Direct Service Staff Turnover in Supported Living Arrangements: Preliminary Results and Observations

High turnover rates mean that community providers of services to individuals with developmentaldisabilities may be replacing almost their entire direct service workforces each year. Thisinstability imposes significant costs on each provider for recruiting, screening, and training replacement workers. It also adversely affects the quality of care provided to individuals served by community providers. Although the relationship requires further study, caregiver continuity appears to be an important factor in the health of an individual with developmental disabilities. The following observations are based on completed Corporation Questionnaires from seven Montana developmental disabilities service providers. Methods and Approach: In the Fall of 2002, we pilot tested a survey of operational costs associate