A Longitudinal Study of Turnover among Newly Hired Residential Direct Support Workers in Small Community Homes Serving People with Developmental Disabilities: Summary Report, Report 50.

Two studies examined turnover among newly hired residential direct support workers in community homes serving people with developmental disabilities. In Study 1, 110 community homes for people with mental retardation in Minnesota were surveyed for facility and residential characteristics, direct support worker wages and benefits, recruitment and retention outcomes, factors associated with turnover, strategies to address staffing challenges, and supervisor suggested changes. Study 2 involved 5 surveys of 124 newly hired direct-support workers at homes that had been previously surveyed. Workers were surveyed regarding worker characteristics, direct support worker outcomes, reasons for wanting to leave, workers' recommendations to agencies, the most difficult aspects of direct support work, and workers' recommendations for potential direct support workers. Findings of the two studies indicated an average turnover rate of 46-48 percent over two years. Factors affecting recruitment and retention outcomes included the length of time a particular home had been in operation, severity of residents' disabilities, and the tenure of the home supervisor. Recommendations to address recruitment and retention challenges are offered for the application process, for the period of worker entry into the organization, for the period of organizational socialization, and for ongoing strategies. (Contains 37 references.) (DB)