The Washington Home funds $329K workforce push for older adult care in DC

The Washington Home launched a new $328,602 grant collaboration with eight partners to expand training, education and job pathways for healthcare workers serving older adults in Washington, DC. The effort aims to strengthen the care pipeline, reach about 1,750 older adults and add at least 1,000 trained direct care workers over four years.

Why it matters: - Washington, DC’s demand for healthcare workers who can care for older adults is growing faster than the available workforce. - The new collaboration is designed to expand the pipeline of certified workers, improve care access and support healthier aging across the District. - The initiative also aims to address workforce shortages that affect long-term care, home care and facility-based services.

What happened: - The Washington Home launched a Healthcare Workforce Collaboration backed by a $328,602 investment. - The grant supports eight partner organizations focused on education, outreach, training and advocacy. - The collaboration is part of The Washington Home’s redesigned FY26 grant strategy. - The foundation said the strategy shifts funding away from isolated programs and toward collective accountability, strategic coordination and long-term systems change. - The Washington Home said its FY26 grants total $4.5 million across all eight Wards.

The details: - The collaboration’s education work will support CNA and LPN students, plus continuing education and recertification to help with retention. - Outreach and training will include community liaison work and job readiness preparation for prospective healthcare workers. - Advocacy work will focus on coalition convenings, central coordination and project accountability across training providers, employers and community partners. - The collaboration is projected to reach about 1,750 older adults. - The collaboration is expected to increase the number of trained and employed direct care workers in Washington, DC, by at least 1,000 over the next four years. - Black Women Thriving East of the River will provide workforce development and patient navigation in Wards 7 and 8. - Christ House will offer placement opportunities for three students at its onsite medical respite facility. - DC Appleseed Center for Law & Justice will host monthly workforce coalition convenings. - DC Coalition on Long Term Care will work to expand and improve long-term care programs and advocate for better working conditions and CNA licensure. - Home Care Partners will serve as the collaboration’s central convener and handle coordination and accountability across partners. - Montgomery College will provide education and support services for 24 LPN students. - Summa Prime Healthcare, Inc. will train 24 CNA students. - Trinity Washington University will train three CNA students for service at Christ House. - The Washington Home described the collaboration as a way to strengthen the continuum of care through career development opportunities.

Between the lines: - The grant model signals a broader shift from one-off support to a coordinated workforce system. - The partner mix links training institutions, service providers and policy advocates, which could help connect education pipelines with real job placements. - The emphasis on older adult care reflects a larger demographic pressure that is likely to keep growing.

What's next: - The collaboration will move into training, convenings and coordination across the eight partners. - The stated four-year target is to add at least 1,000 trained and employed direct care workers in the District. - The Washington Home said its broader collaboration model will continue to support aging, health and social connection through coordinated community resources.

The bottom line: - The Washington Home is using grant dollars to build a more coordinated older adult care workforce in DC, with training, placement and accountability all tied to one system.