UMass Donahue Institute

From the report's introductory statement: 

In 2006, the Donahue Institute of the University of Massachusetts was commissioned by The
Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers (Providers’ Council) to provide a comprehensive
analysis of the state of the human services workforce in Massachusetts and its implications for the
future. Findings from the fi rst report, Help Wanted: The Future of the Human Services Workforce in
Massachusetts, were fascinating and refl ected an increasing concern for our future. While the human
services sector is an essential industry to the Commonwealth — the industry’s more than 100,000
employees serve one in ten residents — anticipated changes in need and demographics in Massachusetts
foretell an incredible challenge. This critical workforce analysis prompted thought and accelerated the
call for viable solutions.

The Council directed its energy to searching for paths to alleviate the impending crisis. We engaged the
Donahue Institute for a second report, this one to look at perceptions of and possible solutions to the
main questions that arose from the fi rst report: First, How do we meet our job recruitment needs? And
just as importantly, What effective retention strategies can we explore? The research included interviewing
national experts and local key informants, developing a questionnaire about turnover and vacancies,
conducting a focus group with providers, and surveying the Providers’ Council membership.

Herein we proudly present to you, our friends, supporters and colleagues the result of our efforts:
Help Wanted 2: Recruiting and Retaining the Next Generation of Human Services Workers
in Massachusetts.