Direct Support Professional Shout Outs

Celebrating NH's Direct Support Professionals!

Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week (September 8-14, 2024) provides us with an opportunity to pause, acknowledge, and highlight the dedicated direct support workforce that is the heart and soul of supports for people with disabilities.

BDS will include submissions in website and social media posts celebrating DSPs throughout the month. Your submissions help to highlight the incredible work and dedication of these professionals. To share your appreciation, please email BDS at bds@dhhs.nh.gov.

Submitted by the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities:

September marks Direct Support Professional Recognition Month, when the disability community brings awareness to and celebrates those who dedicate their careers to the field of caregiving for people with support needs. Without direct support professionals and home providers, many disabled people would not be able to get out of bed, get dressed, feed themselves, or obtain basic necessities for survival. Others rely on support to engage in their communities, pursue employment and education, and navigate a complex health care system. For some, the support of a Direct Support Professional or Home Provider enables them to spend time with family and friends in a meaningful way. 

The New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities wants to reflect on the incredible impact that Direct Support Professionals have on the lives of the people they support. Your commitment and dedication bring us closer to living out the promise that people with disabilities can live, work, play and dream in their community.

It is because of you that disabled people can have authentic relationships with their families and friends. We thank you. 

Please help us spread awareness about the crucial position that Direct Support Professionals and Home Providers hold in our state. Help us to advocate for appropriate training, pay, and benefits for this workforce so they can continue to provide the imperative support needed for ourselves and those we care about.

Vanessa Blais, Director of Policy and Planning for the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities

Submitted by the UNH Institute on Disability:

The DSP Academy was a pilot project led by the Institute on Disability at UNH in collaboration with the NH Bureau of Developmental Services and the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities. The Academy was developed in response to the identified need to recognize DSPs as qualified professionals in the industry through a standard occupational classification and creating a path for certification and advancement in the field. The DSP Academy Team would like to recognize the 10 DSP’s who participated in the training program this past year. These individuals showed great success through hard work, dedication and passion in the 26-week training. We are so proud of the time each person put into learning and training and wish them the best in their DSP careers! 

*DSP Shout Out Includes: Paul Goodspeed, Erich Heron, Shelley Horan, Jane Kiongo, Kim LePage, Elizabeth Letendre, Julie Mangold, Tyler Pecci, Vanessa Poirier, Danielle Whited*

Jane Kiongo is a Direct Support Professional with Community Integrated Services (Manchester). She was also a DSP Academy trainee. The DSP Academy is a pilot program that is led by the Institute on Disability at the University of NH in collaboration with the NH Bureau of Developmental Services and the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities. The purpose of this training program is to improve a Direct Support Professional’s knowledge, skills, competence and confidence regarding the positive, person-centered support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Throughout the 26-week program, Jane was a model trainee-demonstrating the positive impact a training program can have on a DSP’s personal and professional growth, leading to positive outcomes for the person/people served. 

Based on the training program, we can confidently say that Jane went above and beyond the expectations of the program by showing growth in the application of competencies taught throughout the program. The competencies were cross-walked with National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) competencies, including DSP ethics, understanding of IDD and effective communication strategies, person-centered support and empowerment, strength-based support, interventions and documentation, professionalism and organizational engagement, community support and living skills, application of effective assessment and curiosity-driven interventions, cultural responsiveness, employment support, outcome-oriented support. Jane was proactive in seeking support she needed to succeed in the DSP Academy. She met with Macey every week to discuss the weekly modules and assignments. She never hesitated to ask questions or request additional support or feedback as it related to her work in the program and how it applies to her role as a DSP. Jane has effectively applied what she has learned to her work as a direct support professional. She shared many stories about the remarkable improvements in her client’s self-advocacy and communication skills which has expanded her breadth of opportunities. Jane is supporting her in planning a trip to Disney Land- a goal that was once a far-off dream and now is within reach thanks to Jane’s active, person-centered support.