August 2007
Moore Center's "Superheroes" Video Celebrates Its DSP Workforce
by David Johnson
The College of Direct Support (CDS) is an astoundingly innovative approach to refining the skills of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). These are people who give of themselves on a daily basis to improve the lives of their fellow humans.
Are they heroes? You bet they are.
So we at Moore Center Services in Manchester, N.H., one of the newest acolytes of the CDS, embraced this heroism and the ingenuity and professionalism inherent in the CDS curriculum and, after much deliberation on the way to properly encapsulate such a ground-breaking, progressive initiative, made a video with action figures.
The idea for our little “Superheroes” video originated last year, when Moore Center Services sought a promotional piece to play at the annual Direct Support conference in Bartlett, N.H. Exposed to hundreds of regional DSPs, the video was crafted to generate attention to the upstart CDS groundswell in the Granite State.
The Superheroes, the stars of the video, are all DSPs at the Moore Center – Helen Bennett, Scott Trudo and Joel Ortiz.
“I’m hearing from people in other areas of the state and even vendors who’ve seen it online, and the general reaction is they think it’s funny, light-hearted and attention grabbing,” Trudo said.
Thankfully, the attendees got a kick out of the video and immediately didn’t write us off as kooks. Following the conference, we posted the video on our website, www.moorecenter.org, as well as our new off-shoot project, NHDSP.org, a clearinghouse of information, training and news for New Hampshire Direct Support Professionals.
Since the Superheroes video has been posted, we’ve received several hundred views at YouTube and received glowing feedback from friends in the industry. Sure, it’s a zero-based budget, goofy bit of filmmaking, but in this age of viral marketing and Web surfing, we feel advertising such as this -- creative, amusing and unique -- can go a long way in creating buzz for a worthy endeavor like the College of Direct Support.
Editor’s Note: The video was filmed and produced by the author of this article, who is the Moore Center’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager. He shot the video in one afternoon, edited it the next day and spent $4 on this project.
Taft College Is Off and Running With CDS as Part of Its AA Program
Taft College’s first two degree-track classes toward a degree in Direct Support Education this summer were a huge success and plans are being made to expand it beyond the borders of the Kern County campus in Taft, CA.
The course offerings for SS1 Introduction to Developmental Disabilities (3 semester units) and SS2 Documentation and Individual Rights (3 semester units) during the Summer semester were quite a success, with 25 students taking the Introduction class and 17 were in the Documentation class. Taft College effectively blended the CDS curriculum into an approved college-level degree applicable curriculum. Consequently, students who complete the entire series of courses (18-24 semester units) alongside the other degree applicable general education courses will receive an Associate of Arts Degree from Taft College.
“The program was so attractive to leaders within the direct support industry that we were contacted by the Arc of Bakersfield (BARC) and we plan to provide face to face instruction at their facility using the combined curriculum model,” said Lindsey Whitaker of the Taft faculty. During the 2007 summer semester, Taft had a wide range of students in classes who came from very diverse backgrounds; some were supported living service owners/supervisors, others were direct support staff and a few were parents of children with special needs.
Whitaker said the most challenging part of the courses was learning how to maneuver the course management system, which was foreign to a lot of students who had never taken an online course. “But within the first week, most students were fully proficient and our students overwhelmingly reported that they enjoyed the CDS lessons and were very impressed by its multimodal and comprehensive presentation of information,” Whitaker said.
In the Fall, Taft College will be offering the two 8-week courses again, which means that they are currently accepting new students into the program. The next set of courses and classes -- SS3 Introduction to Medication Support (3 semester units) and SS4 Cultural Competency (3 Semester units) – will begin in October 2007.
For more information about the Taft College program, contact Lindsey Whitaker at 661.763.7841 or via email lwhitaker@taft.org.
Meet Judy Leiker: Starkey’s CDS Administrator
Editor's Note: One of the most important roles in the College of Direct Support is that of the agency or organization’s Administrator. This person is crucial to the success of the CDS. They are responsible for implementing the CDS, training the staff on how to use the system, managing the system, assigning lessons, and tracking the training. The first administrator to be featured is Judy Leiker at Starkey Inc. in Wichita, KS.
Judy Leiker says that in the 10 years that she has been the Training and Development Coordinator for Starkey Inc. she’s never seen anything like the College of Direct Support (CDS) --- and she loves it.
“I like promoting it. I like knowing who’s involved. I’m very enthusiastic about the CDS and it has made a huge difference here for us,” she said. “It’s so comprehensive and it covers topics and issues that we would never cover in a classroom. Our employees recognize the benefits and importance of the training.”
Judy joined Starkey in 1991 and spent four years as a Supported Employment Specialist and in 1995 became the agency’s Service Coordinator. Two years later she was promoted into her current job in which she oversees the training of approximately 300 employees.
