Groundbreaking project will institute college-accredited curriculum leading to the credential of a Certified Direct Care Support Professional for the direct care workforce
ST. PAUL, MINN, September 19, 2025 —The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) has received a $2.1 million grant from the Bush Foundation to develop a leading-edge pilot program offering direct care support professionals (DSP) and personal care assistants (PCA) a path for a college-accredited credential of a Certified Direct Support Professional. The Certified Direct Care Support Professionals Pilot Project builds upon MCIL's work of formulating the curriculum through broad-based input from stakeholders. MCIL's goal is to develop, test, and institute this new curriculum, leading to the credential of a Certified Direct Support Professional. MCIL is also committed to collaborating with government officials to assure that this new voluntary direct care role receives the legislative support needed to increase the earning power of this essential workforce, address the serious growing labor shortage, and improve the quality of care for those served and also to advance a vibrant community which in turn, leads to a sustainable economy.
One of Minnesota's eight Centers for Independent Living (CIL), MCIL serves both the seven-county metro area and for certain services, the statewide area, and is a recognized leader for its long-standing commitment and innovative approach to addressing critical issues facing the disability community. Minnesota has a growing and severe direct care workforce shortage gap of an estimated 53,000 unfilled positions, which places people who rely upon direct care services for daily living at great risk. Since 2016, Jesse Bethke Gomez, MMA Executive Director of MCIL, has been working to address the direct care workforce shortage gap. In doing so, he identified the importance of a college-credit-based Certified Nursing credentialing for the medical sector of our nation's healthcare system. Jesse recognized the need for a similar college credit credential for the direct services of our nation's home care sector. MCIL led the development of an 80-hour, 85-page curriculum leading to the credential of a Certified Direct Support Professional.
The Certified Direct Care Support Professionals Pilot Project will be launched at selected metro-area colleges and universities. In conjunction with MCIL, these institutions are committed to refining and implementing the MCIL Certified Direct Support Professional curriculum that leads to a college credit-accredited course and certification for direct care service workers as a new career role, in addition to all other direct care roles. This groundbreaking program will provide more formal standards and stature than is currently available, and enrollees will gain a college-accredited level certification, a pathway for professional growth. MCIL is committed to obtaining the legislative support needed by the Minnesota Legislature, the SEIU Union, and the Governor, so that Certified Direct Support Professionals receive the appropriate increase in financial compensation.
"The direct care workforce is central in the care and human dignity for people with disabilities and older adults who rely upon direct care services for daily living," stated MCIL Executive Director Jesse Bethke Gomez, MMA. "Over 5 million direct care workers have not had the opportunity for a college credit-based credential until now. To solve the direct care worker shortage gap, it is essential that we create this new opportunity to better support direct care workers for success by offering a college credit-based curriculum leading to the credential of a Certified Direct Support Professional and the financial and professional recognition they so justly deserve. We are immensely grateful to the Bush Foundation for their support of this groundbreaking project. We know that solving the direct care crisis will help to stabilize daily living for families, children, and individuals with disabilities and older adults, and can lead to a greater, vibrant community, which is necessary for a sustainable economy. This work in solving the direct care crisis is guided by the most noble value of a civil society, namely, to advance the ability of people to care for one another.”
According to PHI, a leading nonprofit national think tank on solving the Direct Care Crisis, the direct care workforce—comprised of more than 5 million personal care aides, home health aides, and nursing assistants—is projected to add over 860,000 new jobs between 2022 and 2032. This represents the largest growth of any job sector in the country. Despite providing essential care and support to millions of older adults and people with disabilities, direct care workers face siloed and disjointed training systems, limited career mobility, and inadequate compensation, leading to high turnover rates that ultimately compromise care quality.
“High-quality care and high-quality jobs go hand-in-hand—we cannot have one without the other," says Jeannine LaPrad, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives of PHI. "PHI commends the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living for its work to fundamentally strengthen the direct care workforce. Initiatives like this are critical because they recognize a simple truth: investing in career development opportunities for direct care workers enhances the quality of life and independence of the people they serve.”
“Through our Community Innovation program, we look for ideas to develop, test and spread, and MCIL’s pilot project is a great example,” said Tony LookingElk, grantmaking director at the Bush Foundation. “This effort could become a model for others to replicate and help address the shortage of home health care workers that provide vital services to communities in our state and nationwide.”
Longtime champion of disability rights and inclusion, Minnesota Senator John Hoffman expressed, “The Certified Direct Care Support Professionals Pilot Project offers a much-needed career path enhancement for those who answer the call to serve fellow community members who rely upon direct care services for daily living. Our state and our nation face a growing critical shortage of direct care workers, a crisis that stands to directly harm those living with disabilities and older adults. This program validates the importance of Direct Care Support Professionals, brings a real-world solution to address the critical need for their work, and provides a sustainable support system for members of the disability communities and older adult communities.”
About MCIL: Jesse Bethke Gomez, MMA, is an award-winning Chief Executive Officer with expertise in executive, strategic, and healthcare leadership. Jesse has served on over 42 Commissions, Boards and Leadership Teams throughout his career. He is among the "100 Most Influential Healthcare Leaders in Minnesota" (MN Physicians 2024, 2020). The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) is a Twin Cities-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1981 with the mission: "To Advance the Independent Living of People with Disabilities by Removing Barriers and Promoting Choices." The agency is dedicated to the full realization of the Independent Living (IL) philosophy by assisting individuals with disabilities in their pursuit of independent living. MCIL is one of eight Centers for Independent Living in Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Association of Centers for Independent Living. Visit MCIL-MN.org
