New Direct Support Professional classification will benefit people with disabilities
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This week, organizations across the country are observing Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition week. At New Hope of Indiana, it’s a time when we renew our commitment to supporting a workforce that plays a critical role in our society: serving as primary caregivers for people with disabilities.
At New Hope of Indiana, we serve hundreds of Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 100 work sites in Indiana, including 46 community-based residential homes across central Indiana.
DSPs promote independence and inclusion through coaching and career development. They also may assist with tasks related to daily living, such as meal preparation, transportation, and medication management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our DSPs were an essential lifeline to the people we serve.
Through the work of New Hope and organizations like ours, DSPs are a crucial bridge for people with disabilities to employment and educational opportunities. This is particularly important given the community integration mandate set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a vital component in enabling people with disabilities to live independently and participate in their communities.
However, a nationwide shortage of DSPs threatens the infrastructure of how people with disabilities receive services. The national turnover rate for DSPs is 45 percent. A recent survey among community-based providers found that these providers have had to curtail services due to insufficient staffing. 83 percent of providers report they have had to turn away new referrals and 63 percent of providers have been forced to discontinue programs and services because of the workforce shortage.
It is against this backdrop that Senators Maggie Hassan and Susan Collins introduced S. 1332, which would create a separate category within the Standard Occupational Classification System for DSPs. Currently, DSPs are classified under the broader category of “home health care aide,” encompassing all home health care occupations.
The bipartisan legislation, which is supported by a number of leading disability advocacy organizations, would provide an accurate picture of the challenges and opportunities for DSP positions. By improving data collection, states and the federal government would have access to workforce trends, such as worker shortages, and turnover rates. Ultimately, this data can help us tackle the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.
In Indiana, 18,000 people are currently classified as DSPs. However, we would have much more information to work with if S. 1332 were to take effect.
At New Hope, we have gotten creative in recruiting DSPs. It’s a great position for people who are seeking full-and part-time employment, college students, and mid-career professionals who need a stable environment with a flexible schedule. For many of our team members being a DSP is more than a job- it’s a calling. Approximately 250 compassionate and dedicated DSPs are the heart of our team, representing 73 percent of our staff.
Working with people with disabilities is a fulfilling career that brings a lifetime of rewards. With reliable and accurate data, we can do even more to support our DSPs, people with disabilities and the communities we serve.
Allison Wharry is the CEO of New Hope of Indiana. For 45 years, New Hope of Indiana has supported individuals and families, encouraging them to live their most independent lives.
