November 2006
Welcome
Hello and we’d like to welcome you to the College of Direct Support’s new quarterly E-Newsletter.
Staying in touch and staying connected is of paramount importance to us. We want to tell you what we’re doing, where we’re doing it, stay abreast of and share best practices and use this newsletter as a gathering place for information and news about workforce development and training strategies for direct care workers.
In the spirit of staying connected, we’ve decided to name our E-newsletter “Connections@CDS.” Our Mission Statement says, in part, that the College of Direct Support “is a learning gateway for contemporary best practices.” We want “Connections@CDS” to be the gateway for sharing the latest information that comes from your world and organizations and agencies and from our world.
It’s all about the collective we, working hand in hand, together. And it’s all about the people with disabilities who deserve the best we can give them to improve their lives. We want to tell your stories, and to pass along the stories and information we come across that all of “us” can use in serving those people we love and deeply care for, the people who need “us” the most.
You will find news about the CDS here, and you may read news about yourself or your agency or someone you know. Send us your news, your ideas, your thoughts, and we’ll be putting them together in “Connections@CDS.” Contributions are welcomed. Send them my way at tking@collegeofdirectsupport.com.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Tom King
Communications Director
Amy's Off to Australia
Amy Hewitt, research associate at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration and a CDS staffer, will be representing the College of Direct Support in Sydney Australia from November 4, 2006 to March 1, 2007.
Hewitt will be in Australia as a visiting scholar at the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies (CDDS), Royal Rehabilitation Centre, University of Sydney. The CDDS is a research and outreach training center for persons with developmental disabilities. Their mission is to design and develop research, teaching and clinical practice which impact people with developmental disabilities.
While at the CDDS, Hewitt will be assisting with several projects and initiatives related to direct support workforce development in Australia and in New Zealand. She will provide consultation to the CDDS on their outreach training program. One aspect of this assignment will be to assist them in customizing an Australian College of Direct Support (CDS) web site with the hope that CDDS will play a significant role in the dissemination and support of the CDS in Australia and New Zealand.
While there, Hewitt will also be co-facilitating a group of about 60 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) from throughout Australia and New Zealand to develop a national Code of Ethics for DSPs. Other activities identified prior to her visit include delivering several speeches and presentations on issues of importance to the direct support workforce.
About Our Partner Profiles
In each issue of “Connections@CDS” you will see our latest Partner Profiles. If you are not familiar with these articles, they are written about our “partners” within the College of Direct Support and published every other month. The purpose of the CDS Partner Profiles is to identify and describe a variety of innovative and exemplary initiatives and activities into which the CDS has been integrated. They also highlight the activities of states and local agencies that are elevating the preparation, performances, status and compensation for Direct Support Professionals. The CDS Partner Profiles can be and are written by leaders of organizations that are actually engaged in these efforts.
In this inaugural edition of the newsletter, you will find two such Partner Profiles – one about SPIN, Inc., in Philadelphia, PA., and another about Starkey Inc. in Wichita, KS. SPIN was the first agency to sign a contract with the CDS back in 2003. Both agencies are using the CDS as a major component of their training efforts and both profiles offer fascinating examples of how these agencies approach and utilize the CDS curriculum in their unique ways. We hope you enjoy them.
New CDS Courses Available
The College of Direct Support will introduce two new courses this fall. One will be a revision of the course “Direct Support Professionalism” and the new course is on “Personal Care.”
DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALISM
Here’s a look at the course’s description.
“This profession of direct support and the people who work within it are truly unique. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) support people in many different types of places and they provide a wide variety of supports. This course will present a variety of aspects of the profession, including what DSPs do and what are the best practices in the field. The course will also go into detail about ethics and data privacy and how they tie together to guide DSPs and improve direct support professionalism. Since DSPs provide a wide range of supports for a diverse group of people, it is necessary for DSPs to understand their strengths, limitations, and areas needing improvement. This topic is also addressed in this course. Finally, the course presents an indepth discussion about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and how it relates to DSP professionalism.”
