# Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act (H.R. 7994) – Summary
This comprehensive legislation addresses the critical shortage of direct care professionals—such as home health aides, nursing assistants, and personal care workers—who support approximately 5 million Americans, primarily older adults and people with disabilities. The bill aims to stabilize and grow this workforce through funding, training, labor protections, and compensation strategies.
## Key Funding
The legislation provides approximately **$100 billion in federal funding** distributed across multiple initiatives from fiscal years 2025 through 2029, including:
- Enhanced Medicaid reimbursement rates for long-term care services (10% increase for participating states)
- Direct grants to states for workforce support
- Training and education grants
- Wage theft prevention programs
- Mental health support services
## Major Components
**Workforce Compensation and Training:** The bill increases Medicaid reimbursement and requires states to boost direct care professional wages, with at least 85% of new funding directed to worker pay and benefits. It establishes multiple grant programs for training, career advancement, and educational pathways, targeting underserved populations including rural communities and communities of color.
**Labor Protections:** The legislation establishes comprehensive worker rights including written employment agreements, fair scheduling with 72-hour notice requirements, paid sick leave (minimum 1 hour per 30 hours worked), meal and rest breaks, privacy protections, and protection against wage theft and retaliation. These protections take effect two years after enactment for most provisions.
**Workplace Violence Prevention:** The bill requires employers in healthcare and social services to develop comprehensive violence prevention plans, conduct incident investigations, provide training, and maintain records. Standards take effect within one year of enactment.
**Mental Health and Support Services:** Programs provide grants for mental health services, suicide prevention, and peer support for direct care professionals, addressing documented high rates of burnout and trauma.
**Data Collection and Evaluation:** External evaluators will track implementation, outcomes, spending, and impacts on workforce conditions, access to care, and program effectiveness through 2039.
## Who Benefits
Direct care professionals gain legally enforceable rights to fair wages, benefits, scheduling, and workplace safety. Older adults and people with disabilities benefit from improved access to quality long-term care services. States receive federal support to expand home and community-based