Strengthening Personal Care Aide Workforce Fact Sheet
Personal Care Aides (PCAs) are the backbone of home- and community-based care for older adults and people with disabilities, yet they remain underpaid, underrecognized, and under-supported.
Based on the 2025 work of Jessica King, Kezia Scales, and Susan A. Chapman in their paper, Training Standards for Personal Care Aides Across States: An Assessment of Current Standards and Leading Examples—produced by ITUP in partnership with Policy at Healthforce—this fact sheet highlights the state of PCA training nationwide, showcases innovative state models, and presents policy solutions to strengthen and equitize the direct care workforce.
The latest ITUP fact sheet also explores systemic challenges that undermine PCAs effectiveness, from fragmented training standards and lack of a national training requirement to job instability and low wages.
These barriers not only impact PCA livelihoods but also affect the quality and consistency of care for millions of Americans. Inside the fact sheet, you’ll learn why standardized training is long overdue, how low wages and misconceptions contribute to workforce instability, and what policy solutions can help elevate and professionalize PCA roles.
This ITUP Fact Sheet was developed in collaboration with the Healthforce Center at UCSF.
