Adria Powell, Peggy Powell & Rick Surpin discuss the Legacy of CHCA, and the Power of Cooperative Homecare
October 15, 2026 This episode features an interview with Adria Powell, President and CEO of Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA), and Peggy Powell and Rick Surpin, CHCA co-founders. Vernon and his guests discuss the evolution of CHCA and the important role cooperative home care associations play in addressing homecare issues today. They also explore how CHCA’s worker-owned model advances quality care, worker empowerment, and dignified employment in the home care industry, and the future of cooperative home care. Adria Powell is President and CEO of Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA), the nation’s first worker-owned home care cooperative, co-founded in 1985 by her mother, Peggy Powell, and Rick Surpin. She assumed the role in January 2017, following her service as Executive Vice President. Adria oversees CHCA’s operations, training and workforce development, finance, quality performance, and clinical services. She leads the cooperative’s strategic planning and growth, with a focus on delivering high-quality care, supporting worker-owners, and investing in the home care workforce. She also advocates for adequate funding to support the cost of home care services and collaborates with 1199SEIU to advance the interests of home care workers. Peggy Powell is Senior Advisor at PHI, where she leads initiatives to strengthen the direct care workforce through innovative recruitment, training, and career advancement strategies. She also advocates for public policies that support workforce development in long-term care. As co-founder of Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA), Peggy helped advance a model that prioritizes worker empowerment and dignity. Since PHI’s founding, she has contributed expertise in organizational planning, training, and workforce development. She is nationally recognized for her work in adult learner-centered education and has co-authored numerous PHI curricula and training resources. Rick Surpin is the co-founder of Cooperative Home Care Associates and served as its first president from 1985 to 2000. He founded a second related organization, Independence Care System, in 1997 and served as its president from 2000 to 2020. Independence Care System was a Medicaid-funded managed long-term care plan focused on serving adults with physical disabilities. The plan closed in 2019.