Contracted by the Executive Office on Aging, a team of COA researchers developed the 2025 Strengthening Hawai‘i’s Long-Term Direct Care Workforce Strategic Plan. This comprehensive statewide strategic plan includes extensive research on barriers toward further developing this essential component of the healthcare workforce along with potential solutions applicable to Hawai’i care contexts. Information was gathered through a thorough review of relevant literature, key informant interviews across diverse sector representation, and other consultative methods. The strategic plan culminates in a set of actionable recommendations and strategies for the priority areas of recruitment, retention, career pathways and professional development, societal value, and data and evaluation of DCW workforce initatives here in Hawai’i.

Interim Director Christy Nishita states in the plan’s introduction, “We invite our partners in government, academia, the private and non-profit sectors, and advocates in the larger community – including direct care workers themselves – to come together to achieve the goals set forth in this plan. Collectively we can contribute to building an age-friendly state for our kūpuna, for ourselves, and for future generations. To our direct care workers, we thank and appreciate you. We understand the vital and important work that you do. For those considering joining the direct care workforce in some capacity, we value you and will strive to make direct care work a professionally and personally rewarding career choice!”