Why Don’t Caregivers Get HCA Registered?

Why Don’t Caregivers Get HCA Registered?

I am assuming you have asked yourself this question multiple times when you have a job offered to a caregiver and all you need is for them to get HCA registered…yet they still do not get it done.😲

Now as an operator this is an obvious barrier to entry when recruiting caregivers for your agency. You need to put potential clients on hold or even deny client services until you can hire more registered HCAs. This can become frustrating as this directly impacts your business.😟

But I have a question for you. 🤔

Have you registered as an HCA in the state of California?

Well, I have. I am currently in the process of doing so for a tutorial video Augusta is creating for caregivers. And let me tell you, it is very confusing! 😖

A quick background about myself, I am currently a full-time employee & I am the primary family caregiver for my great-grandmother (97 years old). Between work, home life, and caregiving, I was overwhelmed with the amount of time and due diligence I had to do just to find the correct links, information, background check forms, thumbprinting locations, and TB testing locations just so I can register. 

Let’s not even mention the long wait of not even knowing if I am verified by the CDSS background check & having to work my schedule around with caregiving for my great grandmother to get fingerprinted & TB tested. Another barrier to entry that was daunting to me was the fees I had to incur. I am located in LA and the pricing for background checks (fingerprinting), TB testing/result reading, and the guardian fee. I was looking at a total investment of $150-$200. Now thankfully I am in the financial position to afford these expenses but most caregivers are not.😓

As an agency owner, you should strive to make this process as easy as possible for the caregivers in your community. Now obviously, you cannot change the state laws. But you can take the initiative to help them through this process. 

Here are some tips I recommend you implement within your agency.

• Take time to walk caregivers through the HCA registration process in person. 

  • Some agencies are quick to deny caregivers if they are not HCA registered because they deem it a “waste of time”. Yet it is quite the contrary, this is an opportunity to establish your agency as an authoritative presence & helpful hand within your caregiver community.

• Offer to reimburse the caregivers for the fees they have incurred after X amount of hours worked. 

  • This can help the mental barrier of them investing over $150 to register as an HCA to work for YOUR agency. 

  • Having the caregiver work X amount of hours before being reimbursed can alleviate the worry of them leaving your agency after you have paid for their HCA registration. 

• Lastly, send over a well-documented PDF form with all of the links, paperwork needed, and expected costs before having them come into an interview. 

  • This way the applicant is allowed to thoroughly understand the financial commitment & gather all necessary paperwork before them being overwhelmed with information during the interview process. 

In conclusion, getting HCA registered is not as simple as it seems. It is not as easy as someone filling out a link & submitting a form. There are a lot of variables that come into play such as financial investment, re-arranging their schedule for fingerprinting/TB tests, and keeping track of their HCA application #. Remember, most caregivers are working 2 jobs, taking care of their family members, dealing with financial hardships, and at the bottom of that list, they are taking care of themselves.