American Rescue Plan Act: Workforce Surveys
As part of the direct care workforce initiative, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) conducts surveys to assess turnover, tenure, wages, benefits, and other factors. Surveys are offered to targeted agencies and have questions that are state specific to Wisconsin. The results help DHS discover ways to improve the quality and stability of the caregiving workforce that assists long-term care Medicaid beneficiaries. These are the surveys completed:
Workforce survey of agencies that provide long-term care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
National Core Indicators Aging and Physically Disabled (NCI-AD) State of the Workforce Survey
Workforce survey of agencies that provide long-term care for adults who are aging or have physical disabilities.
Workforce survey of agencies who serve children in the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program.
NCI-IDD State of the Workforce Surveys
2023 NCI-IDD State of the Workforce Survey
February 12–July 31, 2024
DHS has completed our survey with agencies that provide long-term care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The results of the NCI-IDD State of the Workforce Survey provided insights that can help us improve the quality and stability of Wisconsin's direct care workforce.
State data at a glance
- Racial breakdown: 58.6% White, 23.3% Black or African American, 3.6% Asian, 2.8% Hispanic/Latinx, 2.3% Indian or Alaska Native
- Gender identity: 75.6% female, 20.8% male, 0.3% non-conforming, 3.4% unknown
- Wages: The average starting wage is $14.37, the average overall wage is $15.24 (NCI-IDD average starting wage is $16.49; average overall wage is $17.34)
- Health insurance: 29.5% of agencies offer to some or all workers (NCI-IDD average 60.2%)
- Paid time off: 57.5% of agencies provide some paid time off (NCI-IDD average 75.9%)
- Turnover ratio: 41.7% (NCI-IDD average 39.7%)
- Vacancy rate: 14.5% full-time and 19.5% part-time (NCI-IDD average 12.2% and 14.6%)
2023 NCI-IDD Survey—National Report (PDF)
2021–2023 NCI-IDD—Caregiver Trends (PDF)
2021–2023 NCI-IDD Survey—Wisconsin Workforce Trends (PDF)
2021 NCI-IDD State of the Workforce Survey
Wisconsin joined 28 other states and the District of Columbia for the 2021 NCI-IDD State of the Workforce Survey (formerly called the Staff Stability Survey). Agencies that provide long-term care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were invited to submit their workforce data.
The 204 participating agencies received incentives between $250 to $1,000, with a total payout of $81,250.
The data from the survey helps inform DHS ways to reduce the costs associated with staff turnover at provider agencies and to reduce the impact of turnover on the quality of supports and outcomes for consumers.
State data at a glance
- Racial breakdown: 62.3% White, 21.4% Black or African American, 3.4% Asian, 3.2% Hispanic/Latinx, 2.3% Indian or Alaska Native
- Gender identity: 77.3% female, 21.5% male, 0.2% non-conforming
- Wages: The average overall wage is $13.53 (NCI-IDD average $14.41)
- Health insurance: 39.9% of agencies offer to some or all workers (NCI-IDD average 59.9%)
- Paid time off: 62.3% of agencies provide some paid time off (NCI-IDD average 73.7%)
- Turnover ratio: 49.9% (NCI-IDD average 43.3%)
- Vacancy rate: 15.7% full-time and 16.8% part-time (NCI-IDD average 16.5% and 20.3%)
2021 NCI-IDD Survey—National Report (PDF)
2021 NCI-IDD Report—Key Findings (PDF)
2021 NCI-IDD Survey—Wisconsin Specific Report (PDF)
NCI-AD State of the Workforce Surveys
2023 NCI-AD State of the Workforce Survey
September 15–November 30, 2024
DHS participated in the NCI-AD State of the Workforce survey. This national survey happened as a result of the pilot AD survey from 2021. DHS surveyed agencies that provide long-term care for adults who are aging or have physical disabilities. The results of the survey will help DHS learn how to improve the quality and stability of the workforce.
All eligible agencies were encouraged to participate by sharing their data. Agencies who completed the survey received an incentive for their participation.
State data at a glance
- Racial breakdown: 59.3% White, 22.9% Black or African American, 2.8% Asian, 2.8% Hispanic/Latinx, 2.0% Indian or Alaska Native
- Gender identity: 77.4% female, 18.7% male, 3.9% unknown
- Wages: The average overall wage is $15.47 (NCI-IDD average $16.27)
- Health insurance: 28.6% of agencies offer to some or all workers (NCI-IDD average 41.0%)
- Paid time off: 53.0% of agencies provide some paid time off (NCI-IDD average 55.1%)
- Turnover ratio: 48.0% (NCI-IDD average 47.8%)
- Vacancy rate: 11.8% full-time and 14.5% part-time (NCI-IDD average 8.4% and 7.9%)
2023 NCI-AD Survey—National Report (PDF)
2021–2023 NCI-AD—Caregiver Trends (PDF)
2023 NCI-AD Survey—Wisconsin Workforce Trends (PDF)
2021 NCI-AD State of the Workforce Pilot Survey
September 1–October 31, 2022
Wisconsin and five other states participated in the NCI-AD pilot staff stability survey. Agencies that serve older adults and people with physical disabilities were surveyed to learn how to improve the quality and stability of their direct care service workforce.
The 274 agencies that completed the entire pilot survey received incentive payments between $250 to $1,000, with a total payout of $81,250.
Lessons learned from the pilot were applied to the survey launched in 2023 to all states.
State data at a glance
- Racial breakdown: 55.4% White, 23.3% Black or African American, 4% Asian, 2.5% Hispanic/Latinx, 1.1% American Indian or Alaska Native
- Gender identity: 77.1% female, 19.3% male, 3.6% all other responses
- Wages: The average overall wage is $13.85 (NCI-AD average $14.35*)
- Health insurance: 29% of all agencies offer health insurance to some or all direct service workers
- Paid time off: 54% of agencies provide some paid time off
- Turnover ratio: 49.6% (NCI-AD Average 64.4%*)
- Vacancy rate: 17.1% full-time and 25.2% part-time (NCI-AD average 17.7% and 19.7%)
* Due to the small sample size, the average is impacted by one outlier state.
2021 NCI-AD Survey—Pilot Report (PDF)
2021 NCI-AD Survey—Wisconsin Key Findings (PDF)
Children's Long-Term Support Services Survey
2023 Children's Long-Term Support Services Survey
August 12–September 15, 2024
DHS conducted a workforce survey of agencies who served children in the CLTS Program for the calendar year 2023. The purpose was to collect data about the direct care staff who provide support, help with skills development, guidance, or personal assistance to children in CLTS with intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental health, or physical disabilities.
Survey data at a glance:
- Racial breakdown: 43% White, 35% Don’t know, 11% Black or African American, 5% Hispanic/Latinx, 2% Asian, 1% More than one race or ethnicity, 1% American Indian or Alaskan Native
- Gender identity: 79% Female, 18% male, 2% Unknown, and 1% Non-binary
- Wages: Average hourly wage to all DCWS regardless of length of employment was $20.30. Average hourly wage to DCWS regardless of length of employment who only serve CLTS participants was $23.10
- Health insurance: 20.7% of providers offer health insurance
- Paid time off: 51.7% of providers offer paid time off
- Turnover ratio: Estimated ratio 91.6%
- Vacancy rate: Estimated 16.3% including full time and part time workers