The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region Thanks Direct Support Professionals

From The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region:

The week of September 13 – 19, 2015 is a time of celebration at The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region (The Arc NCR): it is Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week to recognize our amazing working staff.

What is a Direct Support Professional? Direct Support Professionals work to support people with differing abilities in a way that is person-centered. They empower individuals to make their own decisions, and collaborate with the person they’re supporting. It is a rewarding career requiring a skilled professional with a caring heart.

What does it mean to be a Direct Support Professional? It means working directly with an individual who needs various supports to be successful. It might involve transportation, personal care, job coaching or case management supports. A DSP must be knowledgeable about a range of effective communication, advocacy and provide person-centered supports. In a broader sense, they work to advocate for the person and support an individual’s life choices.

One of our “Arc”some direct support team members, Lori Foreman, consistently takes great effort in ensuring the individuals she works with have the necessary support to live life independently in the community. Lori works with four individuals: a married couple, a transitioning youth moving from his family home to his new home and a woman who moved from an unsafe and threatening environment. Each person requires very different supports to be successful at home, work and in the community. Lori’s expertise and support experience makes it possible for each individual to live and gain independence while strengthening existing relationships and building new ones.

This is only a brief glimpse into the wonderful work done by Direct Support Professionals at The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region. To learn about some of their stories, check out facebook.com/TheArcNCR throughout DSP Recognition Week. Interested in a meaningful career as a Direct Support Professional? Visit www.arcncr.org and click on Career Opportunities to apply today!

Direct Support Professional Recognition Week is part of the American Network of Community Options and Resources’ (ANCOR) National Advocacy Campaign, whose mission it is to enhance the lives of all people with disabilities who rely on long-term supports and services by obtaining the resources to recruit, train and retain a highly qualified and sustainable workforce. This is the eighth consecutive year the U.S. Senate has approved a resolution designating the week, which begins this year on September 13, as National Direct Support Recognition Week.