Featuring Josh Rael, Executive Director of Alliance Colorado
• The challenges we need to address;
• The recent increase in demand for DSPs;
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in the Direct Support Profession;
• Addressing low rates of pay; and
• Raising the public’s awareness of the DSP shortage.

Timestamps

• 2:58 – The challenges posed by the DSP shortage
• 6:45 – The increase in demand for DSPs in recent years
• 7:00 – Waiver Services – Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are Medicaid provided services that support people with disabilities to live in their communities. These services are offered through a system of “waivers”. Learn more about the HCBS Waivers in Colorado from this Tool.
• 9:40 – Considering the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) of DSPs in IDD social justice
• 12:15 – Addressing low rates of pay for DSPs
• 17:30 – Raising awareness of the importance of DSPs
• 18:20 – Alliance has a job board where you can learn about job opportunities as a DSP in the Colorado IDD community. Visit https://www.alliancecolorado.org/job-opportunities-in-idd
• 22:25 – National statistics about the DSP workforce crisis impact, closing thoughts from Josh Rael

Quality Direct Support Professionals (DSP) are vital to the lives of people with disabilities. They are the professionals that provide supports such as helping with employment, providing personal care, and are sometimes the support that someone with a disability needs to be able to live independently. A shortage of DSPs has been mounting in the United States for years now, with a 2022 report finding that 71% of case managers are struggling to find available providers for direct support services. With DSPs being such a vital workforce, tune into Addressing the Direct Support Professional Shortage TRAINING series, to learn more about the challenges and solutions!

Why you should tune in
Understand the everyday lives of Direct Support Professionals and the need to support this essential workforce. Being a DSP is not just a job, but a skilled career and must be valued as such! Tune into this podcast/vodcast series to learn about the variables behind this workforce crisis and how you can get involved in the solutions.