program and workforce platform.

*The certified direct care professional (CDCP) program and WisCaregiver Connections were developed with American Rescue Plan Act funding for home and community-based services (HCBS). Eligible providers/agencies are those that serve HCBS participants enrolled in programs such as Family Care, Partnership, IRIS, PACE, or Children’s Long-Term Support and fee-for-service (FFS) providers who serve HCBS participants.