Personal care aides (PCAs) provide essential assistance to individuals receiving home care, but their supply is increasingly limited. One key factor contributing to this shortage is the low wages these workers typically earn. While state policies have influenced PCA wages to some extent, another potential factor is self-direction (SD)—a model that allows home care recipients to hire and manage their own workers, including setting wages in most states.

This article analyzes data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore how self-direction may be associated with the wages of personal care aides.