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Our Goals:
Our Goals:
- Establish partnerships with other agencies throughout Michigan to develop a strong coalition of people in support of a high quality Direct Care Workforce.
- Compile a data base of trained workers.
- Design a curriculum for trainers and an infrastructure to allow the scaling up of teaching Direct Care Workers statewide.
- Coordinate efforts and develop win-win strategies that will increase efficiency, cost-effectiveness and positive outcomes for everyone.
IMPART Alliance Background:
IMPART Alliance Background:
A Michigan State University led research team is tackling a problem faced by all of us including our parents, our partners, and ultimately ourselves. The U.S. and Michigan’s populations are rapidly aging which is creating a greater demand for high-quality, lower cost supports and services at home, where most people prefer to live for as long as possible in their later years. Paid direct care assistance beyond what families can provide is often needed but there is a critical shortage of people trained to do this kind of work. Read more...
Our Team:
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Clare Luz, PhD, IMPART Alliance Director
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University Dr. Luz, PhD, Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, and founding director of both MSU AgeAlive and IMPART Alliance, is a gerontologist whose research focuses on quality of life for vulnerable older adults, long-term care health services, particularly the eldercare workforce shortage, and the intersection of aging, health, and the arts. AgeAlive is dedicated to elevating aging-related research, teaching, and outreach, in partnership with community, to promote wellbeing for all people of all ages and abilities. IMPART Alliance is an organization dedicated to helping MI build an infrastructure that expands and supports direct care workers (DCW). She Co-chairs both the statewide MDHHS DCW Advisory committee and the statewide MI DCW Coalition comprised of employers, DCWs, clients and other stakeholders who are jointly generating innovative, feasible, affordable strategies to tackle the critical DCW shortage. Dr. Luz has served on the Michigan Long-Term Supports and Services Advisory Commission, the Michigan Society of Gerontology board, and the National Quality Forum’s Home and Community-Based Care Committee.
Luz@msu.edu |
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Shannon Harkins-Padgitt, MLIR, IMPART Alliance Projects and Operations Coordinator,
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University Shannon Harkins-Padgitt, IMPART Alliance Projects and Operations Coordinator, has worked in outreach and continuing education for more than 25 years and specifically in the aging field for 20 years, most recently for the Area Agencies on Aging Association and the Michigan Society of Gerontology. Her deep appreciation for direct care workers stems in part from the many compassionate caregivers who assisted her father while he was living with dementia. Ms. Harkins-Padgitt is responsible for operations, project coordination, supporting research activities, reporting and supervising volunteers. harkins@msu.edu |
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Tammy Cordes, IMPART Alliance
Course Coordinator / Program Developer II, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University Tammy Cordes is excited to play a role in the training, credentialing, and advancing of Michigan’s direct care workforce. She has extensive experience as a trainer (in person and virtual), most recently in her previous role as Elder Abuse Prevention Training Coordinator for Michigan Elder Justice Initiative. Tammy has also served as a family caregiver and understands many of the challenges, barriers, joys, and rewards of direct care work. She has a deep respect for those who provide person-centered care to others and looks forward to a time in the not-so-distant future in which DCWs will gain the respect, recognition, and compensation they deserve. Tammy is a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) with a master’s degree in Family Studies from Spring Arbor University. |
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Beth Eisch, RN, Master Trainer, Curriculum Designer,
and Director of Education for IMPART Alliance Department of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University Beth Eisch, RN, is currently a Master Trainer, Curriculum Designer, and Director of Education for IMPART Alliance. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Beth has over thirty years of experience in the field of aging, with a special focus on training direct care workers (DCWs). She is passionate about advocating on behalf of DCWs to receive better wages, training, and recognition and respect for the challenging and essential work that they do. Her advocacy flows into designing and teaching curricula that is based on a person-centered philosophy, uses adult learning principles, and adapts to the changing needs of the direct care work profession. |
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Heather Picotte, IMPART Alliance Communications Architect, Department of Family and Community Medicine,Michigan State University
Heather Picotte, IMPART Alliance Communications Architect, has worked in nonprofit and healthcare communications for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, she has worked with a number of organizations focused on person-centered care. As a family caregiver from a young age and the daughter of a Direct Care Worker, Ms. Picotte is committed to informing and empowering DCWs and the elders they serve. Ms. Picotte is responsible for organizational communications, social media, and graphic design for the organization. picotte@msu.edu |
Catherine Hein, IMPART Alliance Intern
As Intern, Catherine Hein provides important insight to the organization on accessibility issues and programming. Catherine shares in her own words the importance of working with IMPART Alliance.
This work is especially important to me professionally and personally. I was born with cerebral palsy and in my case, it affects all four of my limbs. This means that have always and will always need help with activities of daily living.
From the time that I was young, I knew I wanted to help other people like me. When I was eighteen, I was able to qualify for assistance for a paid direct care worker. I thought that this would finally enable me to have the same experiences as my able-bodied peers.
