Celebrating Direct Support Professionals

Please join us as we participate in Direct Support Professional Recognition week. We want to celebrate this time by praising and sharing our gratitude with the support professionals who mean so much to us. In addition, it’s a perfect time to help others understand the importance of this work and how vital direct support professionals are to the success of any support relationship.

We know we must shift the public impression of direct support roles in order to gain the political will needed to ensure a salary that is commensurate with the true impact of a well-trained caring professional.  While this is an important effort every week of the year, a concentrated effort during this week will be felt with an even greater impact. So what can you do to help?  To follow are suggestions to get you started. We appreciate your effort in the recognition and advancement of direct support professionals.

Recognize and Show Gratitude:

• Write a note or share an electronic High Five each day with a goal of writing at least five within the week.
• Show you care with a small act of kindness that lets a DSP know just how much they mean to you.
• If you benefit from the support of a group of DSPs, perhaps you can coordinate with a supervisor to offer a small “pop-up party” with snacks and a moment to feel the appreciation of those they support and their families.

Advocate for Support Professionals:

• Tune into our advocacy page and make a practice out of visiting it routinely for fresh ways to support the efforts most important to our supports and services, including the advancement of care professionals.