Direct support professional
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Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are professionals who work directly with people with
DSPs share similar job duties with professional
Duties
DSPs work directly with individuals. This means they'll often spend extended hours in the home or care facilities of their clients, and help provide day-to-day care with activities such as showering, toileting, eating, traveling, scheduling appointments, handling finances, taking medications, and more. The client is encouraged and expected to do all of these things to the best of their ability. Moreover, DSPs are not the guardians or medical professionals of the clients, and must defer to the expertise and opinions of those legally responsible for aspects of the client's life, including the client.
According to the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, "(t)he job duties of a DSP may resemble those of teachers, nurses, social workers, counselors, physical or occupational therapists, dieticians, chauffeurs, personal trainers, and others."[3] The United States Department of Labor lists DSP duties as supporting engagement with the community, using creative thinking for accommodations to help people with disabilities be more independent, providing caregiving and support with activities of daily living, working with the people they support to advocate for rights and services, and providing emotional support.[4]
Much of the emphasis on autonomy and independence came from the public outcry against overcrowded and underfunded institutions for the developmentally disabled, intellectually disabled, and mentally ill. Scandals such as the "last great disgrace" of the Willowbrook State School fueled the disability rights movement for self-advocacy and community living.
Standards of care
In 2010, the United States Department of Labor established a federal standard for DSP apprenticeship.
Before hiring, employers may require
See also
References
- ^ "Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)".
Today, the role of a DSP goes beyond caregiving and focuses more broadly on supporting people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities
- ^ "Who Are Direct Support Professionals?".
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) assist people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in realizing their full potential and becoming valued and participating members of their communities.
- ^ "Who Are Direct Support Professionals?".
- ^ "Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)".
- ^ "US Department of Labor approves standards for direct support professional occupation under national Registered Apprenticeship system".
- San Francisco Chronicle Series
- California State Assembly Bill 2780
- Federal Level: H.R. 1279 – Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2007 Archived 2016-01-16 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
- College for Direct Support Professionals
- WhoWillCare.net, H.R. 1279 – Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2007 Advocacy and Awareness
- YouNeedToKnowMe.org – H.R. 1279 – Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2007 Advocacy and Awareness
- www.collegeofdirectsupport.com