Webinar, October 14, 2026. The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, in partnership with the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, is convening a virtual, three-part series in October to address the escalating crisis facing America’s direct care workforce, with a particular focus on home and community-based services (HCBS) and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
* The series will consist of three 90-minute sessions held over three weeks, bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, legislative staff, advocates, self-advocates, and state leaders from across the nation.
* Together, participants will showcase state-level innovations and technological strategies to strengthen and sustain the direct care workforce, examine challenges and opportunities in supporting people with IDD and their caregivers, and conclude with a focus on broader labor market forces, federal policies, and cross-sector, big-picture solutions to address the workforce crisis.
• Session 1 (10/7, 1:00-2:30 PM ET): State-Level Innovations to Address the Direct Care Workforce Crisis
• Session 2 (10/14, 1:00-2:30 PM ET): Supporting People with IDD and Family Caregivers—Challenges and Opportunities
• Session 3 (10/21, 1:00-2:30 PM ET): Big-Picture Solutions and Cross-Sector Strategies
