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TN START programs Featured in Local News
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Welcome Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
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We are pleased to announce that a PA-START Clinical team pilot is now currently in development in Allegheny County, PA. Planning for further expansion is also underway.
Welcome Allegheny County!
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The DSP Pandemic Experience
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) play a key role in the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs (IDD-MH) by providing support for individuals to live, work, and thrive in their communities. The Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), have been working collaboratively to capture the experiences of DSPs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study and future outcomes are especially relevant for START teams and network partners to consider when advocating for systemic policy changes.
What We Learned
The DSP workforce has long been impacted by high turnover, high vacancies, and low wages. The average wage of $13.92 per hour for DSPs is not reflective of the skilled nature of the work. Over half of the respondents in the study qualify for federal and state benefits based on their income. All DSPs need to make a livable wage. They should not have to work multiple jobs or excess overtime to be able to live above the poverty line.
These challenges related to DSPs have a direct impact on individuals with IDD and their ability to access appropriate, quality, and consistent supports and services. These systemic problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with increases in:
- work related stress
- turnover
- rates of exposure to COVID-19
- hours worked per week
- changes in roles and responsibilities
- disparities in compensation - DSPs identifying as Black/African American made $0.41-$0.62 less than their White counterparts
What Can We Do?
This information can inform collaboration with DSPs in your local communities. Understanding the nature of systemic challenges will help to create a foundation for better partnerships and collaboration in addressing these problems. Some of the recommended steps in the report include:
- increasing wages for all DSPs *
- addressing the wage gap to ensure equitable wages
- classifying DSPs as essential workers on state and federal levels so they can access critical resources (including childcare) during this (and future) pandemics
- creating career ladders that offer opportunities for advancement
- increasing opportunities for professional recognition
*Increasing wages is dependent upon adequate reimbursement rates for home and community based services.
Strength Spotting
The DSP workforce, which includes START Resource Center counselors, have collectively demonstrated their strengths of character- here are just a few:
- Bravery: DSPs exemplify bravery. “To be brave is to face your challenges, threats, or difficulties. It involves valuing a goal or conviction and acting upon it, whether popular or not.” (VIA, 2021)
- Hope: As Dr. Dan Tomasulo has taught us, ‘Hope is a Verb’, and DSPs demonstrate this action-oriented strength every day, infusing hope in the people and systems of care they support.
- Teamwork: DSPs serve an invaluable role in a person’s system of support- they embody this strength as “a dedicated, reliable, and contributing member…. committed to the good of the group as a whole.” (VIA, 2021)
The Center for START Services recognizes and thanks all DSPs who continue to show up, engage, and promote PERMA in the lives of the people they support!
Stay Engaged
National DSP Recognition Week is September 12th-18th
What will you do to recognize and celebrate the DSPs in your community?
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Training Spotlight - Staff Pick
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START Therapeutic Coaching as a Suicide Prevention Tool for Individuals with IDD
"I particularly enjoy this training because I find it valuable when working with individuals diagnosed with IDD-MH. More often than not, the system has difficulty navigating through what are appropriate suicide prevention strategies solely because of their diagnosis. Through my experience, I have learned that if those responding do not have the skill set to work with this population it can go one of two ways. Either stating that it is an “attention-seeking” behavior and overlooking the true need or seeking psychiatric admission without exploring other biopsychosocial factors/stressors that could be successfully intervened with by the system. With this being said, this training provides risk factors and intervention strategies to support individuals when experiencing emotional dysregulation by using positive psychology."
- Kristal Garcia, CSS Associate Project Facilitator
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Presenters: NC START Central's Meredith Dangel, MS, CRC, Intern; Maggie Robbins, MA, LCAT, RDT, Clinical Director; and Rémy Jodrey, MS, LCMHCA, Therapeutic Coaching Team Leader
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Research Participation Opportunity
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Are you a young adult with a developmental disability and mental health condition (IDD-MH)? Are you a family member of a young adult with IDD-MH?
Would you like to learn more about how people with IDD-MH, their families, and researchers learn and do research together?
Researchers at START/UNH, the University of Florida, and Georgetown University are inviting you to attend a "Truth and Reconciliation" activity. Reconciliation means to make things better.
The activity will help people with IDD-MH and their families:
- Learn about some of the bad things that happened during research in the past
- Forgive past research mistakes
- Figure out how to make research better
- Connect people with IDD and their families to researchers
- Help make sure no one feels left out of research
An additional Truth & Reconciliation Forum will be held on September 14th and 21st from 3:30-6:30 Eastern / 12:30-3:30 Pacific.
More information about this research project can be found below.
Participants will receive a $25 gift card at the end of the activity.
To learn more about the research study and sign up for the activity, please contact: Andrea Caoili (Andrea.Caoili@unh.edu) at UNH/Center for START Services or Jessica Kramer (yell@phhp.ufl.edu or 352-273-9365) at the University of Florida.
You may also share this flyer on social media platforms or email:
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Upcoming Professional Development
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Register Today!
MHIDD Course for Mobile Crisis Responders
Next Course Beginning on September 7, 2021
This live 6-week online course offers the expert training and support needed to develop expertise in providing effective crisis supports to people with intellectual/developmental disability and mental health needs (MH/IDD). Topics address best practices in crisis assessment, response strategies, and disposition recommendations. Registration fee is $149 per person.
“I appreciated the case study and being able to apply what we learned into our jobs. It was very informative and it already helped me in my job.” - Course Participant
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MHIDD Course for Care Coordinators & Case Managers
Registration is open for Next Course Beginning on October 11, 2021
This live 6-week online course is designed to improve knowledge for care coordinators and case managers to successfully support children and adults with IDD and mental health service needs and their families. Speakers will include family members and people with lived experiences along with experts in the field. Dr. Joan B. Beasley will demonstrate how the information provided can be applied to improve the ability of care coordinators/case managers to identify service and support needs, and monitor outcomes for individuals and their families. Registration fee is $299 per person.
“The format is flawless and helps facilitate a learning experience in a non-traditional way” - Course Participant
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MHIDD Course for Direct Support Professionals
Registration is open for Next Course Beginning on November 2, 2021
This live, 6-session course gives Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to provide individuals with IDD and mental health service needs (IDD-MH) positive, person-centered, strengths and wellness-based supports and services. The course facilitators will demonstrate how the information reviewed during session can be applied in the day-to-day support of people with IDD-MH. Registration fee is $149 per person.
"This course offers the content I need to do my job and the many facets of one’s life we must always consider." - Course Participant
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Have a healthy and happy week,
The Center for START Services
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