A Workforce Solution Is Growing in High Schools
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Washington State is tackling the caregiver shortage at its roots—literally. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is expanding high school home care aide training to 15 programs as part of their workforce strengthening strategy for 2026.
For home care agencies struggling to hire, this represents a new pipeline of trained, certified workers entering the field. Here's what you need to know.
Why High School Training Programs Matter
The math on home care workforce is brutal:
- 6.1 million job openings projected by 2034
- 80% annual turnover among Direct Support Professionals
- 24 states have declared workforce emergencies
Traditional recruitment isn't working. Agencies are competing for the same shrinking pool of workers, often losing them to retail and fast food jobs that pay similarly with less emotional labor.
High school programs change the equation by:
- Creating new workers instead of fighting over existing ones
- Building career identity early before students choose other paths
- Providing certified training so graduates can work immediately
- Normalizing caregiving as a respected profession
What Students Learn
High school HCA programs typically cover:
Core Certification Training (75 hours)
Per Washington State requirements, Home Care Aide certification requires:
- Basic care skills (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring)
- Safety and infection control
- Communication with clients and families
- Documentation and reporting
- Client rights and dignity
- Recognizing abuse and neglect
- Emergency procedures
Additional Curriculum
Many programs also include:
- CPR and First Aid certification
- Dementia care basics
- Mental health awareness
- Career pathway exploration (CNA, nursing, social work)
- Workplace readiness (professionalism, reliability, communication)
Clinical Experience
Students typically complete supervised clinical hours in:
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Assisted living communities
- Adult family homes
- (Sometimes) home care settings
Where the Programs Are
DSHS's goal of 15 programs means expansion across the state. While the specific locations aren't published in their strategic plan, high school health careers programs are typically found in:
Puget Sound Region
- Seattle Public Schools (various high schools)
- Tacoma Public Schools
- Kent School District
- Federal Way Public Schools
- Everett Public Schools
Eastern Washington
- Spokane Public Schools
- Yakima School District
- Tri-Cities area (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco)
Other Regions
- Vancouver/Clark County
- Olympia/Thurston County
- Bellingham/Whatcom County
How to Find Programs Near You
- Contact local school districts - Ask about Health Sciences or CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs
- Check with Skills Centers - Many regions have consolidated skills centers serving multiple districts
- Reach out to DSHS - The Aging and Long-Term Support Administration may have current program lists
- Connect with community colleges - Some high school programs run in partnership with colleges
How Agencies Can Recruit from These Programs
1. Build Relationships with Instructors
The instructors running these programs are gatekeepers to talent. They know which students are:
- Reliable and professional
- Genuinely interested in caregiving
- Likely to succeed in home care settings
Action steps:
- Introduce yourself and your agency
- Offer to be a guest speaker
- Provide input on curriculum relevance
- Stay in touch throughout the school year
2. Offer Clinical Placements
If programs need clinical sites, your agency could host students. Benefits:
- Students learn your systems and culture
- You evaluate potential hires before committing
- Students who train with you often want to work with you
- It's good for your community reputation
Requirements:
- Appropriate supervision (staff time investment)
- Insurance/liability coverage for students
- Structured learning objectives
- Compliance with school district requirements
3. Create Hiring Pathways
Make it easy for graduates to join your team:
- Attend career fairs at participating high schools
- Offer signing bonuses for certified graduates
- Create "new grad" positions with extra mentorship
- Flexible scheduling for students continuing education
- Tuition assistance for those pursuing CNA or nursing
4. Mentorship Programs
Pair new graduates with experienced caregivers who can:
- Show them the realities of home care (vs. facility care)
- Help them navigate difficult situations
- Provide emotional support during adjustment
- Model professional behavior
5. Promote the Career Path
Young workers want to know there's a future. Show them:
- Home Care Aide → CNA → LPN → RN pathway
- Opportunities for advancement within your agency
- Specialization options (dementia care, pediatrics, behavioral health)
- Leadership tracks (shift lead, care coordinator, trainer)
Addressing the Age Factor
Some agencies hesitate to hire 18-year-olds. Valid concerns include:
- Maturity for sensitive situations (personal care, end-of-life)
- Reliability (competing priorities, less life experience)
- Client/family acceptance (will clients trust young caregivers?)
How to Mitigate
- Selective placement: Match young caregivers with appropriate clients (perhaps not complex dementia or hospice initially)
- Extra supervision: More frequent check-ins during the first 90 days
- Structured onboarding: Don't assume school training equals job readiness
- Clear expectations: Be explicit about professional standards
- Support systems: Make it easy for them to ask questions and report concerns
The Upside of Young Workers
- Tech-savvy: They'll adopt your mobile apps and documentation systems quickly
- Trainable: Fewer bad habits to unlearn
- Energy: Physical stamina for demanding work
- Fresh perspective: May connect well with younger clients with disabilities
- Long runway: If they stay, you've built a 40-year employee
The Bigger Workforce Strategy
High school programs are one piece of DSHS's workforce strengthening strategy. Other initiatives include:
- Navigator-supported hiring: DSHS navigators helping agencies recruit
- Rate modernization: Better reimbursement to support higher wages
- Provider digital platforms: Modern tools to reduce administrative burden
- Retention collaborations: Working with agencies on what keeps workers
Agencies that engage with multiple parts of this strategy will be best positioned.
A Cultural Shift
High school HCA programs represent something bigger: normalizing caregiving as a first-choice career, not a fallback.
When teenagers see their peers choosing caregiving—and succeeding at it—the profession gains legitimacy. When parents see their children building real careers in home care, attitudes shift.
This is how workforce crises end. Not with one silver bullet, but with systematic investment in making the profession attractive, accessible, and respected.
Action Items for Agencies
This month:
- Identify high school health careers programs in your service area
- Reach out to one instructor to introduce your agency
This quarter:
- Explore clinical placement partnerships
- Attend one high school career event
This year:
- Hire at least one recent high school graduate
- Create a mentorship program for young caregivers
- Track retention rates for this cohort vs. others
The pipeline is being built. The question is whether your agency will be ready to benefit from it.