Developing qualified workers to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in home and community settings: an evaluation study

2019-04-23This study incorporated a modified gap analysis to evaluate a health and human service agency in developing qualified workers. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the degree to which the agency prepared direct care workers to meet state required proficiency on Virginia’s DSP Competencies Evaluation tool, Section One (person-centered skills, values, and attitudes). These workers, known as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), provide home and community supports to individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). Virginia requires DSPs to be proficient on the use of person-centered practices to support clients, and this study evaluated the knowledge and motivation of DSPs to meet this regulation. In addition, the study looked at organizational influences that impacted performance levels such as agency training and supervisor feedback. The study used qualitative data collection including interviews, observations, and document analysis to identify the strengths and needs of workers’ knowledge and motivation to demonstrate person-centered skills, values, and attitudes and to analyze organizational influences. Data indicated DSPs were motivated to provide supports and had the knowledge to demonstrate the skills, but most were not able to name or label their practices as person-centered. Data also indicated that DSPs were often inundated with too much information at training sessions. It is therefore recommended that the organization modify their current training content and format, include job aids to develop conceptual knowledge of the state requirements, and offer practice opportunities for DSPs to strengthen person-centered practices to the point that they become automatic