The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, in partnership with the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, is convening a virtual, three-part series in October to address the escalating crisis facing America’s direct care workforce, with a particular focus on home and community-based services (HCBS) and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Support for this series is provided by the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation.

The series will consist of three 90-minute sessions held over three weeks, bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, legislative staff, advocates, self-advocates, and state leaders from across the nation. Together, participants will showcase state-level innovations and technological strategies to strengthen and sustain the direct care workforce, examine challenges and opportunities in supporting people with IDD and their caregivers, and conclude with a focus on broader labor market forces, federal policies, and cross-sector, big-picture solutions to address the workforce crisis.