PERSONAL CARE
Here is the course description.
“Grooming and hygiene is an important part of daily life. Grooming and hygiene can reflect a person's well-being and self-esteem. Poor hygiene can lead to poor health. Many DSPs help people with grooming and hygiene activities. These include tasks such as helping with dressing, bathing, shaving, or using the toilet. It may also include teaching these skills to children or adults with special needs. DSPs may feel uncomfortable assisting people with grooming and hygiene. Learning to support people with personal care in a sensitive and respectful manner is discussed. It is also important to respect a person's own grooming habits. These are personal and unique, and can be culturally based. DSPs will learn how to find out about people's personal style and preferences. Learners will review methods for completing many grooming and hygiene tasks. This course will also help learners understand health concerns and risks related to personal care.”
2007 CDS Administrators Forum
The College of Direct Support would like to invite you to the 2007 CDS Administrators Forum on Sunday March 25, 2007, at the Westin San Diego. The forum will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Each year the CDS provides an overview of Course Development, new Human Resources tools and the opportunity for CDS Administrators to share best practices as a part of the ANCOR Management Practices Conference.
You do not have to be an ANCOR Member agency to attend. Please call Donna Kosak at 1.877.353.2767 to make your reservation. There is no charge to attend. More details will be in our January newsletter and on our website at www.collegeofdirectsupport.com.
See you in San Diego!
The Arc of Minnesota Honors Charlie Lakin
“For his unwavering leadership and commitment, both in his personal and professional life, in improving the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.”
That’s what The Arc of Minnesota had to say on Monday night. Oct. 9, 2006, about Charlie Lakin when it paid tribute to him at the Radisson University in Minneapolis.
Over the past 25 years, Charlie has been a champion for children and adults with disabilities. He has led the way both nationally and internationally in improving the service system to provide opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Charlie is the Director of the Research and Training Center on Community Living, a program of the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota and a major part of the College of Direct Support. His accomplishments are overwhelming in number. Charlie was one of the leaders in the deinstitutionalization movement, in Minnesota’s HomeChoice Demonstration Project and affordable housing initiative, the self-determination movement, and currently is leading Minnesota’s statewide quality assurance and case management initiatives.
Charlie is one of The Arc’s outstanding volunteers. For over two decades, he has held leadership roles and been active in a variety of activities, including fundraising, at all three levels of The Arc: Arc Hennepin-Carver (local), The Arc of Minnesota (state), and The Arc of the United States (national).
Charlie has given his time and talent to a long list of other organizations, including the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation, ANCOR Foundation, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation Board of Directors, and Wilderness Inquiry, just to name a few.
CDS Introduces Online Human Resources Learning Management System
Effective workforce development in human services requires an ongoing evaluation of organizational performance with regards to recruitment, training and retention of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs).
Recognizing the importance of ongoing assessments as a part of maintaining effective human resources practices, the CDS has integrated a range of validated human resources assessment tools into the CDS platform. They include:
Turnover/Vacancy Calculator which allows organizations and teams to determine their turnover and vacancy rates.
Frontline Supervisor Self-Assessment that allows for the analysis of supervisory skills and needs.
Training Experience Satisfaction Survey that provides information regarding training needs, wants, and experiences of staff.
Staff Satisfaction Survey which attempts to understand employees’ feelings about a variety of areas, including employer characteristics, training, compensation, and others.
New Staff Survey that provides information about the experiences of new employees.
Staff Exit Survey that looks to understand why people leave organizations.
Organizational Commitment Survey which assesses information about an employee’s commitment to a job.
For additional information about these news features in the CDS Learning Management System, contact Donna Kosak, CDS System Administrator, at 877.353.2767 (toll free) or email her at donna@collegeofdirectsupport.com.
NADSP Credentialing Program Begins
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) announced on July 1st a new national credentialing program for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). This program offers a nationally recognized career path for Direct Support Professionals and affords DSPs the opportunity to commit to the profession of direct support by completing a multi-level credentialing program.
