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Dylan Brown.

Forging a Career as a DSP and Beyond

Dylan Brown told Frontline Initiative how he started as a direct support professional (DSP) in 2007, believing it was only a part-time college job. It quickly became a career and he worked so many hours that he began to burn out. To remain in direct support, he realized he needed to say "no" (which was a challenge), learn more about the field, and get involved. He joined his agency's DSP Advocacy Group and was astonished by the opportunities. He was promoted.

Read more about Brown.

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Video: Helping Your Child with Routines at Home

Parents of children with significant cognitive disabilities often struggle to set up home routines for their children. Why are these routines important? How do parents establish them? Can parents request support from their child's school?

This short ICI video answers these questions. Routines matter because children do best when events are predictable. The easiest way to keep things predictable for a child is to establish routines and stick to them. Routines support the child's learning progress, behavior at home, and developing independence. Scheduling activities with the child's input, offering rewards, and following advice from the child's teacher can all build routines that work. Close captioned.

Watch the video.

Logo for Wellness Matters for Direct Support.

Wellness Matters Podcast for Direct Support

The daily demands of being a direct support professional (DSP) can often lead to stress and burnout. And when a DSP is stressed, they are likely to make errors that can be costly.

Join Mark Olson and Chet Tschetter as they bring you a podcast series that dives into how DSPs can practice self care. You can download and listen to "Wellness Matters for Direct Support" wherever you get your podcast. This ICI podcast series is produced by and for DSPs.

Read more about Wellness Matters.