Session A: DSPs Lead with the National Leadership Consortium

Caitlin Bailey, Co-Director, National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities

DSPs are leading or leaving your organizations, are you supporting their growth? 

Leadership happens in every position in an organization. DSPs are responsible for leading by supporting, leading by problem solving, and leading by adapting to the day-to-day challenges and opportunities faced by the people they serve. Yet, many organizations in our field struggle to invest in the development and growth of DSP leaders, focusing instead on required training, getting new employees up to speed, and filling vacant positions. The DSPs Lead Pre Conference Session can help! 

During this interactive preconference, attendees will engage in lively discussions, actionable exercises, and learn from field experts about strategies to develop DSP leadership. We’ll cover essential topics like psychological safety, meaningful leadership opportunities at every level, and investing in DSP growth when time and resources are limited. This session is for leaders working in any position; we’ll talk about what you can influence and apply from where you lead today. Attendees will learn, connect, and gain valuable resources and tools to take back to their organizations.

Session B: Supporting People Who Cannot Rely on Speech

Tauna Szymanski, JD, MPA, Executive Director & Legal Director, Communication FIRST

This structured workshop, organized by CommunicationFIRST, is designed to support DSPs and supervisors who serve people of any age who have difficulty speaking due to cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, apraxia, multiple sclerosis, aphasia, rare genetic syndromes, Parkinson’s, ALS, or other disabilities. Workshop presenters will include people who rely on different forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The workshop will share tips and perspectives about what it is like to need and use a DSP, what DSP skills and roles are most important to them, the importance of communication access, ethical issues, the importance of peer supports and community, and what you can and cannot assume about people who cannot speak. The audience will be invited to share what they wish they had known before working with someone who had no way to communicate with language, and what they learned. The results of this workshop will help shape a three-year project to create a training curriculum and to establish best practices for working with people with speech-related disabilities, especially those who need and use AAC.

Session C: New York’s Statewide Approach to DSP Development

Lacie Reilly, Lisa Bauer, Elizabeth Dunn (State University of New York), Melody Johnson (The Arc Monoe, Kirsten Sanchirico (New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation/RCWT), Adrienne Mazeau, Alison Pingelski, OPWDD

Join The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), The State University of New York (SUNY), and The Regional Centers for Workforce Transformation (RCWT) to learn how the State of New York developed a statewide approach to the development of direct support professionals (DSPs) and frontline supervisors. This session will include a brief history of three different, but interrelated initiatives, as well as the successes and lessons learned in the quest for delivering professional development of competency-based education, a national certification and microcredential with course credits stackable to a human service degree. This session will conclude with a question-and-answer session with all panelists.

• The New York Certification pilot is a partnership between NADSP and OPWDD to make national certification available to DSPs and frontline supervisors across 43 participating provider organizations. These efforts were recently expanded to include DSPs and frontline supervisors who work directly for the state of New York.
• The SUNY Dutchess DSP Microcredential Program integrates microcredentials with NADSP certifications while also building a structured and supportive pathway into a Human Services degree. The SUNY Dutchess program is part of a network of similar microcredentialing programs operating across 20 other SUNY campuses.
• The Regional Centers for Workforce Transformation (RCWT) is an integral component of the NY Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting individuals and fostering their well-being. Our primary objective is to enhance the proficiency of direct support professionals (DSPs) through comprehensive training programs, compassionate guidance, and facilitating informed decision-making.

This Is What DSP Leadership Looks Like; Stories from Alaska

Brian Ormond, Alaska Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (AADSP)

Discover the inspiring story of how a dedicated group of DSPs in Alaska stepped into leadership roles to form the Alaska Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (AADSP). This session will share the story of their journey from front-line work to building a statewide organization that amplifies the voice and impact of DSPs. Learn about the positive changes they’ve driven, from policy influence to creating a stronger sense of professional identity and community. The presenters will share what they’ve gained personally and professionally and offer guidance for DSPs in other states to pursue similar initiatives. Topics include how to identify allies, foster collaboration, and build strong partnerships. The session will conclude with a networking opportunity to connect and brainstorm strategies to foster DSP leadership.

•  Participants will learn about a model for DSPs creating and participating in a statewide organization in order to have a voice in system-level discussions.
• Participants will learn about the value of being part of a DSP community and the value of peer support.
• Participants will learn that leadership is a mindset and that every DSP can be a leader if they want to be.