Prior to joining Starkey she did volunteer work in the field of developmental disabilities at a local Arc agency, as well as Starkey. In 1984 she was honored by the Arc of Sedgwick County and the Arc of Kansas as the Young Volunteer of the Year. She has a degree in Psychology from Wichita State University.
What skills must an effective administrator possess? “You must have excellent organizational skills. You must understand management and you must know how your organization functions – and you have to really know the CDS system,” Judy says.
She has trained more than 100 Starkey employees since they began using the CDS in 2004.
Judy said when they first began using the CDS that "it was pretty intensive getting everyone started.” Now, she says she spends about five hours a month on the CDS. “It takes me about an hour to train someone on how to use the CDS and it takes me less than five minutes to get them into the system and assign lessons,” she said. “People catch on pretty quickly and these days people are computer and Internet savvy. I also make good use of our agency newsletter to share CDS updates and things with our employees.”
After One Year: Nearly 100 DSPs Earn Registered Credential from NADSP
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) has awarded DSP-Registered level status to nearly 100 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) during the first year of its national credentialing program. “This is a significant achievement in the move toward creating a career path for DSPs across the country” said Mark Olson, NADSP President.
Miami Cerebral Palsy Residential Services (MCPRS), an avid user of the College of Direct Support (CDS), has committed to supporting all of its employees in earning national credentials through the NADSP using the CDS for its training. Currently, 63 employees have achieved the first level of credentialing, are DSP-Registered, and have moved forward to begin working on their DSP-Certified credential.
The Miami UCP program is also the subject of our latest Partner Profile and can be found our CDS website by clicking here. It’s also accessible under our Partner Profiles listed on the Home page of this newsletter.
"MCPRS anticipates that 60 additional DSPs will receive their DSP-Registered within the next several months. NADSP anticipates that thousands of DSPs will achieve both entry level (DSP-R) and intermediate level (DSP-C) credentials over the next several years," Olson said.
In order to continue on the course of creating viable career paths for DSPs thorough the credentialing process, NADSP has been hard at work to develop and roll-out the new NADSP Accreditation Program. The NADSP Accreditation Program, which will be available this fall, requires that DSPs complete an approved (accredited) education and training program in order to be eligible for the DSP-Certified credential.
While there are two widely disseminated programs already accredited (the College of Direct Support and all DOL Apprenticeship programs), NADSP recognizes the need to have additional resources available to DSPs across the country. Therefore, education and training programs designed to meet the unique needs of DSPs will be able to apply to NADSP to be thoroughly reviewed and considered for accreditation. Programs must successfully complete two self-studies and a site visit to be considered for NADSP Accreditation.
For more information about the NADSP and the credentialing program, visit the website at www.nadsp.org or call Mark Olson, President, NADSP, at 952.920.0855 or email him at molson@nadsp.org.
ANCOR Foundation Seeks Nominations For 2008 Community Builder Awards
The ANCOR Foundation has put out the call for nominations for its prestigious 2008 Community Builder Awards to honor and recognize exemplary and praiseworthy initiatives and programs that create inclusive communities and meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities.
The awards are given in two categories – Service Provider and Community Member. The deadline for entries is October 30, 2007.
"The winners of the Community Builder Awards are selected annually from peer-nominated organizations that have taken the lead and achieved notable success in building communities of inclusion for all," said Bill Tapp, President of the ANCOR Foundation and National Director of the College of Direct Support.
For more information about the award and the nomination forms, you can click on this link: www.ancor.org.
CDS: The Numbers Are Going UP
The numbers continue to climb!
As of August 1, there are 52,496 enrolled learners in the College of Direct Support who are busy taking lessons online throughout the country at 332 facilities.
The “assigned lessons” category is nearing the 2 million mark with 1,959,009 having been assigned to learners. The number of completed lessons is closing in on the one-half million mark -- 492,792.
The CDS is now being utilized statewide in 11 states and used by agencies and organizations in another 16 states. The latest agency to join the CDS takes us north and across the border into Canada to the Developmental Disabilities Association in Richmond, B.C, Canada. Welcome to the CDS!
News About New CDS Courses
The College of Direct Support will be rolling out four new courses and two mini-courses within the next six months. One of the courses will be the fifth course in the College of Frontline Supervision and Management – “Preparing for the Supervisor’s Job in Human Services.”
The other courses are:
- Functional Assessment
- Working With Families and Other Support Networks
- Everyone Can Communicate
- Disability Intensive Mini-Courses:
- Autism
- Brain Injury
- Cerebral Palsy
What follows is a description of each course. We will be notifying all users as each course comes online.
PREPARING FOR THE SUPERVISOR’S JOB IN HUMAN SERVICES: This course is an introduction to the role of a frontline supervisor (FLS). It is for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) or others who might be considering the position. The lessons include a description of the role of frontline supervisors (FLS). It is contrasted with the role of DSPs. It includes basic information on four foundational skills critical to supervision. The course outlines both the rewards and the challenges of becoming a FLS. It asks learners to assess their readiness for a supervisory position. This course is for people who want to make a good decision about whether or not to pursue a supervisory position. However, is likely also valuable to current supervisors.
