OLYMPIA - Washington state is launching a new tool to support employment and address the long-term care workforce shortage, both of which have been significantly and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The new tool connects health care and long-term care workers with careers that assist some of the state’s most vulnerable people, while also helping to address the state’s growing unemployment rate.
ConnectToCareJobs.com is a free website that uses a matching algorithm to pair individuals looking for jobs with facilities that are in need of the workers’ specific skills now.
“The COVID-19 public health crisis has caused significant disruptions to employment, including in our long-term care system,” said Bill Moss, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services’ Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. “This new tool will help long-term care workers connect to jobs at the long-term care facilities serving some of our most high-risk populations.”
As the public health crisis continues, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have struggled to maintain adequate staffing levels. Without the essential supports these workers provide, many vulnerable adults are at risk of losing the professional caregiving services they depend on. The new tool will make it easier to match potential employees with vacancies at long-term care facilities.
Health care is the largest source of jobs in the United States. Beginning in 2018, health care surpassed other major industries including manufacturing and retail. Washington state currently has 52,000 professional caregivers, and that number will grow to 76,000 by 2030, driven in large part by our aging population. Long-term care workers are an essential part of the health care delivery team. Jobs in long-term care can introduce workers to the health care field, and these workers have many opportunities to advance their skills and move into other health care careers.
ConnectToCareJobs.com was developed through a public-private partnership between ADvancing States, a national association of aging and disability agencies, and the Centene Corporation. The tool is being provided free of charge to job seekers and employers.