Attendants are part of our Workforce.

Attendants provide direct care to people with disabilities in their home and during their activities within the community. The work of the attendants is what makes living independently possible for many people. Most of the attendants are employed by the person receiving care who is regarded as the Consumer-Employer. TRIPIL specializes in this Model of service. TRIPIL assists the Consumer-Employer to be a competent employer and handles the payroll responsibilities. Many of the Pennsylvania Medicaid programs will fund the Consumer-Employer Model. TRIPIL also has attendants who are employed by TRIPIL under the Agency Model. This model is usually used as the first step towards the Consumer Model.

Consumer Workforce Council

TRIPIL proudly supports the creation of a Consumer Workforce Council. Six independent living centers in Pennsylvania are collaborating to create a council of consumer employers who would work with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to establish fair rates of reimbursement for direct care workers wages, to organize benefit packages, to deliver quality training programs, and to improve work opportunities for members of the workforce. The CWC is working on a methodology to allow for workers to organize and have representation from a recognized union. The empowerment of consumer employers and workers will bring them to the bargaining table with the State of Pennsylvania.

Home Health Agencies that do not offer the "consumer employer" model are alarmed that consumers want to be employers of their own workers. The Home Health Association is opposed to the creation of the CWC and is seeking to impede the progress being made because their market share will potentially be reduced. Provider agencies who have offered programs that support consumer employer models are also opposed because they will no longer have exclusive right to speak on behalf of consumers and workers in the rate setting process. Furthermore, they will have to share financial information and workforce data due to greater demands for transparency and cooperation.

TRIPIL encourages people with disabilities to become informed on this issue and join the debate that is raging right now in Pennsylvania.

Direct Care Workers Center

TRIPIL has established a Direct Care Workers Center though a contract with the PA Department of Labor and Industry. The Direct Care Workers Center has an user-friendly, regional registry of direct care workers that includes both agency-employed and consumer-employed workers. The registry is used to assist with job matching, job sharing, scheduling and to promote skill training. The registry helps workers increase their incomes by making it easier for them to combine multiple, part-time jobs and to get credit for hours worked in all these jobs for the purpose of qualifying for health insurance.

Link to our Registry
Link to online College of Direct Support for training attendants.

SEIU Representation

In 2007, the Attendants of TRIPIL asked SEIU to represent them in collective bargaining for improved wages and a benefit package that would include health insurance. Low funding from Pennsylvania has always prevented any progress for the workforce. TRIPIL will organize consumer employers to advocate with SEIU and the attendants. Together, we will educate the PA elected officials and administration about the value and savings to Pennsylvania tax payers through investment in the direct care workforce in community settings.

Wage Standards

A Living Wage for local standards for employers

Training Schedule