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT: People in direct support roles need to be able to identify the reason a person uses such challenging behavior. When challenging behaviors are persistent, a formal structured process can be helpful to discovering the function of the behavior. This process is called Functional Assessment (FA). This course explains the purpose and process of FA. It reviews common behavioral terms and principles of positive behavioral supports. It prepares learners to complete tasks related to FA. These tasks include completing structured observation and documentation, participating in or conducting interviews, reviewing records for critical information, and seeking or completing additional assessments.
WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND OTHER SUPPORT NETWORKS: This course is about how Direct Support Professionals build working relationships and partnerships with the support networks of the people they support. Almost everyone has family and support networks in their lives. These are the people who surround you. These are people you develop relationships with. They add quality, meaning and enjoyment that enrich your life. People with disabilities who receive support are not any different. They have families and support networks which are intensely important to their quality of life. This course will help you understand the importance of support networks. It will help you develop working relationship with families and other support networks. It will help you develop partnerships that support dreams. You will learn the importance of family and support networks, as well as learning what skills are needed to work effectively with both.
You will learn to define different types of support networks and recognize both formal and informal networks. You will learn that family is a unique support network and how best to work with families. Finally, this course will help you understand how to develop, maintain, and expand the support networks of the people you support.
EVERYONE CAN COMMUNICATE: This course helps you achieve a better understanding and improve your skills in communicating with people who have significant communication disabilities. It focuses on your roles and responsibilities as a Direct Support Professional. The significance of this course is that communication is the essence of human life.
DISABILITY INTENSIVE MINI-COURSES
Autism:
This course is a brief overview of autism. This course is important because there are increasing numbers of persons identified with autism. Although autism was once considered a rare disability, the numbers of people receiving an autism diagnosis increases each day. As a result, it is important for professionals who work with persons with disabilities to have a good understanding of autism.
Brain Injury:
This mini-course will provide DSPs and supervisors with an overview of brain injury. The course will: define the disability, inform the learner about key statistics related to the disability, discuss the causes of brain injury, and consider issues related to how DSPs can best support individuals with a brain injury. Additionally, the course will share stories of people with brain injury, their family members and DSPs who support them.
Cerebral Palsy:
This mini course will provide an overview of cerebral palsy. This overview course will include a description of the disability, its causes, and treatments. It will also introduce the learner to people with cerebral palsy and share their stories. The direct support professional role in supporting people with cerebral palsy also will be reviewed.
LaLiberte Changes Roles at UM, Will Direct Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Dr. Traci LaLiberte, a familiar face to many College of Direct Support users around the country, is moving into a new role at the University of Minnesota. She is leaving the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) to become the Director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare in the university’s School of Social Work.
“This position is a wonderful fit for me and a tremendous opportunity to continue the work that I do in the area of child welfare and disability,” she said. “At the same time, it is truly with great sadness that I leave my work and my colleagues at ICI, as well as those at CDS. While the transition date to the new position isn't formally set, it appears as though I will begin my transition mid-August and work for a short while in both positions.”
Traci recently earned her Ph.D in the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota. She is interested in the relationship between child protection agencies and their services to clients with disabilities. Traci has worked at ICI since July of 2001. Traci's work at ICI has been focused on issues pertaining to staff recruitment, retention, and training. She has been involved in multimedia curriculum development, as well as being a contributing author to a textbook for frontline supervisors on staffing issues in the field of disabilities.
The ICI at the university is responsible for the development of the CDS curriculum and working with the CDS staff to fully develop the system.
“Traci has been an integral part of the CDS team and has been instrumental in pushing us ahead and helping in the development of the CDS almost from its beginning,” said Bill Tapp, CDS National Director. “She is a wonderful person and talent and I think we’ll still be working with her some down the road. She will do great things in her new role and we wish her all the best and much success.”
She is currently working with the Connecticut Department of Child and Families to develop a pilot project with the CDS and hopes to do the same in Minnesota. She said that some child welfare workers could greatly benefit by learning through the CDS how to support both parents who have developmental disabilities and children who have disabilities.
“This even extends into the child protection system specifically for foster parents who could learn many strategies for supporting children with disabilities or other special needs from the CDS on how to support their foster children who have special needs,” she said. Her plans are to create a program for foster parents in Minnesota to use the CDS. “It’s logical that they need this training,” she added.
You can email LaLiberte at lali0017@umn.edu.
Mission Statement: The College of Direct Support is a learning gateway for contemporary best practices for Direct Support Professionals. By incorporating web-based learning, backed by nationally recognized curricula, the CDS is designed to help support a profession of direct care.
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