Helping Our Profession Evolve

What is a direct support professional?

A direct support professional is a person whose job is to help people with disabilities live the lifestyle they choose. Direct support professionals help by providing assistance with and support for activities of daily living, communication, transportation, recreation, and home management so that a person with a disability can work, go to school, participate as a valued member of the community, and follow his or her dreams.

Direct support professionals have many different titles. Some of these titles are: job coach, residential counselor, production assistant, case manager, clinician, activities aide, and counselor.

What are the goals of the WR&R Project?

The overall goal of the Center for Disabilities Studies’ WR&R Project is to develop, implement, and demonstrate effective collaborative strategies to support the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals in the state of Delaware.

Through programs, training, research, and collaboration, the project seeks to:

• Promote a more positive image of the direct support professional in order to attract and increase professionalism of the field of disabilities.
• Establish a statewide coalition comprised of the Delaware Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, service providers, direct support professionals, and consumers to support the recruitment and retention initiative.
• Identify and research successful models and best practices – both local and national – regarding training and program development for direct support professionals.
• Develop a research component to create opportunities for learning with provider leadership, executive staff, and direct support professionals.
• Identify strategies to support potential recruitment through existing University of Delaware systems (e.g., the Office of Career Services and students in or courses offered by the Department of Individual and Family Studies).