In Indiana, more than 19,000 people with physical and developmental disabilities rely on Direct Support Professionals for essential support with employment, connections within their community, and basic health and safety needs. As the teachers, cheerleaders and many times the primary advocate for the individuals they serve, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) require a broad range of skills.
To honor their role and highlight the growing shortage of Direct Support Professionals in Indiana, Governor Mitch Daniels has declared Sept. 13 to 17 to be Direct Support Professional Recognition Week.
Opportunity Enterprises, which serves over 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana, employs nearly 250 Direct Support Professionals.
"As we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act earlier this year, we are glad to take this week to celebrate the contributions of the valued DSPs who make so many accomplishments possible for Hoosiers with disabilities," said Colleen Rhoades, vice president of Consumer Services at Opportunity Enterprises. "The DSPs are the backbone of our agency, and every day I am in awe of their hard work and dedication to the individuals they serve. From assisting an individual with a routine daily task, to supporting them during a crisis, DSPs are truly amazing people."
Indiana's 26,000 Direct Support Professionals are making differences every day in the lives of those they support, added Shannon Gilbert, president of Direct Support Professionals of Indiana, a new group of DSPs focused on development and awareness about their profession. "DSPs assist individuals to see beyond their disabilities and help them live meaningful lives within their community," she explained. "Some individuals with disabilities may have been told they would never walk or they have never been given the opportunity to make their own choices. This is not acceptable in the eyes of a DSP. This week is a great time to recognize the DSPs who make dreams into a reality for people with disabilities."
