Survey on Direct Support Professional Initiative
for Families and Consumers
The DSP Initiative is a 3 year project whose main goal is to help reduce the turnover of direct support staff by improving the education and training of those who enter the profession. Please take just a few moments to respond to a very short survey by clicking on the link below.
This survey is intended to find out what benefits people with disabilities or their families can see in the Direct Service Professional (DSP) Initiative. The research initiative is being lead by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC) and is funded through the Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS).
To respond to the survey, go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=zVFU6I8MmVNENgSs0Oe2bg_3d_3d
THE INDIANA DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL INITIATIVE
The Direct Support Professional (DSP) Initiative is a collaborative effort between providers, professional organizations, advocates, DSPs, self-advocates, families, Ivy Tech, and a wide range of state agencies to address the shortage of DSPs in Indiana. The effort is funded through a contract with DDRS, a Division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). The Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC), part of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University , coordinates the project.
Phase One of the 3 year DSP initiative develops and implements Foundations, a 6 day agency-based education and training orientation, and an Ivy Tech-based Human Services Certificate program. Foundations addresses the competency of DSP's in Medication Administration, First Aid and CPR, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation, Person Centered Service Delivery, Health and Wellness and Communication.
The Ivy Tech courses are Introduction to Disabilities, Health and Wellness, Community Integration, Disability Support Teams and Positive Personal Supports. They are 8 or 16 week courses and are an extension of the Foundations curriculum. Foundations and the Ivy Tech Certificate Program are aligned with National Alliance of Direct Support Professional (NADSP) standards for State and National Certification.
The DSP Initiative, in collaboration with 9 Provider agencies, also seeks to evaluate which recruitment and retention strategies are most effective in improving the recruitment and retention of qualified DSP's.
Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have provided a marketing and sustainability grant as well as 500 hours of consultation by Dr. Amy Hewitt, a nationally known expert on DSP recruitment and retention.
For further information, contact Ron Smith/Community Living and Careers (CCLC), Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC), at 812-855-6508.
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