U.S. Senate, Gov. Ritter Declare National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week

During the month that features a national holiday to celebrate the achievements of American workers, is seems only appropriate that the week beginning September 14 has been designated as “National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week” by both the U.S. Senate and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. The designation recognizes the invaluable supports Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide and the difference this workforce makes in the lives of Americans with disabilities.

Acknowledging DSPs is especially important in Boulder and Broomfield counties, where more than 335 DSPs working for Imagine! serve more than 2,500 individuals with developmental disabilities (including 589 residents of Boulder). Imagine! is a local not-for-profit organization that provides support services to people of all ages with developmental delays and cognitive disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and mental retardation. DSPs often work long hours with little pay, but their contributions are critical. The recognition of DSP week is another victory in the fight to improve wages, education and training, and enhance the quality of services individuals with disabilities and their families receive.

“These resolutions will draw positive attention to the hard working professionals right here in Boulder and Broomfield counties who help support some of our most vulnerable citizens, and recognizes their dedication and vital role in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities of all ages,” said Imagine! CEO Mark Emery.

About Direct Support Professionals

Direct Support Professionals, often referred to as caregivers, personal assistants, or home care aides, are the lynchpin to the ultimate success or failure of community-based long-term supports. DSP workers build close, trusted relationships with the millions of seniors and people with disabilities they assist each day. They work in community settings assisting people with disabilities with medications, preparing and eating meals, dressing, mobility, and handling daily affairs.

Unfortunately, these critical supports are being threatened by a growing workforce crisis. The U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that the average U.S. worker makes about $16.75 an hour, while the average DSP makes about $9.26 an hour for the close, nurturing, and intimate critical support they provide. Many DSPs work two jobs to make ends meet for their own families. The daily challenges these front-line workers face are both physically and emotionally demanding. Inadequate wages have led to high turnover (as high as 86% annually in some residential settings) and ongoing vacancies in the direct support workforce.

About Imagine!

Imagine! provides support services to more than 2,500 Boulder and Broomfield County citizens of all ages with developmental delays and cognitive disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and mental retardation. Learn more at www.imaginecolorado.org.

In the attached photo, Imagine!' Sign Language Instructor Peter DeHaas (right), accepts congratulations from Imagine! consumer Greg Guilmot on Peter's 15th anniversary with Imagine! at the Bridges to Boulder Sign Language Class.