2024 NADSP Advocacy Symposium

Enhance federal Investments:

• Build upon federal investments to expand access to, and strengthen the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) system, including expanding the workforce.
• Assure effective implementation of new HCBS funding directed at expanding the workforce so that it leads to wage increases commensurate with the level of responsibility and complexity of the work of DSPs.
• Assure that federal investments create career ladders and pipeline programs to expand the workforce and lead to opportunities for professional growth for all DSPs.

Create a Standard Occupational Code (SOC) for DSPs:

• Currently, there is no standard occupational code or SOC for DSPs, this limits the ability to gather data on numbers of DSPs and their wages. DSPs are often inaccurately classified in labor reports under other positions, such as a nursing assistant (CNA), home health aide (HHA) or personal care assistant (PCA).
• Pass the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act to ensure that the Department of Labor collects the data on the work and wages of DSPs. This bill passed the Senate in March 2024, we must pass HR 2941 the House of Representatives version of the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act, so the bill becomes law!

Increase flexibility for states

• Promote flexibility by allowing states to use funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support the growth of the DSP workforce through
  • Training and Certification programs like NADSPs E-badge academy.
  • Bonus payments to new and existing DSPs
• Grant states flexibility to create pipeline programs to address the DSP shortages in their states.

Promote economic mobility of DSPs by reducing systemic barriers and promoting career pathways

• Provide funding to increase management training for DSPs moving into supervisory roles to support career growth.
• Expand data collection in the states to ensure that rate changes are tracked to go directly to wage increases for DSPs.

Technology

• Provide innovation funding for states to develop and explore emerging technology solutions to improve service delivery and optimize the experience of DSPs and the people with disabilities they serve.

• Attendance is free and mandatory on April 30 in order to participate in congressional meetings on May 1st. On Tuesday, April 30th, part of the programming will include the messaging for the legislative meetings as well as training on materials and state team coordination.
• Participants are expected to attend every meeting on their May 1st schedule as part of their subgroup team. These meetings are not optional.
• Please set aside an entire business day up to 6:00 PM in your time zone on May 1, 2024. The best times to secure Member-level meetings are early in the morning and late in the afternoon. We are at the mercy of individual legislative offices as to the time they offer. We wouldn’t want you to miss out on these opportunities.
• Participants should not attend meetings not on their schedules. Offices on the House side are small and staff can become frustrated with large groups and unexpected participants.
• Everyone will go to both House and Senate meetings, but not everyone will have an opportunity to speak. NADSP has designated state leaders who will organize 3-5 of participants to speak in each meeting.
• The NADSP Code of Ethics is the basis for everything we do. All conduct in meetings should remain professional and on message as directed by State Team Leads.
  • Integrity and Responsibility: As a direct support professionals, I will support the mission and vitality of my profession to assist people in leading self-directed lives and to foster a spirit of partnership with the people I support, other professionals, and the community.