Most agencies and companies say my needs are far too complex before they even meet me. People have this misconception that being a direct care worker means you are just going to go to a client’s house to play cards and chat. I have had people coming into my home from agencies and they offer to play cards with me. I have also had people come to my home and not know how physical the work is to care for me, and they decline to do work with me – sometimes because of their own health issues. Typically, they say something like I did not know you were in a wheelchair, or they say that they thought I needed to get out of the house. I have always believed that every person deserves quality care regardless of the level of the person’s needs, diagnosis, or disability.
So many people are struggling to find and maintain care for themselves and their loved ones. For those of us who need care for everything - care is as essential to us as breathing. All that I have wanted as a person with a disability is to have the same opportunities as everyone else. Without care - people who need care due to aging, medical conditions, chronic illnesses and/or disabilities - cannot live a normal life with all the joy happiness, love, heartache anger sadness and freedom most people take for granted.
The need for care is never going to go away so I will spend as much of my life as I can trying to level the playing field and renovate broken systems so that people who need care can I have the same opportunities people that do not and can be just as productive in society as able-bodied individuals.
As Intern, Catherine Hein provides important insight to the organization on accessibility issues and programming. Catherine shares in her own words the importance of working with IMPART Alliance.
This work is especially important to me professionally and personally. I was born with cerebral palsy and in my case, it affects all four of my limbs. This means that have always and will always need help with activities of daily living.
From the time that I was young, I knew I wanted to help other people like me. When I was eighteen, I was able to qualify for assistance for a paid direct care worker. I thought that this would finally enable me to have the same experiences as my able-bodied peers.
Most agencies and companies say my needs are far too complex before they even meet me. People have this misconception that being a direct care worker means you are just going to go to a client’s house to play cards and chat. I have had people coming into my home from agencies and they offer to play cards with me. I have also had people come to my home and not know how physical the work is to care for me, and they decline to do work with me – sometimes because of their own health issues. Typically, they say something like I did not know you were in a wheelchair, or they say that they thought I needed to get out of the house. I have always believed that every person deserves quality care regardless of the level of the person’s needs, diagnosis, or disability.
So many people are struggling to find and maintain care for themselves and their loved ones. For those of us who need care for everything - care is as essential to us as breathing. All that I have wanted as a person with a disability is to have the same opportunities as everyone else. Without care - people who need care due to aging, medical conditions, chronic illnesses and/or disabilities - cannot live a normal life with all the joy happiness, love, heartache anger sadness and freedom most people take for granted.
The need for care is never going to go away so I will spend as much of my life as I can trying to level the playing field and renovate broken systems so that people who need care can I have the same opportunities people that do not and can be just as productive in society as able-bodied individuals.
The IMPART Alliance Leadership Council
The IMPART Alliance Leadership Council includes Direct Care Workers (DCWs), clients, agency representatives, waiver agents, advocates, academics, adult day care and respite services, and others. These individuals are committed to tackling the tough challenges of building and strengthening the direct care workforce together! The wealth of knowledge and experience each of the council members brings to the table is vital to IMPART's long term goal of establishing a stable, competent workforce that can provide high quality, respectful care to older adults. The prospect of fresh voices and new, creative ideas is exciting!
The IMPART Alliance Leadership Council includes Direct Care Workers (DCWs), clients, agency representatives, waiver agents, advocates, academics, adult day care and respite services, and others. These individuals are committed to tackling the tough challenges of building and strengthening the direct care workforce together! The wealth of knowledge and experience each of the council members brings to the table is vital to IMPART's long term goal of establishing a stable, competent workforce that can provide high quality, respectful care to older adults. The prospect of fresh voices and new, creative ideas is exciting!
Members:
Laura Alexander, Compassionate Care Home Health Services
Mark Bomberg, Michigan Commission on Aging
Melanie Brim, Michigan Health Council, Executive Director
Quisha Brown, Humanistic Home Care, LLC, Owner
Ryan Cowmeadow, Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan, Special Projects
Emily Dieppa, PHI, Organizational Change Consultant
Sue Fierro, Direct Care Worker
Yvonne Fleener, President and CEO, Disability Network of Southwest Michigan
Charles Gliozzo, Client family member
Henrietta Ivey, Direct Care Worker
Valerie Jemerson, Talent Development Liaison, Workforce Development, Industry Engagement-Sector Strategies
Tammy Lemmer, TriCounty Office on Aging, Community Relations & Grant Manager
Jennifer Lugo, Direct Care Worker
Vernette Mahone, Direct Care Worker
Mare Martell-Stotler, Direct Care Worker
Wendy Martin, Crystal Penny, Inc., owner
Chris Miller, BrightStar Care of East Lansing, Owner
Dawn O'Neal, Addus HealthCare, Agency Director, Detroit
Marion Owen, TriCounty Office on Aging, Executive Director
Lee Reiman, Client family member, Employer
Lauren Swanson-Aprill, Aging and Adult Services Agency
