Person Centered
Care Services.

What Is A DSP?: Direct Support In Health Crises

In these strange times we’re finding the world in, the respect for people who work in the health care field has grown steadily, as they continue to risk their health and safety by performing their essential duties to society. Nurses, doctors, and many other health care workers work diligently while many Americans stay at home to flatten the curve of this epidemic we find ourselves in. In our gratitude to these medical professionals, we also must honor the duties the direct support professionals serve for the population of people with disabilities. But what is a DSP?

A Direct Support Professional is defined by Wikipedia as “…people who work directly with people with physical disabilities and/or intellectual disabilities with the aim of assisting the individual to become integrated into his/her community or the least restrictive environment.” To say that, though, doesn’t define the value of direct support, doesn’t portray the range of roles they play daily, especially in a public crisis such as this, doesn’t speak of the people behind these roles.

While much of the country stays home to combat the health crisis, one DSP leaves his two month old baby to help someone we support learn to cook healthy meals.

While there are Instagram Live dance parties for everyone to have a good time at home, another DSP works overnight to ensure people in our residences are safe at home and can sleep peacefully.

While we pour over the news to learn more about the new reality we live in, yet another DSP leaves her own family to ensure the people we support get the medication they need, and in some cases, the skills in order to take those medications themselves to further their independence.

While we scour our own apartments to ensure our personal safety, our DSPs are going to homes to ensure their safety.

Direct Support Professionals are our friends, our neighbors, our brothers, sisters, cousins, family members, members of our community, and in these difficult times, they are doing what they do best. They are advocating for people we support, they are teaching valuable life skills, they are ensuring their safety and support, they are leaving the comfort of their homes and families to help those who need more assistance.

When we give our thanks, when we advocate for more funding for our agencies to give back to the DSPs and staff in the midst of a confusing, scary crisis, these are the people we talk about. Our family.

To help us in this time of need, you can donate here, and continue to support those who support a vulnerable population in trying times, those with disabilities.

A Message To Our Direct Support Professionals

3/17/20
a message from cRis marchioNNe, executive director
I send this out to all Direct Support Professionals who are bravely waking up each day facing these strange unfamiliar times. It is you who put aside fears and your own circumstances to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the people you support.
I came into work today, and I saw quite a few of you patiently waiting to be reassigned to a person’s home or to support someone living on their own; I saw concern and care in your eyes. I saw passion in your communication with others. I saw how important it was to express what tools and information you will need for the day. I emphasize for the day, as all of us do not know what will happen tomorrow. We are all learning how to live ‘one day at a time’.
Our World is changing. We are learning new concepts such as social-distancing and we are learning to engage with one another in different ways such as telecommuting and relying a lot more on technology. Yes, these are challenging days, I will say these days are scary. However, there is one thing I know for sure. I know, all of us know, it is evident we can count on Direct Support Professionals to act and respond, to be there for one another and the people you support. I know each of you believe in and value the ‘wait for me when I fall behind’ way of life. And I want you to know, each Direct Support Professional, myself and my colleagues we are here for you.
Every day, I am in communication with government, with representatives from the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities receiving updates on service delivery methods and working with our colleagues at other agencies to share information, exchange ideas and to ensure we have plans to be prepared for what lies ahead. My colleagues and I are working with policy-makers to ensure program operations are not disrupted, to ensure we remain whole and sustainable. All of us are working in new ways to ensure we continue to support all of you in your meaningful role of supporting people with an intellectual or developmental disability.
I am certain all of us will get through these strange unfamiliar times, together. Together, we will learn from this experience, we will learn new ways of engaging with one another, supporting one another, communicating with one another. These are hard times, but it is in times like these we learn, grow and make progress. Together, we are innovators working resiliently to find ways to support one another and keep each other safe. I personally thank you for your support, caring and service. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
I wish all of you peace, love and hope…
cRis

An Intern’s Perspective: “They told me there is love here and you feel it.”

When we talk about inclusion, support, and passion, that message resonates with us for the people we support, as well as our friends and coworkers who become closer to family. Even our interns are welcomed to the fold, building bonds with both people with disabilities, and our team, sharing a drive to support our cause. One of our interns, Lori, penned an open letter, discussing her time in PCCS and the impact it has made on her:

 

 

“I first met Cris Marchionne when she was Professor of mine at CSI. I took her class called Social Work Disability Studies. It was a class that was an elective and I was getting ready to join the Social Work program.  I loved her passion she had for her job. She talked about PCCS and working with the people she supported. I learned the words “Person Centered approach” and what it meant.  When she told us “ At any moment we can all become disabled, an accident can make you have to use a wheelchair and now you’re disabled”, this was such an eye opener to me. The words were so true, and it stuck with me.

