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This document has been archived because some of the information it contains may be out of date. (6/09)
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals
by Amy Gerowitz
The National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals is a group of organizations and individuals working to improve the skills and abilities of direct support professionals. Alliance member organizations represent the wide spectrum of interests affected by the role of direct support professionals.
In my role of representative from the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), I have participated actively in the Alliance since September, 1996. At meetings in September and December, the Alliance developed a mission statement and five major goals. The mission of the Alliance is as follows:
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals promotes the development of a highly competent human services workforce which supports individuals in achieving their life goals.
The Alliance goals, in order of priority, are to:
- Enhance the status of direct support professionals.
- Provide better access for all direct support professionals to high quality educational experiences (e.g., in-service training, continuing and higher education) and lifelong learning which enhances competency.
- Strengthen the working relationships and partnerships between direct support professionals, self-advocates, other consumer groups and families.
- Promote systems reform which provides incentives of educational experiences, increased compensation, and access to career pathways for direct support of professionals through the promotion of policy initiatives (e.g., legislation, funding practices).
- Support the development and implementation of a national voluntary credentialing process for direct support professionals.
A sub-group of Alliance representatives has been developing a position statement and subsequent implementation strategies for goal number five, the national voluntary credentialing process. At the May, 1997, meeting a steering committee was established as well as work groups for each of the five goal areas. During the next several months, the groups will be meeting to develop strategies around the specific goal areas.
The Alliance will again next on March 11 in Orlando, Florida, following ANCOR’s 1998 Conference on March 8-10. At the Alliance meeting participants and presenters will be given opportunities to showcase the successes and challenges around the issues of direct support professionals.
In addition to working hard to prioritize and develop action steps for each of its stated goal areas, the Alliance publishes a quarterly newsletter Frontline Initiative, which is available by subscription for $10 per year.
For more information about the Alliance or Frontline Initiative, contact Amy Hewitt, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, 204 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 • 612/625-1098 (voice) • 612/625-6619 (fax) • hewit005@umn.edu (e-mail).
Amy Gerowitz is President with Outlooks, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. She may be reached at 513/793-1946.
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Resources: Web Sites Related to Direct Support Workforce Development
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Citation: Gaylord, V., Hewitt, A., & Larson, S. (1998). Impact: Feature Issue on Direct Support Workforce Development, 10(4) [online]. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration. Available from http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/104/. __________ Hard copies of Impact are available from the Publications Office of the Institute on Community Integration. The first copy of this issue is free; additional copies are $4 each. You can request copies by phone at 612-624-4512 or E-mail at icipub@umn.edu, or you can fax or mail us an order form. See our listing of other issues of Impact for more information. The print design version (PDF, 448K, 28 pp.) of this issue of Impact is also available for free, complete with the color layout and photographs. This version looks the most like the newsletter as it was printed. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.
