Dr. Jesse Bethke Gomez, PD, Leads Three Big Initiatives Scalable for America to Address a Severe Crisis in Disability Communities

SAINT PAUL, MN, November 11, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Dr. Jesse Bethke Gomez, PD, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL), has evidenced a crisis within the disability communities of a severe direct care workforce gap and instability of care creating human suffering. Dr. Bethke Gomez is piloting three big initiatives to increase stability and continuity of care for people with disabilities who rely upon direct care services and supports for daily living, thereby alleviating human suffering.

Thanks to members of the disability community who thought of the idea of a “Service Corps," MCIL has developed “The PCA College Service Corps” which places college students as personal care assistants (PCAs) with people with disabilities who need hands-on help to live at home. The goal of this big initiative is to reduce a workforce gap that affects families, children, adults, and older people, increase community connectivity and invite the postsecondary sector to play a role in solving the crisis. It’s a big initiative that is already seeing positive results.

Direct-care workers assist with everyday activities that include bathing and dressing, eating, medication, and mobility. The country has roughly 7.1 million of them, and there still aren’t enough. Shortages fall hardest on people who have no family member able to fill the gap. When a worker can’t be found, a person may not be able to get out of bed, reach a job or classroom, or stay in their own home.

Students Step in Where Workers Are Missing

MCIL works with more than 35 colleges and universities to recruit students. A person who receives direct care services and is enrolled in the program, called a Participant, can choose a student to be their direct care worker. An organization that supports the Participant employs the student at an hourly wage. Students work about 10 hours a week for up to 30 weeks. MCIL adds a taxable incentive bonus and four stages of mentoring, and a college credit track is in the works so the hours can count toward a degree.

“Every generation of college students brings hope and a desire to change the world for the better, and people who rely on direct care deserve a worker they choose and trust,” said Dr. Bethke Gomez. “This pilot meets a need people have right now. It also shows a lot of young people what caring for someone is actually like and the difference they make in the lives of people.”

Two Leaders Asked, and He Gave His Word

Dr. Bethke Gomez began working on the problem in 2015, soon after becoming MCIL’s executive director, when two leaders with disabilities asked to meet with him about the growing gaps in direct care. He gave them his word he would look for solutions. He later served on a state workgroup on the crisis and was one of the writers of the plan Minnesota approved.

The Corps pilot comes out of that plan’s recommendations. The specific idea came from a committee member whose network supporting people with spinal cord injuries had pushed for it for years. Funding comes from the Margaret A. Cargill Fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and legislation for this pilot by the State of Minnesota. MCIL is working on plans for the Corps to become scalable throughout Minnesota and recognizes the need for the Corps nationally.

Another of the recommendations MCIL is well along the way of development, is a certified direct support professional as a credential from college-credit-based curriculum for the homecare sector of our nation’s healthcare system. Dr. Bethke Gomez sees the postsecondary sector as rightfully being part of America’s direct care workforce innovations. Dr. Bethke Gomez believes that the 7.1 million direct care workers across America must have a career pathway to choose to become credentialed as a certified direct support professional, resulting from a college-credit-based educational opportunity. This work is a result of a grant by The Bush Foundation.

This big initiative sees the postsecondary sector expansively throughout the United States of America, credentialing people to become certified direct support professionals through a college-credit-based educational opportunity. The homecare sector is in need of creating this bridge to a credentialed role just as a college-credit-based certified nursing assistant credential has been offered for many years within the medical sector.

The healthcare system has needed the postsecondary sector to create a similar college-credit-based credential role for the homecare sector. This college-credit-based curriculum leading to the credential of a certified direct support professional brings that solution as a direct care workforce innovation.

MCIL studied direct care training programs in all 50 states and, with support from the Bush Foundation, wrote a master curriculum for a college-credit pathway to a certified direct support professional credential, in alignment with the National Direct Services Workforce Resource Center's Core Competencies for Direct Service Workforce Project. MCIL is open to piloting it in Minnesota and other states. The initiative also includes the creation of an accreditation association to establish a standard of excellence by and for postsecondary institutions to deliver an exceptional educational experience for students.

Dr. Bethke Gomez led statewide research assessing the services, needs and gaps for members of the disability community. The research led to the creation of another big initiative to advance stability, continuity of care and independent living: The 7 Life Sustaining Dimensions model, which covers food, housing, healthcare, human services, education & civil rights, employment, and transportation/community connection.

“When families and individuals are stable, communities get stronger, and strong communities support a healthy economy for who we are as a constitutional society,” Dr. Bethke Gomez said. “These three big initiatives are scalable and need to play a larger role in solving the crisis and advance our values as a constitutional society for people to care for one another. We invite all to join us in bringing these solutions to fruition.”

Help Take Three Big Initiatives to Scale

MCIL is launching a $5 million campaign, Removing Barriers, Promoting Choices, to expand the Corps, bring the CDSP pathway to more states, and look at how the work can serve veterans who rely on direct care. It is asking foundations, donor-advised funds, corporations, and individuals to contribute. Gifts help move the pilot toward a wider scale. Colleges and direct care agencies that want to take part can contact MCIL.

About Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL)

MCIL, as a Center for Independent Living, is a statutory 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation recognized for advancing independent living for families, children, individuals, and older adults with disabilities, drawing on its research-based 7 Life Sustaining Dimensions framework and its work to solve the direct care workforce crisis while providing multiple services. Its initiatives include the first PCA College Service Corps in the United States, development of a first college credit-based postsecondary credential of a certified direct support professional, and the $5 million Removing Barriers, Promoting Choices Philanthropic Campaign to bring these to scale and strengthen MCIL’s ability to do so. Dr. Jesse Bethke Gomez, PD, received his Professional Doctorate in Healthcare Executive Leadership and direct care workforce innovation from European International University, Paris, France. For more information, visit mcil-mn.org.