Workforce Transformation – Changing Agency Culture and Retaining Good Staff

Nicholas Filarelli, Core Services of Northeast Tennessee

In 2014, Core Services began a transformation: embracing HCBS settings rules, focusing on lives rather than services, listening to people and acting accordingly. Within two years, no one remained in a segregated setting. All agency supports were 100% community based. 41% of people supported were employed. The Direct Support Professional turnover rate had been reduced by over 50%. Rights restrictions became non-existent. We wondered what could be accomplished if the same concepts were applied to our workforce? The answer: reduced vacancies, reduced turnover, and lower overtime costs. In a field with limited room for professional growth, Core created unique advancement opportunities in the form of specialized roles for DSPs, including: Technology Support, Behavioral Expertise, Peer Mentorship, Employee Advocacy Councils, a Career Ladder, and more. 

• Creative ways to offer promotional opportunities for DSPs: from career ladders to specialized roles within the DSP purview.
• Improve Employee Retention and DSP Satisfaction: Core Services will share their many efforts to change agency culture: happier people supported, happier staff, reduced overtime, vacancies, and turnover.
• The benefits of Employee Credentialing from increased competence and improved job satisfaction, to a better quality of life for people receiving services.

Elevating the Direct Support Workforce Through Collaborative Advocacy: People with Disabilities, Families, and Direct Support Professionals

Chester Finn, BJ Stasio, Kelley Shepherd, Max Donatelli, Moderator: Jerry Smith

Join this dynamic and inspiring panel discussion featuring self-advocates, family members, and direct support professionals who exemplify the power of collaborative advocacy. Through real-life stories, panelists will share their experiences, challenges, and successes in driving meaningful policy change that promotes full inclusion and strengthens community living.

The conversation will highlight how true partnership—grounded in mutual respect and a shared vision—can influence policymakers, legislators, and the public to recognize and support the essential role of direct support professionals. Learn how this unique alliance of lived experience and professional expertise can be a catalyst for positive, lasting change.

Elevating Person-Centered Support: Equipping DSPs for Mental Health Complexity

Dr. Monica McCall and Nick Burton, NextGen Synergy

Dr. Monica McCall and Nick Burton invite you to a dynamic session designed to elevate direct support professionals as essential partners in person-centered care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who also experience co-occurring mental health conditions.

This session will focus on giving DSPs the practical tools, skills, and confidence needed to support people whose mental health needs can create unique challenges. Together, we will explore how to recognize mental health symptoms, approach situations with trauma-informed care, and build strong, trusting relationships grounded in respect and dignity.

At its core, this session is about person-centeredness. It is about empowering DSPs to ensure the people they support have meaningful choices, voices that are heard, and lives that reflect their own hopes and goals. Monica and Nick will share real-life examples, practical strategies, and insights to help DSPs feel prepared, valued, and ready to make a difference every day. Join us to elevate your practice, connect with your peers, and celebrate the critical role DSPs play in transforming lives.

 You Can’t Pour from An Empty Cup

Consuelo Senior, YAI

 As a support professional, at any level, frontline to executive, working in this field requires the “giving of ones self” How do you do that day after day without burnout? “Work-Life balance? What is that? When you are at work, are you giving the best of you every day? Or what’s left of you? Attend this workshop and gain practical tools to help you bring your best self to work, while “life be lifing.” 

• Identify and examine things and practices that deplete us
• Explore ways to create intentional practices that fills us
• Formulate a technique for work life management

A Direct Support Professional’s Unique Role in Supporting People in Self-Direction

Chester Finn (OPWDD), BJ Stasio (The Art of Advocacy), Moderator: Jerry Smith

This engaging panel will explore the distinct and emerging role of direct support professionals within self-directed services, as compared to traditional residential models. Panelists will examine the key differences in responsibilities, oversight, flexibility, and relationship dynamics that define self-direction, while highlighting how this approach empowers both direct support professionals and the people they support. Attendees will gain valuable insight into how funding structures influence direct support professional autonomy, person-centered practices, and long-term outcomes for people with disabilities. Whether you’re a direct support professional, a person receiving services, a family member, or a stakeholder in the field, this conversation will shed light on how self-direction is reshaping the future of direct support and expanding opportunities for true person-centered practices.

Flipping The Switch-Self-Care and Combatting Compassion Fatigue

Lindsay Dutton, The Arc Oregon

Many of us go into the human services field because we have an immense passion for helping others and serving our communities. However, we aren’t always aware of how supporting others can take a toll on our own well-being. This training will introduce the concepts of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, but most importantly we will discuss compassion satisfaction and resilience. Together we will gain an understanding of how to nurture our own well-being and protect ourselves, while also providing great support to those we serve.

Participants will gain an understanding of:

• What compassion fatigue is, the contributing factors, as well as the signs and symptoms.
• The differences and similarities between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout.
• Compassion satisfaction, resilience, and the connection with our well-being.
• How to create a simple support plan for themselves to use at work and/or home to help serve as a reminder to make space for their own well-being.

