Since 1990, WPSA has been a leader in providing training for personal care and in-home care workers. In partnership with Gateway Technical College Health Occupations Department, WPSA developed “Best Practice” training modules that can be used to help train direct care staff to provide essential activities of daily living. Whether it involves experienced workers with limited training needs or persons without experience that need extensive training, once the person receives the training, he or she will demonstrate the required skills to the supervisor/assessor/trainer, who then documents that the worker has demonstrated the needed skills. The worker is then able to work with the consumer. 

In April of 2003, WPSA presented a paper to the Department of Health and Family Services entitled “Regulatory Reduction Recommendations” in which WPSA proposed modifications in such policy areas as prior authorization, PCW training requirements, RN qualifications, and other HFS 105 modifications. WPSA set out to develop and implement a personal care worker training that was consumer-focused, utilized a hands-on approach, was cost effective, and that would be effective in developing more competent, skilled and satisfied direct care workers. 

From 2005 to 2010, WPSA and other partners across the state developed the DCC Training Program. The DCC was piloted by WPSA provider agencies, training over 550 direct care workers. The proven outcomes of the DCC were high consumer satisfaction with the training that exemplified safety, worker competence and skills, and consumer preference. The hundreds of direct care workers surveyed also reported as a result of the training the following: they knew how to react in an emergency situation; they knew how to prevent the spread of infection; the worker felt adequately trained on ADLs needed to provide personal care and promote consumer safety. 

As of today, hundreds of DCC train-the-trainers have completed the DCC Training Program throughout Wisconsin and subsequently thousands of direct care workers have been assessed and trained in ADL essential skills providing quality and consumer-focused personal/home care services to people with disabilities and the elderly. There are two additional modules, DCC II – RN Delegated Tasks Training Program and DCC III - Alzheimer’s/Dementia Training Program. The DCC training programs are evaluated regularly and revised as needed.