The Workforce Problem Every Agency Faces
Simplify Your Home Care Operations
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Ask any home care agency owner about their biggest challenge. The answer is almost always the same: finding and keeping caregivers.
Washington is experiencing the same caregiver shortage as the rest of the country, with thousands of unfilled positions and turnover rates exceeding 60% annually.
But Washington offers something most states don't: navigator-supported hiring through DSHS.
This state-funded program helps agencies recruit, screen, and onboard caregivers—at no cost to the provider.
What Are Navigators?
Workforce navigators are DSHS-funded staff who help connect job seekers with home care careers and assist agencies with recruitment.
What navigators do:
- Recruit potential caregivers from the community
- Pre-screen candidates for basic qualifications
- Help candidates understand career pathways
- Connect qualified candidates with agencies
- Support training completion
- Follow up on placement success
What they don't do:
- Replace your hiring decisions
- Guarantee candidate quality
- Handle your HR processes
- Manage ongoing employment
Think of navigators as a free recruiting partner focused on building the home care workforce.
How the Program Works
For Agencies
-
Register with the navigator program
- Contact your regional DSHS workforce partner
- Provide information about your open positions
- Describe your ideal candidate profiles
-
Receive pre-screened candidates
- Navigators refer candidates who meet basic qualifications
- You receive contact information and initial screening notes
- You conduct your normal interview process
-
Hire and onboard
- Make hiring decisions as usual
- Navigators may help with training enrollment
- Report hiring outcomes back to the program
-
Ongoing relationship
- Regular communication about open positions
- Feedback on candidate quality
- Support for retention challenges
For Job Seekers
-
Connect with a navigator
- Through job fairs, community events, or referrals
- Initial conversation about career interests
-
Explore home care careers
- Learn about different roles (HCA, CNA, etc.)
- Understand training requirements
- Discuss scheduling and pay expectations
-
Get matched with agencies
- Based on location, preferences, and qualifications
- Introduction to multiple potential employers
-
Complete training
- Support navigating HCA training requirements
- Help accessing training funding
- Follow-up during training period
-
Start employment
- Placement with a matched agency
- Navigator check-in during first months
Program Results
State Metrics
DSHS tracks navigator program outcomes. Recent data shows:
| Metric | Performance |
|---|---|
| Job seekers contacted | 10,000+/year |
| Candidates referred to agencies | 5,000+/year |
| Successful placements | 3,000+/year |
| 90-day retention rate | 65-75% |
Agency Feedback
What agencies report:
- Reduced recruiting costs: Less spending on job boards and ads
- Pre-qualified candidates: Basic screening already done
- Diverse candidate pool: Navigators reach communities agencies may not
- Training support: Help getting candidates through certification
Challenges Noted
The program isn't perfect:
- Quality varies: Not all referred candidates are strong matches
- Geographic coverage: Some areas have more navigator support than others
- Communication: Keeping agencies and navigators aligned takes effort
- Volume: In high-shortage areas, demand exceeds supply
Working Effectively with Navigators
Be Clear About Your Needs
Provide specific information:
- Number of positions open
- Locations served
- Schedule requirements (days, evenings, weekends)
- Special skills needed (behavioral support, medical tasks, etc.)
- Minimum experience or training
- Pay range
Update regularly:
- Positions filled
- New openings
- Changed requirements
- Seasonal needs
Respond Quickly
Navigators are connecting candidates with multiple agencies. If you're slow to respond:
- Candidates take other offers
- Navigators prioritize responsive agencies
- Your positions stay unfilled longer
Best practice: Respond to referrals within 48 hours. Interview within one week if possible.
Provide Feedback
Navigators improve when they get feedback:
- "This candidate was excellent because..."
- "This candidate wasn't a good fit because..."
- "We're looking for more candidates who..."
This helps them refine referrals and improve match quality over time.
Build the Relationship
Navigators work with many agencies. Those with strong relationships get better service:
- Attend workforce events and job fairs
- Participate in navigator program meetings
- Share hiring success stories
- Provide testimonials for recruitment
Beyond Navigators: Full Workforce Strategy
Navigators are one tool. A complete workforce strategy includes:
Recruiting
- Navigator partnerships (what this article covers)
- Job postings (Indeed, ZipRecruiter, care-specific boards)
- Referral programs (existing caregivers refer friends)
- Community outreach (schools, churches, community organizations)
- Social media (Facebook, Instagram targeting local candidates)
Hiring
- Efficient process (don't lose candidates to slow interviews)
- Competitive offers (know market rates)
- Clear expectations (schedule, duties, growth opportunities)
- Background checks (required but don't delay unnecessarily)
Onboarding
- Structured first week (don't throw new hires into chaos)
- Training support (help with HCA certification)
- Mentorship (pair with experienced caregivers)
- Check-ins (30, 60, 90-day conversations)
Retention
- Competitive pay (the most important factor)
- Predictable scheduling (people need stability)
- Respect and recognition (culture matters)
- Growth opportunities (career pathways)
- Supportive technology (reduce administrative burden)
Finding Your Regional Navigator
DSHS Workforce Contacts
Navigator programs operate through regional workforce development partnerships.
To find your regional navigator:
-
Contact DSHS HCLA Workforce team:
- Main line: 360-725-3213
- Email: workforce@dshs.wa.gov
-
Contact your Workforce Development Council:
- Washington has 12 regional workforce areas
- Each has home care workforce initiatives
- Find yours: worksourcewa.com
-
Attend workforce events:
- Job fairs
- Provider meetings
- Industry conferences
Questions to Ask
When connecting with navigators:
- How many candidates are you currently working with?
- What geographic areas do you cover?
- What information do you need from us?
- How do you prefer to communicate referrals?
- What feedback is most helpful?
- Are there costs or obligations for participating?
The Bigger Picture
Navigator-supported hiring is part of DSHS's broader workforce strategy, outlined in their HCLA strategic goals.
Related initiatives:
- High school HCA training: Building pipeline from schools to careers
- Training accessibility: Making certification easier to complete
- Rate modernization: Funding for competitive wages
- Recruitment campaigns: Public awareness of care careers
Agencies that engage with the full ecosystem—not just navigator referrals—position themselves best for workforce success.
Action Steps
For Agencies Not Using the Program
- Contact your regional workforce navigator
- Provide information about your agency and positions
- Set up communication process for referrals
- Respond quickly to referred candidates
- Provide feedback to improve future matches
For Agencies Already Using the Program
- Review your referral response time (target: 48 hours)
- Schedule regular check-in with navigator contacts
- Provide specific feedback on recent referrals
- Update position information if needs have changed
- Ask about upcoming job fairs or events
Measuring Success
Track these metrics:
- Referrals received per month
- Referrals interviewed (percentage)
- Referrals hired (percentage)
- 90-day retention of navigator referrals
- Cost per hire (should decrease with navigator support)
The caregiver shortage isn't going away. But agencies that use every available resource—including navigator-supported hiring—have the best chance of building strong, stable teams.
It's free. It's available. Use it.