Consumer Direct Holdings Embraces Employee Ownership Trust to Strengthen Caregiving Mission and Empower Its Workforce
Consumer Direct Holdings, Inc. (CDH), known nationally as the Consumer Direct Care Network (CDCN), has announced a major transformation in the way it approaches long-term care and workforce empowerment. The company revealed that it has established an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), a new model of shared ownership that places caregivers at the heart of company success.
With this move, CDH becomes partially employee-owned, joining a growing movement of companies committed to sustainable ownership models that recognize workers as critical partners rather than just employees. The organization is also Certified Employee Owned, with more than 30% of the company’s ownership now held in trust for employees, creating a profit-sharing structure that rewards those on the frontlines of caregiving.
This announcement marks a significant milestone for one of the nation’s leading providers of self-directed long-term care, signaling not just a financial restructuring but a cultural commitment to protect the integrity of caregiving for years to come.
A Mission-Driven Transition
Since its founding in 1990, CDCN has stood out for its unwavering dedication to self-directed care, a model that allows individuals and families to make decisions about who provides care and how that care is delivered. Instead of imposing one-size-fits-all solutions, the company has prioritized choice, independence, and dignity for clients who rely on daily support.
Today, the network spans across the United States, employing over 135,000 caregivers who work with clients in their homes and communities. These caregivers assist individuals with disabilities, older adults, and others who need help with daily living—supporting them not just physically but emotionally, by fostering trust, respect, and personal connection.
By introducing the Employee Ownership Trust, CDCN is doubling down on its belief that care is relational, not transactional. The trust ensures that those who provide direct care—often underappreciated in the healthcare system—will now share in the success of the organization they sustain every day.
What the Employee Ownership Trust Mean
The Employee Ownership Trust is more than a financial instrument; it is a strategic framework designed to achieve three key objectives for CDH and its workforce:
- Recognizing caregivers as essential partners.
Caregivers are no longer seen as just employees but as active participants in the company’s long-term prosperity. By giving them a stake in ownership, CDH acknowledges their indispensable role and rewards their contributions with tangible benefits through profit-sharing. - Protecting mission over profit.
Too often, healthcare organizations are driven by decisions made in boardrooms far removed from the day-to-day realities of care. The EOT safeguards CDCN’s founding philosophy, ensuring that its mission to put people before profit remains intact even as the company evolves. - Ensuring sustainability in a competitive landscape.
The long-term care industry is under immense pressure, with rising demand for services, workforce shortages, and increased competition. The EOT represents a thoughtful ownership transition that strengthens the company’s foundation while keeping its workforce motivated and engaged.
Through this structure, eligible caregivers will join administrative employees in receiving a share of profits, reinforcing the message that every role in the organization is vital to its success.
Voices from Leadership
For Ben Bledsoe, President and CEO of Consumer Direct Holdings, this move represents a turning point not just for the company but for the caregiving industry as a whole.
“Care is not a commodity,” Bledsoe emphasized in announcing the new structure. “The people who dedicate their lives to providing care deserve better than boardroom decisions that put profit over people. That’s why we are making a lasting investment in care—and in those who deliver it every single day.”
His words reflect a broader frustration within healthcare, where frontline workers often feel disconnected from executive-level decision-making. By embedding ownership directly into the company’s structure, CDCN is closing that gap and ensuring that the interests of caregivers align with the company’s long-term growth strategy.
Caregivers as the Backbone of Long-Term Care
Across the nation, caregivers have increasingly become the unsung heroes of the healthcare system. They play a critical role in enabling individuals to live at home rather than in institutions, which not only preserves independence and dignity but also helps control healthcare costs.
Despite their importance, caregivers often face low wages, limited benefits, and high levels of burnout. By recognizing caregivers as partners in ownership, CDCN is not only addressing financial compensation but also elevating the profession’s status within the broader healthcare landscape.
The profit-sharing model is designed to give caregivers a sense of investment in the company’s performance, transforming their work from a job into a career with long-term rewards.
Why Employee Ownership Matters in Healthcare
The establishment of the EOT at Consumer Direct Holdings is part of a larger trend in the United States toward employee ownership models, particularly in mission-driven industries. In healthcare, this model carries unique significance.
Unlike traditional corporate structures, employee ownership ensures that decision-making remains closely tied to the workforce that delivers care. It creates a buffer against external pressures that could compromise the quality of service, such as private equity buyouts or mergers focused solely on cost-cutting.
By embedding ownership within the company, CDCN creates an accountability loop: caregivers who are invested in the company’s success are more likely to stay engaged, provide high-quality service, and remain committed to the organization over the long term. This, in turn, supports stronger outcomes for clients and families who depend on reliable care.
Honoring the Past, Securing the Future
From its early days in 1990, CDCN has believed in empowering individuals through choice and autonomy. That philosophy now extends inward, empowering employees with ownership. Just as clients direct their own care, caregivers and staff will help direct the company’s future.
“By sharing ownership with the people who provide care every day, we are building a stronger company and a stronger future for the communities we serve,” Bledsoe said.
The ownership transition is not only a recognition of caregivers’ past contributions but also an investment in the sustainability of caregiving for future generations. In an era when the demand for long-term care is expected to grow dramatically due to aging populations, innovative ownership models like the EOT will be essential to meeting the challenge.
