Supervision and Support A presentation of the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute Support and Supervision - Improves quality of consumer/worker relationship - Enhances worker retention - Enhances service quality Types of support for Direct Care Workers Emotional Supports Practical Supports Good Outcomes - what can effective supervision do? Effective supervision can: - Build employees' communication skills between worker and consumer - Enhance consumer/worker relationship - Reinforce training and direction - Orient new employee to job - Build employees' problem solving skills - Help consumers/ agency providers assist Personal Assistance Workers managemultiple job demands Effective supervision can: - Model acceptable behaviors - Reduce conflict with clients and family members - Prevent dismissals and resignations GIVE EXAMPLES!!!! Help employees balance work and family demands REFER TO THE COMPLEXITY OF WORKER LIVES... - Assist workers and consumers in managing cultural differences Current Dynamics: Agency supervisors and consumer employers often lack experience and/or training in supervision. Frontline supervisors in agencies - Have intensive scheduling demands - Come from clerical or direct care jobs - Lack on- the - job training in supervision. - Can be critical and demeaning towards direct care workers Relationships dynamics with the workers - Lack skills to guide aides in problem solving on the job Consumer employers - Are rarely trained in supervision. - May be trained in hiring, firing and managing fiduciary issues for example the ILC - Are often self-taught in overseeing their employee. How can supervision be different? A coaching model - Balances support and accountability - Provides direction and limits without criticism - Establishes acceptable behaviors - Guides employee in problem solving -Builds on employee's intrinsic motivation for the job - Diffuses Stress What resources are available to consumers and agencies? Existing resources on supervision Locally developed through the ILC for consumer employers (Focuses on management and fiduciary responsibilities) Wide variability in services and sophistication in agencies Not well-coordinated or distributed Focus on management and fiduciary responsibilities Teaching Supervision How can we teach consumers and agency supervisors how to supervise? PHI identifies existing resources through stakeholder interviews PHI develops user-friendly supervisory curriculum for teaching diverse audiences across service settings -Within agencies -In consumers' homes -Through ILCs -Using Web broadcasting Practical Supports Assist employees in becoming successful at work Why Direct Care Workers need financial and tangible supports? Insufficient pay Fewer resources to manage family stresses Personal Assistance Workers are Among the working poor ~ Single heads of households ~ Lack of medical insurance More likely to rely on public support programs ~ Medicaid ~ Food Stamps ~Transportation Assistance Types of practical supports direct care workers could use Child care Transportation assistance Affordable housing Food Stamps Paid health care and other paid benefits ESL or GED courses Advance in jobs do better in their jobs) Employer role in linking employee to supports Employer not social worker Employer can link to resources in community Government agencies can play an important role in linking workers to private/public supports in the community and state Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute 349 East 149th Street, Suite 401 Bronx, NY 10451 Email: info@paraprofessional.org Or National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce Phone: (718) 402-4138 Info@directcareclearinghouse.org www.directcareclearinghouse.org