When the opportunity came up for me to do my internship at PCCS, I jumped at the chance to interview.  I was thrilled to be accepted by this agency.  I was so nervous when I came for new hire training in July 2019.  I wasn’t sure what to expect since I hadn’t worked for a company in years.  I loved the training.  I loved how the agency wanted you to have information to better support the people who use the agency.  I was nervous for CPR, but even that I survived and embraced it.

When I finally got to start, I was given materials to read, and webinars to view and learn.  I embraced the training that was given to me and soaked it up.  I love that PCCS offers training of all kinds to their employees. They want you to have the tools to help you do your job.

As I went about doing various tasks, I was given to work on I learned more and pulled from my previous work experience to get things done.  I always try to give 110% to all that I do.  One of my favorite parts of my internship has been my interaction with Day Hab. I love when I get to go and sit with this bunch of people.  They are just good-hearted people and they always enjoy when I come to their group.  I was given the task of working on workshops for them.  I had the joy of making a money management workshop using monopoly, workshops about bullying, Sign Language and few others.  I don’t need anyone to tell me I did a good job, because I feel it when I have these interactions. Besides this I have done a little bit from a few different areas. From auditing, to working on a checklist with ISS, to intake assessments.  I have done many things here and all have been enjoyable.

My saddest thing right now is that my days as an intern are ending. I seriously hope I get a full-time job at PCCS so I can continue the work that I have started here.  The people that work here feel like a family.  The directors, and all employees are all very approachable.  The people we support are loving and enjoy their time here as well.  It was a pleasure one day when I asked the people, we support how PCCS was compared to other agencies. They told me there is love here and you feel it.  How special is that? Who wouldn’t want to work with people that share and support people with love first?”

#PeopleAtPCCS: Doreen Smith

Supporting people with disabilities is something near and dear to so many of the employees in our field, and often it’s a very personal mission to help and advocate for those who need assistance. One of our Employment DSPs, Doreen, took her experience with a disabled child and made it a career.

Doreen has been with us for almost 2 years, though her journey began long before; she had volunteered for Autism Speaks, as well as became a registered Behavior Technician at Proud Moments. Her and 8 fellow moms of people with disabilities came together to create SI Autism Warriors, a non-profit group that funnels donations directly into staging multiple events during the year, welcoming anyone with any disability to attend. This is on top of her side business of making chocolates for the last 15 years!

The source of her inspiration? Her son, who was diagnosed on the Aspergers, on the Autism Spectrum, at the age of 3. Her and her husband stood together to help afford their son any and all possibilities, while their family stepped away from them out of fear and embarrassment. They haven’t spoken since.

Doreen doesn’t let it bother her, though. “It’s their loss,” she says, proud of who her son is. He is 17 now, playing ice hockey since he was 5, and attends a culinary program at Tottenville High School. Doreen has been supportive of her son doing anything he puts his mind to, and never limits him. Their strength carries both ways; she remembers crying when she had to discuss the differences between him and neurotypical children, and he replied, “But autism makes me who I am.”

Coming originally from a background in Wall Street (“I hated it after a few years”), her career path and passion for advocacy and support brought her down the aforementioned positions to find an ad with an agency called Person Centered Care Services. Doreen took a position with Com Hab, which she loved, and later made the transition to Career Supports, where she helps a variety of young people get prepared for the job market. She loves the creativity involved, and the times where she makes a real impact: she remembers fondly seeing a person she supports dapper and dressed to the nines, prepped and ready for his job interview. “Now I have a reason for getting up every day.”

Where does she want to go from here? She’s becoming more involved in our outreach team, joining the Gala committee to help make this year’s the best yet. And work itself? “I told [my boss], I’ll drag myself on my hands and knees if I have to; I love it here.”

 

Do you have a child, relative, or someone you know with a disability who needs help entering the job market? Find out more in our Career Supports department. Want to make an impact in the disability field? Apply for a position in our agency, or join our Disability Ally Initiative!