Every day, Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During Direct Service Professionals Appreciation Week, we want to recognize and celebrate the dedication, compassion, and expertise they bring to their work.
Although this week recognizes DSPs, we can't forget that SDEs (Self-Direction Employees) provide the same essential supports for individuals who self-direct their supports and services. DSPs and SDEs are the same in the direct support services they provide to individuals. The difference is primarily in how the employee is hired or managed, rather than in the nature of the support they deliver.
DSPs and SDEs provide support that helps people live, work, learn, and participate in their communities. Their roles can include assisting with daily activities, supporting employment and education, promoting independence, facilitating community participation, and helping people pursue the goals and interests that matter most to them.
But the work of a DSP and SDE is about much more than providing assistance. It is about building relationships, encouraging independence, advocating for inclusion, and recognizing each person’s abilities and potential. DSPs and SDEs are often trusted partners who help the people they support navigate everyday challenges while celebrating accomplishments, big and small.
Their work also requires tremendous skill and adaptability. DSPs and SDEs may need to respond to changing circumstances, communicate across a range of needs and abilities, recognize health and safety concerns, and work collaboratively with families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and other professionals.
This week is an opportunity to say thank you to the thousands of DSPs and SDEs whose work strengthens individuals, families, and communities. Their contributions may not always receive the recognition they deserve, but the impact of their work can be seen every day—in greater independence, stronger connections, new opportunities, and lives lived more fully.
Let us help you recognize an outstanding DSP or SDE! Email us at clep@sph.rutgers.edu to nominate someone for recognition on our social media channels and tell us about the difference they’ve made.
Be sure to provide: 1. Their name (first name and last initial) 2. Your name (first name and last initial) 3. What you appreciate about them 4. A photo of them, with or without the person they support
We’ll recognize as many as we can during Direct Support Professionals Week!
Other ways to show appreciation to outstanding DSPs and SDEs:
1. Say thank you with a handwritten note or drawing. 2. Give a token of appreciation like a gift card to a coffee shop you know they like or take them out to lunch. 3. Celebrate DSPs and SDEs publicly using social media and explain why their work matters. 4. Not sure what to do? Ask what appreciation looks like to them. A meaningful recognition program should reflect what DSPs and SDEs actually value rather than assuming that everyone wants the same kind of reward.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to recognize and celebrate the incredible contributions of workers with disabilities while raising awareness about the importance of creating truly inclusive employment opportunities.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to work, contribute their talents, build independence, and experience the pride that comes with earning a paycheck.
This month, we had the privilege of speaking with Marie, a woman who dreamed of working and earning her own paycheck, not only for the independence it would provide, but for the simple joys of being able to shop and buy gifts for her family. We asked her to share, in her own words, why employment is meaningful and the difference that an opportunity to work can make in someone’s life.
July is Disability Pride Month. But with community living protections being challenged by the Department of Justice, increased concern about a reduced commitment to home and community based services (HCBS), and shifting oversight on special education, many people in the disability community are feeling less-than-celebratory. Mustering enthusiasm for Disability Pride Month may feel hard this year, and people may be wondering what there is to celebrate.
However, Disability Pride Month has never been about pretending everything is fine. Disability Pride Month exists because disability rights took decades of organizing, protest, and persistence—even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
