The fast track to cash: direct support professional (DSP)/caregiver certification made easy

Offering a career ladder for your direct care staff may be the secret recipe for retaining and recruiting quality staff. Did you consider sweetening the pot with a bit of an incentive? TennCare rolled out an incentive for all home- and community-based service (HCBS) provider organizations in Tennessee (for example, CHOICES, Employment and Community First [ECF] CHOICES, 1915c, and Katie Beckett Program) to incentivize direct support staff completion of the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) eBadge Academy. The initiative allows staff to earn cash while upskilling to the next stop on their career journey. While career roads can be a little rocky, Wellpoint has found a way to clear the path by offering an innovative and direct path to success for personal care assistants, frontline supervisors (FLS), direct support professionals, and caregivers.

How eBadging works

Wellpoint offers accredited education at no cost to contracted providers interested in credentialing staff. All training is aligned with the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for direct care workers and management. Each training pathway is accredited by the NADSP, which equals incentives for our agencies and staff. Certifications must be obtained by eBadge participants by December 31, 2024, to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funded incentives. Below is an outline of the CMS-approved incentive overview for HCBS providers:

• Position Title: Direct support professional, caregiver, personal care attendant
  • Certification: DSP I
    • Bonus:
      • $500 bonus
      • $1000 training time
  • Provider incentive: $1000 (reimbursed for training if needed) $250 per DSP I
• Certification: DSP II
  • Bonus:
    • $1000 bonus
    • $500 training time
  • Provider incentive: $500 per DSP I
• Certification: DSP III
  • Bonus:
    • $1500 bonus
    • $150 training time
  • Provider incentive: $750 per DSP III

• Position Title: Frontline supervisor, CNA, lead DSP, house manager, case manager, house coordinator, LPN, etc.
  • Certification: FLS
  • Bonus: $750
  • Provider incentive: N/A

Making it easy

Simply put, your staff can complete the required accredited education between eight and 12 courses in any order at your own pace. The course pack is organized to develop learners in all competencies to create a competent and high-quality staff at no cost to you. The course packs are:

• Fast Track DSP I, II, and III
• Fast Track FLS
• Personal Attendance Care Quality Incentive Program (PAQIP) Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Fast Track

Each course comes with a competency-based discussion guide and due dates to remind your staff when courses are due. Though the due dates can be adjusted, the 90-day course schedule allows for you to make the quarterly deadline to get your payouts on time.

Getting started

Though participation in the NADSP eBadge Academy is optional, we can get you started on the training platform by sending the email list of staff you want to complete the training. If you wish to participate in the incentive program, you will need to complete the TennCare attestation for HCBS providers, direct support professionals, and front line supervisors.

For more information, contact Simone Stewart, Provider Workforce Development Director, at simone.stewart@wellpoint.com.