Category: Awareness

Do you know what foster care and Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) services have in common? Both services drop off once young people reach a certain age. Fortunately, After 22, a new Chicago IDD transition program seeks to bridge the gap. In this post, Direct Care Innovations explains. 

Without direct care providers/direct support professionals, the agencies Direct Care Innovations supports wouldn’t exist. Therefore, neither would we. When DSPs succeed, grow and climb the ladder in the Intellectual/Developmental Disability (IDD) world, their agencies do, too. For this reason, we take the opportunity to review the DSP staffing deficit and identify ways to help our […]

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to national and global health policy and news. KFF recently hosted several focus groups consisting of both paid and nonpaid HCBS caregivers. HCBS caregiver concerns varied some; however, chief among the concerns was low wages. Can Biden’s American Jobs Plan help? In this post, Direct […]

Food insecurity isn’t a new issue. Therefore, government agencies and nonprofits alike tackle the issue in various ways. However, those living with disabilities make up a subset of those dealing with food scarcity, and they have unique needs and challenges. What can we do to address food insecurity for those with disabilities? In this post, […]

Direct Care Innovations‘ readers understand our passion for those living with disabilities and those who serve them. We’ve addressed the need for more and better-paid home healthcare workers, and we provide tools for organizations to manage the business and comply with regulations. Concerning direct care staff, Wisconsin’s ongoing shortage is so critical that the National […]

When it comes to accessibility, Google is ahead of the curve. The tech giant recently offered up additional changes to enhance smartphone accessibility, not to shy away from improvements. In fact, Google optimizes many of its features and products for accessibility and encourages those who interface with their platforms and products to do the same. […]

A 2022 cost-of-living adjustment will positively impact Social Security benefits for the disabled community. The increase, tied to the Consumer Price Index, is the highest since 1982 and the most significant in over ten years. Additionally, the infrastructure bill continues to make its way through the legislative process. In this post, Direct Care Innovations reviews […]

Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) sometimes face difficult choices. For instance, they can live in segregated settings, such as group homes, attend day programs, or aim for community living with home and community-based services (HCBS). However, the service system must evolve to offer self-directed, person-centered care for those with disabilities. At Direct Care […]

President Biden recently announced the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which requires healthcare workers to get vaccinated or face losing their jobs. You’ve probably heard about the healthcare worker shortage hospitals are experiencing all across the country. As a result, many employees in the healthcare industry have resigned or faced termination. At Direct Care Innovations, we understand […]

Funding and home healthcare staffing shortages could combine to create an untenable situation for those living with developmental disabilities in the home. Many of those with disabilities have loved ones and family members who provide care, and they don’t want congregate care. That being said, many factors contribute to their ongoing needs and their loved […]