AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: Dec. 23, 2025
To: People interested in addressing the direct care workforce shortage
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To share information about direct care professional compensation and service rates
Contact: PositiveSupports@state.mn.us

New resources about direct care professional compensation

DHS collected and summarized information on service rates and compensation requirements across more than 100 direct care services in Minnesota.

This is the first time DHS has put together this information. We hope the information will:

· Provide structure for conversations on direct care professional compensation.

· Improve access to policy information related to compensation and service rates.

· List the many types of direct care services in Minnesota.

· Help policy decision-makers compare regulations across services.

New resources

We separated the information into the following web pages:

· DHS – Care professional compensation.

· DHS – How direct care service rates are determined.

· DHS – Requirements for care professional compensation.

· DHS – Care professional compensation and service rate comparison (Spreadsheet).

Next steps

We plan to:

· Update the materials a couple times each year.

· Send eList announcements when we make updates.

Feedback

If you have questions or suggestions for how we can improve this information, email PositiveSupports@state.mn.us.

Background information

Many groups and studies, including the following examples, have concluded that inadequate compensation contributes to the direct care workforce shortage:

· The Olmsted Implementation Office’s 2017 direct care workforce stakeholder group’s number one recommendation was to increase worker wages and/or benefits. For more information, refer to DHS – Direct care workforce shortage in Minnesota.

· Administration for Community Living (ACL) – President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) noted the need for living wages in this profession in Advancing Independence and Community: PCPID Report to the President, September 2024 (PDF).

· The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health, Disability and Aging Policy provides an overview of wage concerns in State Efforts to Improve Direct Care Workforce Wages: Final Report by RTI International and HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (PDF).

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE