THE DSP HANDBOOK

Empowering Direct Support Professionals

Discover essential resources for direct support professionals and employers, including role descriptions, historical context, workforce retention insights, skill-building tools, marketing strategies and tools, advocacy support, self-care resources, and a DEI toolkit.

What is a DSP?

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“We are recognized in the community and hear, “it takes a special kind of person to do what you do”. We deserve more than that.”

-Direct Support Professional from Upstate NY

About the DSP Handbook

This handbook was created by the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation (NYAII) in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the New York University McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, and the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (ICI) to help attract and educate new direct support professionals, engage incumbent workers, and support Human Resource professionals in the talent acquisition process. This is a “living” handbook that will grow with the field and profession. As new insights, resources, and tools become available there will be updates made, and material added.

The New York Alliance’s mission is to be the leading resource for organizations and the individuals and families they support and serve as a catalyst for positive system change and innovation. Their vision is to advance a society where individuals with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities are contributing citizens with equal rights and opportunities.