The initial tier in the career path is the Direct Support Professional - Registered level. At this level DSPs commit to the profession, the NADSP Code of Ethics and demonstrate six months of continuous employment as a DSP with the same employer. The second tier of the credentialing program is DSP- Certified. At this level DSPs are required to complete an accredited education or training program and to submit a portfolio of work samples that demonstrate their competence in 8/15 competency areas provided by the NADSP.
The NADSP credentialing program also offers a third-tier credential - the DSP - Specialist. At this level DSPs are required to complete specialized training and to develop a work sample in their area of specialization. The four specialization areas are: health support, positive behavior support, supervision and mentoring and inclusion. To learn more about the NADSP credentialing program, visit their website at www.nadsp.org.
-- The College of Direct Support is pleased to announce that it has been accredited and approved by the NADSP as meeting its curriculum standards. To date only the CDS and programs certified as meeting the federal Department of Labor apprenticeship standards for Direct Support Specialist have been approved by the NADSP.
2006 Moving Mountains Awards: Call For Nominations
The deadline for nominations for the 2006 Moving Mountains Award has been extended to November 20, 2006.
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals and the Research and Training Center (RTC) at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration want your nominations for the 2006 Moving Mountains Awards for best practice in direct support staff workforce development.
Nominated programs/initiatives can be small (a single program site within an agency) or large (statewide) in scope and can involve few or many direct support professionals. We welcome applications from statewide/regional initiatives, local organizations, and individual people. Up to two awards will be given each year and winners will be honored at the national Reinventing Quality Conference which will be held in March 2007 in South Carolina.
The nomination forms are available at www.nadsp.org under the Training/Education category. If you have any questions, please contact Traci LaLiberte at the University of Minnesota at 612.625.9700 or email her at lali0017@umn.edu.
Rights of Disabled Violated, Says Suit
TOTOWA — About half of those residing in New Jersey's seven developmental centers could live in the community if given the proper supports. And more importantly, some advocates say, if given the choice. The civil rights of some 1,500 people are being violated, according to a federal lawsuit filed by New Jersey Protection and Advocacy Inc. The suit was filed last year and is still pending, with the plaintiffs asserting the problems could be as significant as those that have plagued the state's child-welfare system. "Thousands of New Jersey citizens with developmental disabilities are forced to live in large institutions unlawfully segregated and isolated from family and friends because the defendant has failed to provide community-based housing programs and services for them," the suit against the Department of Human Services states.
CDS, Virginia Partnership Renewed
The Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (MHMRSAS) has renewed its agreement with the College of Direct Support (CDS) for its Virginia Partnership Program for stakeholders to participate at a reduced rate in this “state-of-the-art” web-based training curriculum for Direct Support Professionals. The announcement was made by Dr. James S. Reinhard, commissioner of Virginia’s MHMRSAS.
With more than 4,000 learners, Virginia has implemented this program in all of its 16 mental health and mental retardation hospitals/facilities. The new agreement will extend the program’s reach to the state’s 40 Community Service Boards and to private providers, Reinhard said.
Currently, CDS offers 15 modules or 79 lessons ranging from Safety At Home and In the Community, Individual Rights and Choice, Positive Behavior Supports, Documentation, Introduction to Medication Support, Person-Centered Planning and Supports to Cultural Competence.
In addition, the Partnership also allows participation in the College of Frontline Supervision & Management.
For more information on this program, you may visit Virginia’s Workforce Development website at www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov/wdi/ or by contacting India Sue Ridout, Virginia’s Workforce Planning and Development Manager, at 804.786.4089 or via email at india.ridout@dmhmrsas.virginia.gov.
Mission Statement: The College of Direct Support is a learning gateway for contemporary best practices for Direct Support Professionals. By incorporating web-based learning, backed by nationally recognized curricula, the CDS is designed to help support a profession of direct care.
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