The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing held an ARPA Quarterly Webinar on February 20, 2024, focusing on initiatives aimed at enhancing the state's direct care workforce. The meeting highlighted two significant projects designed to improve training and job resources for direct care workers.

Heather Johnson, a supervisor on the workforce team, introduced the first project, ARPA 1.03, which aims to standardize training across various care environments. This initiative has developed a series of training modules that cover essential skills, including safe transfer techniques, dementia care, and support for individuals with behavioral health challenges. These modules are available for free on the Colorado Direct Care Careers platform and are intended for both new workers and those seeking to expand their caregiving knowledge.

The second project, ARPA 1.04, focuses on creating a comprehensive resource and job hub. The Colorado Direct Care Careers platform serves as a job recruitment and training resource, allowing users to post job openings and connect with potential candidates. The platform currently features over 30 training modules and 20 foundational skills modules aimed at helping new workers navigate the direct care field. Additionally, it includes career path modules that illustrate how skills gained in direct care can lead to other healthcare roles.

As of the meeting date, the platform has registered over 500 individual users and 84 providers, with significant engagement in the training modules. The initiative has successfully trained over 4,000 individuals through grants, resulting in numerous certifications, including nursing assistant and registered behavior technician credentials.

The webinar underscored the state's commitment to strengthening the direct care workforce through standardized training and accessible job resources, aiming to improve care quality and workforce stability in Colorado.