# Plain Language Summary: Direct CARE Opportunity Act

This bill creates a federal grant program to help recruit, train, and advance workers in the direct care field—people who provide hands-on assistance to elderly individuals and people with disabilities. The government would give grants to states, nonprofits, labor organizations, employers, and other groups to develop programs that help attract people to these jobs, keep them in the workforce, and help them move up to better positions with higher pay.

The bill recognizes a real problem: nearly 20 million Americans need help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, and eating due to age or disability, and this number is growing as the population ages. However, direct care workers face serious challenges. They earn around $12 per hour on average, many live in poverty or rely on public assistance, and the job has extremely high turnover rates. The work is also physically demanding and dangerous—direct care workers get injured at rates three times higher than other jobs. These poor conditions mean there aren't enough workers to meet the growing demand for care.

The grants would fund training programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training that help workers gain skills and move into better-paying positions. Programs must include training on workers' rights, how to provide culturally appropriate care, and mentoring. Importantly, workers in training programs must earn at least the federal minimum wage, with wages increasing as they gain skills and credentials. The bill also requires programs to provide supportive services like childcare, transportation, and housing assistance to help people participate in training. Grants would last at least five years, and at least 30 percent of projects must focus specifically on helping workers advance to higher-level positions.

The bill targets recruitment toward people facing employment barriers and those receiving public assistance, recognizing that direct care work often attracts low-income workers and people of color. By improving wages, training, and career pathways, the bill aims to create a more stable workforce that can better serve the millions of Americans who need care.

Direct CARE Opportunity Act

Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"

Direct Creation, Advancement, and Retention of Employment Opportunity Act or the Direct CARE Opportunity Act This bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to eligible entities to develop and carry out projects to recruit, retain, or provide advancement opportunities to direct care workers. The term direct care worker includes home health aides, psychiatric aides, nursing assistants, and personal care aides who assist seniors and persons with disabilities in their homes. After the completion of each project assisted with a grant, the Government Accountability Office must study and report to Congress on (1) an assessment of how the project assisted in the recruitment, retention, or advancement of direct care workers; and (2) recommendations for appropriate legislative or administrative actions.