1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Direct Creation, Advancement, and Retention of Employment Opportunity Act of 2023 or the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2023 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Nearly 25,000,000 adults in the United States require assistance completing self-care and other daily tasks due to physical, cognitive, developmental, or behavioral conditions. This number includes approximately 22,700,000 individuals living in the community, 1,300,000 residing in nursing homes, and 900,000 in residential care. (2) According to the PHI, direct care workers provide most of the paid, hands-on care for older individuals and individuals with disabilities. (3) The assistance of direct care workers allows older individuals and individuals with disabilities to live with dignity and safety, and to exercise their right to live independently in their own homes and communities, in keeping with what is most appropriate for their needs and preferences. Older individuals and individuals with disabilities may also participate in the direct care workforce, further supporting their ability to live independently. (4) The direct care workforce is diverse. Almost 9 in 10 direct care workers are women, and 61 percent are people of color, with women of color growing as a share of the workforce across every long-term care setting between 2009 and 2019. (5) From 2021 to 2031, home care occupations are projected to create nearly a million new jobs. Home care is also among the fastest-growing occupations, and with the projected growth in the population over age 65, this may underestimate the number of home care workers that will be needed to provide care for this growing population. (6) Due to transitions to other occupations or exits from the labor force, there will be an estimated 7,900,000 total job openings in direct care from 2020 to 2030. (7) Many direct care workers lack access to a career pathway or advanced training opportunities. This limits their ability to build competency and expertise in their