Policy priority
Workforce Stability & Caregiver Rates
A professional wage floor so caregivers can afford to stay in the work they love.
The challenge
Home care wages are capped at roughly $12–$16 an hour by stagnant reimbursement rates, while nursing facilities pay $22–$28 and entry-level retail and fast-food jobs often pay more.
Why it matters
Agencies cannot fill authorized hours without caregivers. When caregivers leave, Ohioans wait for care — or end up in costlier institutional settings.
What the Alliance supports
- A statutory rate formula with predictable, data-driven annual adjustments
- A professional wage floor of $18–$19 per hour, following the successful DODD model
- A direct allocation in the state budget for annual rate reviews
Evidence
Ohio stabilized its Developmental Disabilities workforce by setting an $18–$19 wage floor. Home care deserves the same blueprint.
“Without caregivers, there is no care.”