This fact sheet gives an overview of the direct-care workforce in Iowa. It notes that direct-care workers comprise the second-largest occupational group in the state, and that demand for direct care is growing rapidly. The fact sheet uses data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey to show that direct-care jobs are marred by uncompetitive wages and inadequate health coverage; many direct-care workers in Iowa rely on public programs simply to meet their basic needs (abstract from: http://directcareclearinghouse.org/l_art_det.jsp?res_id=295510).