Quality of life is the heartbeat of CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership, and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are the backbone of the service/support system for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. DSPs are required to wear many hats, and at times deal with difficult and demanding situations, requiring complex skillsets while navigating decreasing resources and rising expectations. We take time this week to highlight the importance of the DSP to the service system and the role Personal Outcome Measures® (POM) can play in providing a framework for DSPs to do their jobs with excellence.
Organizations embracing CQL’s POM and the values inherent in them, affect positive change, not only in the lives of those they support, but in the lives of the DSPs who do the supporting. Data shows that when quality of life is a focus of any organization everyone benefits.
When DSPs are valued and respected so too are those they support. By recruiting, developing, and maintaining a stable, high quality, workforce, quality of life is directly impacted for people receiving services and support. In other words, the quality of life for individuals being supported is directly proportional to the quality and stability of the DSPs supporting them.
CQL is proud to share these stories of what happens when an organization focuses on quality of life, and the resulting impact on each person supported, DSPs, the organization as a whole, and ultimately the community. The DSPs highlighted below show how the POM serve as a valuable tool to discover, with a person, what is truly important, and go on to develop supports based on that information:
- Sherease Amaya: Making A Difference In Jessica’s Life
- Jennifer Delikowski: Helping Robert Choose Where And With Whom To Live
- Victor Porch: Working Tirelessly To Help People Achieve Their Personally Defined Goals
- Tamarah Boone: Supporting Eileen To Make And Keep A Friend
- Janet Beckford: Walking The Walk!
- Brandie Thomason: Using Positive Behavior Supports To Help Marie Achieve Her Goals
- Madicella Martinez: Helping Lisa Reach Her Personal Outcomes Through Informed Decision Making
Looking Back at 2017 DSP Recognition Week