Recruiting, Selecting, and Retaining Direct Service Workers to Provide Self-Directed HCBS

1. Listen

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2. Read

In this lesson you learned to: 

• Have a job description created before recruitment
• Have an email address that you want to use for recruiting DSW candidates
• Have an idea of what characteristics a person may have that would make them a good DSW for you
• Have a realistic job preview completed before recruitment​ (How to create a realistic job preview will be discussed in Module 3, Lesson 3.1)​

3. Scenario

After Roberta first had her stroke, she had support from a home health agency.  Now that Roberta has decided to do self-directed supports, she needs to hire her own staff.  She has thought about what her needs are, what skills the people who support her need, and what kind of person would be a good match for her.  Roberta has decided that because she needs support with housekeeping and other daily activities, recruiting from the University’s occupational therapy program is a good idea. She thinks the students might have some good ideas.  Roberta also thinks that having someone closer to her age with some of the same interests would also be good for a direct service worker.  Another option Roberta thought of to find DSWs is her church.  She belongs to a large congregation and knows many people.  If you were Roberta how would you go about recruiting DSWs? 

What did Roberta do?

Who do you want to recruit?	Where can you get their attention?	How will you get their attention?
Occupational therapy students People from my church People my age	At the local university At church Senior Center,  AARP	Course instructor/flyers Bulletin board, newsletter, pastor Flyers, job placement office at AARP

Action Steps:

1. Work with my daughter to create a flyer.  She will post it on the bulletin board at the university.
2. My daughter will contact course instructors from the occupational therapy program.
3. I will hang a flyer on the church bulletin board and put a notice in the church newsletter. I will let my pastor know I am looking for someone – she might know who is looking for work.
4. I will hang a flyer on the bulletin board at the Senior Center.
5. My daughter will call the AARP employment office and let them know about the open position.