State-Sponsored PCA Curricula: 2018 Research Brief - Best Practices in Personal Care Aide Training Lessons from Six States

Aug 30, 2026

This research brief analyzes state-sponsored personal care aide (PCA) training curricula in six states—Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Washington—to identify best practices in instructional methods and curriculum content. It addresses how adult learner-centered teaching and competency-based content can improve preparation for new direct care workers. It also links training design to outcomes such as satisfaction, readiness to support clients, and retention. Training subsections are mapped to CMS direct service core competencies for comparison.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Best Practices in State-Sponsored PCA Training Curricula

How State-Sponsored Curricula Promote High-Quality Training?

Exceptional Training Curriculum Improves Outcomes

Three Reasons PCAs Need High-Quality Training

Arizona: The Principles of Caregiving

Comparative Analysis of Curriculum Content

NOVEMBER 2018 RESEARCH BRIEF Best Practices in State-Sponsored Personal Care Aide Training Curricula: Lessons from Six States BY STEPHEN CAMPBELL In the absence of widespread training standards, many personal care aides (PCAs) enter the field without adequate preparation, which can lead to anxieties and injuries on the job, among other concerns. Despite their career aspirations, some of these workers end up leaving their jobs because they lack the skills and confidence to provide high-quality care. Recognizing a need to raise the bar on PCA training, six states—Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Washington—have developed model curricula for statewide implementation. This report examines these state-sponsored curricula to identify best practices in training methods and content for PCAs and other direct care workers. HOW DO STATE-SPONSORED CURRICULA PROMOTE HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING? In the absence of federal training standards for PCAs, states can play a valuable role in establishing and disseminating best practices for preparing these workers to fulfill their complex roles. State-level PCA training requirements tend tobe minimal, and lack any specification about training topics or instruction and assessment methods, but there are notable exceptions. This report focuses on six states—Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Washington—that have adopted and promoted a comprehensive PCA training curriculum through state regulations. 1 To varying degrees, each of these statesponsored curricula advance adult learner-centered teaching methods and competency-based content—two widely recognized features of effective entry-level training. In contrast with traditional, didactic teaching methods, adult learner-centered methods are designed to address diverse learning styles and build on the life experience that trainees bring to the classroom. Trainees participate in a mix of dynamic, interactive activities, including hands-on demonstrations that simulate real-world situations—with instructors serving as facilitators rather than experts. An adult learner-centered approach is central to high-quality PCA training, given that many prospective PCAs have limited experience with formal education and may face barriers to success in a traditional classroom.2 As well as teaching methods, high-quality training includes competency-based content. With competency-based training, workers develop knowledge of key concepts in home care, as well as the skills to apply their knowledge in practice. In addition, they develop the attitudes that support professional, person-centered care delivery. Moreover, training curricula that are built around core competencies are a critical component of a coordinated training system that facilitates career mobility across settings and populations, which helps ensure a flexible, adaptable workforce. FIGURE 1: EXCEPTIONAL TRAINING CURRICULUM IMPROVES OUTCOMES FOR PERSONAL CARE AIDES In 2015, PHI formed the Quality Care through Quality Jobs (QCQJ) Training Collaborative with four training sites to promote a competency-based, adult learner-centered PCA training in the Chicagoland area. Compared to trainees who received their employers’ original training, QCQJ trainees: • Expressed 16 percent higher overall satisfaction with training; • Were 17 percent more likely to“strongly agree” that they felt prepared to support their clients; and • Reported 11 percent higher intent to stay in their jobs for at least one year. Source: Campbell, Stephen. 2017. Training Methods Matter: Results of a Personal Care Aide Training Program in Chicago. Bronx, NY: PHI. [https://phinational.org/wp](https://phinational.org/wp) content/uploads/2017/07/training_methods_matter_-_phi_-_july_2017. pdf. This report examines each state-sponsored curriculum to answer the follow questions: how does the curriculum promote effective instruction? What topics does the curriculum cover? And does the

FAQs

Why do states create PCA training curricula in the absence of federal standards?

State-level curricula help establish and disseminate best practices when federal PCA training standards are limited. The report highlights that some states use regulations to promote comprehensive training rather than minimal requirements.

What teaching and content features characterize high-quality PCA training in the report?

The report emphasizes adult learner-centered teaching methods and competency-based content. Learners engage in interactive, hands-on activities, while curricula focus on knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for person-centered home care.

How does the report compare the six states’ curriculum content?

Each subsection of every curriculum is assigned to one of 12 competency areas from the Direct Service Workforce Core Competencies set by CMS. Assignment uses only the primary competency to avoid double-counting content that spans multiple areas.

Aug 30, 2026

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