Tools for
Employers

A young man wearing a green shirt and a work badge stocking supplies in the mail room of an office

Community providers that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities know just how critical it is to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). With the right DSP in the role, individuals receive the support they need to be included and empowered in the community.

At the same time, community providers know just how difficult it is to sustain a direct support workforce. A series of challenges complicate employers’ efforts, including low wages determined by inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates, high turnover exacerbated by competition in the broader labor force, costly training and onboarding processes, and a shortage of qualified professionals in certain communities can make it all but impossible for community providers to find, train and retain the DSPs who would otherwise be on the frontlines of supporting individuals.

In response to these challenges, ANCOR partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center (RTC) at the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) to design a series of tools for employers. Included in this robust set of resources are:

  • A realistic job preview, which you can purchase to share with potential DSPs to give them a sense of the fulfilling career path they can enjoy as a DSP.
  • Public service announcements, short videos that can help you attract individuals who might not otherwise be aware of what it means to be a DSP.
  • Targeted recruiting flyers, which help you tailor your message about the power of being a DSP to audiences you may not have thought to engage as you search for potential new members of your workforce.
  • In-depth interviewing resources, which help you ensure you hire the right person for the job once you’ve attracted applicants to your agency’s direct support positions.
  • A DSP turnover calculator, which can help you uncover the data you need to understand the unique dynamics of your agency’s workforce.

If you have any questions about the resources listed here, please contact ANCOR via email at [email protected].