The Direct Care Workforce Unit operates out of the Office of Community Living (OCL) at the Department of Health Care Policy and Finance (HCPF). This team is currently working on eight American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) projects to help increase the recruitment and retention of direct care workers employed in Home and Community Based (HCBS) waiver services. These projects include a free, portable standardized core curriculum, a resource and job hub that can help match direct care workers with employers, non-linear career pathways, workforce data analysis, and a training grant that helps workers and providers access higher level training through grant funding. This team also helps facilitate the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative, which is a stakeholder-led initiative that helps connect stakeholders from across the state to identify and move forward strategies to support the recruitment and retention of Colorado's direct care workforce, learn about initiatives happening in this space, and share resources and information.