Workforce Development and Creating a culture of DSPs for DSPs

Lindsay Murry and Yuliya Khripunkova, AHRC NYC

Learn about AHRC NYC’s efforts to promote culture of learning, growth, and collaboration among frontline staff. Presenters will focus on the implementation and outcomes of AHRC NYC’s innovative professional development projects: Youth Workforce Development Program funded by NYC DYCD well as NY statewide NADSP E-badge Academy pilot. Presenters will connect the dots and discuss ways to use social capital through structured and naturally occurring peer support as well as mentorship opportunities evolving from the professional development initiatives.

• Learn how AHRC NYC uses innovative ways to recruit, engage and retain the Direct Support Workforce through training and career development initiatives.
• Understand creative solutions to the workforce crisis through workforce development programs.
• Discuss intentional use of social capital and peer support to enhance workforce competencies and drive the organization’s success.

Listening to Our Voices: Supporting Sexuality and Healthy Relationships

Katherine McLaughlin (Elevatus Training), Shanell Davis (People Inc.), Mike Rogers (Self-Advocacy Association NY State)

Talking about sexuality and healthy relationships as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) can be challenging. A DSP may not know how to discuss the topic, or whether it is okay to discuss the topic with someone they support. In this workshop, using a fishbowl structure, DSPs will hear from self-advocates about the messages they have received about this topic, what they want in a relationship, and how support professional can help them have the relationship they want in their lives. Join us for a rich discussion about ways you can be effective and supportive to those you support.

• Examine messages self-advocates have received about sexuality and what they wish they received.
• Explore the various types of relationships self-advocates want.
• Examine ways to be supportive and helpful to self-advocates as they navigate their relationships.

More Than a Manager: Leading with Purpose on the Frontline

Bonnie McHugh, Optimae LifeServices

Being a frontline supervisor is about so much more than managing schedules, handling payroll or stepping in during a crisis. Yes, keeping things running is part of it, but your real impact comes from how you support and shape the experience of the Direct Support Professionals you lead. In this session, we’ll get clear on what supervision really means: being a coach, mentor and steady guide for your team. Whether you’re brand new to supervision or have been doing it for years, this is a chance to reconnect with why your role matters and leave with practical tools you can put into practice right away.

Promoting Staff Wellbeing Through Trauma-Informed Self and Community Care Strategies

Amanda Rich (Open Road Inclusive Community Consulting LLC/Towson University), Laura Evans (Penn State Brandywine), Nikki DiGregorio, Maureen Todd, Ph.D (Towson University)

Help yourself and your staff feel safe, seen and supported. Disability services, staff often face high levels of stress, burnout, and secondary trauma. This breakout session explores practical, strategies to support individual and collective wellbeing in the workplace. Participants will learn how to recognize the impact of trauma on staff, identify early signs of burnout and compassion fatigue and implement both self-care and community care approaches that foster resilience and connection. We will be in conversation about how organizational culture, policies, and leadership practices can either support or hinder wellbeing, and offer actionable tools to create a healthier, more sustainable work environment. This interactive session is designed to help us to reimagine staff wellness as a shared responsibility and a foundational element of trauma-informed practice.

• Understand the core principles of trauma-informed care and how they relate to promoting staff wellbeing within the context of disability services.
• Explore & practice practical self-care and community care strategies that support resilience, reduce burnout, and strengthen team cohesion.
• Design actionable steps to embed trauma-informed, staff-centered practices into their organizational culture with attention to equity, accessibility, and sustainability

Best Practices for Maintaining Professional Boundaries

Kim Affinati, Tracey Sosa, New York State Justice Center 

 Maintaining professional boundaries during the provision of care is crucial to fostering healthy relationships and respecting the dignity of people receiving services.  This session will include an overview of Justice Center resources focused on professional boundaries, including the Justice Center’s toolkit titled “Spotlight on Prevention: Best Practices for Maintaining Professional Boundaries.”  Attendees will learn about the variety of abuse prevention resources contained within this toolkit, including best practices in training and policy development to ensure staff understand what’s meant by the term “professional boundaries” as well as an interactive activity based on lessons learned from real scenarios that have occurred at programs providing care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Professional Pathways: Building a Career Ladder for DSPs and FLSs in Pennsylvania

Rochelle Troutman, Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs

 In this breakout session, participants will explore the crucial role of credentialing for Direct Support Professionals and Front-Line Supervisors within the context of Pennsylvania’s developmental services.  Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) mission and its impact on workforce development.  Key topics will include an in-depth look at performance-based contracting and its role in ensuring quality service delivery, as well as how establishing a career ladder through pay-for-performance measures can enhance retention, motivation, and career growth for DSPs and Front-Line Supervisors.  Participants will be equipped with actionable insights on how credentialing programs and performance-based strategies can not only improve service outcomes but also foster a more sustainable and skilled workforce.

