| America's Direct Support Professionals are the | | | | them in maintaining their mobility and stability is the |
| backbone of services for people with impairments | | | | aim of professionals. |
| and disabilities. They aim to provide services to | | | | Improve living skills such as cooking, laundry, |
| people with disabilities and help them live a healthy | | | | washing and other household chores. On the other |
| and happy life, like other human beings. Depending on | | | | hand, teaching those skills which can help in job |
| the various needs, they provide assistance with | | | | searches and maintaining job performance, and |
| health maintenance, personal care and behavioral | | | | recording their progress in skill development and |
| development. Just like various jobs in CNA and other | | | | achievement. |
| caregiver jobs, there is an increasing demand in this | | | | Serving as a role model and mentor, to guide |
| job because of commitment and the courage that | | | | and coach them, is extremely important when it |
| they show to ensure the healthy living of each | | | | comes to duties. This can be done by demonstrating |
| person on this earth. | | | | different behaviors and teaching skills and techniques |
| Direct support professionals can work in various | | | | to handle various situations. |
| ways. They can work in group homes, with two to | | | | They should also provide training programs and |
| three people being served or day programs where | | | | arrange meetings, to create more awareness and |
| there is pre-employment training. They also work in | | | | motivate the individuals to participate and speak-up |
| vocational rehabilitation centers and other | | | | their thoughts. |
| community-based services. No single title can be used | | | | Direct Support professional Training |
| to describe their work. Unlike professional topics, they | | | | The Direct Support Professional Training program |
| can do a lot of things and, therefore, can be called | | | | certifies an individual with a licensed certificate which |
| by many different titles. | | | | is based upon competencies or skills that are |
| Duties and Responsibilities | | | | necessary for an excellent job performance. Many |
| Direct support professionals provide the highest | | | | universities and communities offer a training program. |
| quality of care and service. They intend to encourage | | | | There are now over 4,400 licensed people who are |
| people to live life by participating in daily activities | | | | trained and almost thirty-five Regional Occupational |
| such as shopping or going to concerts. Responsibilities | | | | Centers and Programs offer training at no cost. |
| may however, vary with intensity depending on the | | | | The training is divided into two equal parts of 35 |
| work. Some of the basic responsibilities are: | | | | hours which can be completed in consecutive years. |
| Assist the person in achieving his goals by helping | | | | Professionals are required to pass a challenge test for |
| him participate in activities that they prefer or | | | | each 35-hours program and demonstrate their |
| working themselves to overcome the barriers. | | | | knowledge about how well they can assist individuals. |
| Communicate with medical professionals and help | | | | The training is a vocational training with a wide |
| them receive proper medical care to assure that | | | | variety of activities to choose from. People of all age |
| they are healthy. | | | | groups can do the training, even if they are high |
| Help consumers with proper eating habits as well | | | | school students or adults. The selection of trainers, |
| as grooming and dressing them. | | | | however, is based upon their education, and |
| Professionals are required to assist them in lifting | | | | experience to reassure that the best services are |
| objects as well as walking properly. In short, assisting | | | | being provided to individuals. |