Learn About DSPs

What Is It Like To Be a Direct Support Professional?

Being a DSP is a fun and rewarding career! DSPs work directly with people who may have physical and/or intellectual disabilities. Direct support professionals support these individuals to lead a self-directed life and contribute to their communities.

Direct Support staff assist individuals in activities which may include personal assistance, personal development, and activities that support personal well-being. Direct support activities often include the following:

Personal Assistance

Personal assistance may include guiding, directing or overseeing the performance of self-care and self-management of activities which are otherwise encumbered by the individual’s unique disability.

Support With Self-Care

This may include assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, mobility, personal hygiene, and other activities of daily living; assistance with light housework, laundry, meal preparation, transportation, grocery shopping, and assistance with health and nutrition maintenance, including assessing well-being and identifying need for medical assistance; complying with nutritional requirements as specified in the Person Centered Plan; administration of medications by a CRMA

Self-Management

Includes assistance with managing safe and responsible behavior; exercising judgment with respect to the person’s health and well-being; communication, including conveying information, interpreting information, and advocating in the person’s interests; managing money including paying bills, making choices on how to spend money, keeping receipts, and expending funds with the permission of a person’s representative payee. Self-management also includes teaching coping skills, giving emotional support and guidance, and accessing community resources and natural supports.

Activities Supporting Personal Development

Includes teaching or modeling for the person self-care and self-management skills, physical fitness, behavior management; sensory, motor and psychological needs; interpersonal skills to cultivate supportive personal, family, work and community relationships; resources and opportunities for participation in activities to promote social and community engagement; participation in spiritual activities of the person’s choice; motivating the pursuit of personal development and opportunities; teaching or modeling informed choice by gathering information and practicing decision making.

Activities Supporting Personal Well-Being

Include directly or indirectly intervening to promote the health and well-being of the person. This may include identifying risks such as risk of abuse, participating in a person’s risk assessment, identifying and reporting to an immediate supervisor changes in health status and behavior; anticipating or preventing unsafe or destructive behavior; and safely intervening against undesirable behavior according to an intervention plan.

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