• Understanding of Performance Based Contracting
• Establishing a Career Ladder through Pay for Performance

Emerging Technology for DSPs.   Be Not Afraid!

Andrea Palmer, Awake Labs 

Emerging technologies are reshaping the landscape of disability support — not in theory, but in practice. From artificial intelligence and robotics to wearables and ambient sensors, these tools are already being integrated into day-to-day support in ways that enhance autonomy, dignity, and person-centered planning. This session will explore how enabling technologies can strengthen direct support practice, reduce reactive interventions, and build capacity across systems, with practical examples of AI-powered tools supporting planning conversations, monitoring stress and emotion in real time, and streamlining communication across teams.

A spotlight will be placed on Arkansas Support Network’s Visioning an Empowered Life (VEL) program — a groundbreaking initiative that leverages AI to elevate an individual’s goals, while amplifying their voice, embedding the organization’s values, and transforming support strategies. The VEL program offers a model for how technology can be deeply human-centered: amplifying voice and choice. 

• Learn how AI, robotics, and wearable technologies are currently being used in support settings
• Explore VEL as a real-world application of AI-enabled planning
• Discuss the ethical, relational, and workforce implications of technology adoption
• Envision what sustainable, person-driven innovation looks like in disability services

Frontline Initiative

Chet Tschetter, Julie Kramme, Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota

 Frontline Initiative – the online magazine that connects direct support professionals to issues that matter by telling stories, sharing best practices, and sharing resources that are important to your work. Join Editors Julie Kramme and Chet Tschetter to learn about the magazine and podcast “A Closer Look. You will learn how to become an author and how to use it as part of staff training and development.  Help us determine future issue topics in this interactive session.  

Promoting Informed Choice Through “The Three E’s”

Katherine Dunbar, Courtney Kelly Chapman, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership

 The Three E’s – Education, Experience, and Exposure – is the foundation for informed choice. The knowledge we gain, situations we come across, and observations along the way, help us as we encounter new circumstances, make decisions, and adjust to the world. The Three E’s are especially relevant to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) considering that their choices are regularly limited or even completely restricted. In this presentation, we describe the role that the Three E’s can play in the lives of those with disabilities in promoting choice, advancing self-determination, and protecting independence. You’ll hear real-life stories of how different provider organizations are using the Three E’s. Finally, we’ll share data that demonstrates the impact that the Three E’s can have on quality of life.

• Discover the role the Three E’s (Education, Experience, Exposure) play in people’s lives
• Learn real-life stories of provider organizations using the Three E’s
• Explore data demonstrating the impact of the Three E’s

Creation of DSP Advisory Panels in Tennessee

Robin Wilmoth, Tennessee State Department of Disability and Aging 

The Department of Disabilities and Aging in Tennessee and other organizations discussed the current and future workforce situation in home and community-based services and explicitly addressed the direct support professional role. Direct support professionals are those workers who provide support and care to people who desire to live the kind of life they want in chosen communities. After meeting with several key stakeholder groups, DDA and others determined they needed to hear the voice of DSPs throughout Tennessee. A proposal was created to begin a DSP workforce advisory group/s for all of Tennessee, comprised solely of DSPs. This proposal was presented to the DDA Programs Operations Unit under the Workforce Development Program; the three advisory groups were formed in 2022 and continued every year after. 

• How DSP Advisory Groups (comprised solely of DSPs) were developed and created in Tennessee, and how other states can do.
• Focus on the work of the advisory groups and how to get their work shared statewide and nationally.
• DSPs from the advisory groups will give testimonials on how they worked on the three regional advisory groups, the differences they made in Tennessee, and the role of DSPs in the advisory groups.

NYS Community of Practice on DEI Presents “Buffalo Region Meet and Greet”

Bridget M. Cariello, Tolulope Elizabeth Adenekan, PhD, Sarah Gonzalez Noveiri Ph.D. AHRC Nassau 

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) bring essential, firsthand perspectives that are vital for shaping an effective and inclusive NYS Community of Practice (CoP) on DEI in Developmental Disabilities. Amplifying DSP voices through the NYS’s CoP on DEI ensures that strategies are informed by those who live the day-to-day realities of disability support: they understand the gaps, inequities, and intersectional challenges—and they bring the passion to lead change. The meaningful participation of DSP’s not just valuable—it’s indispensable.

DSPs adhere to a robust Code of Ethics and core competencies centered on fairness, respect, and advocacy. These professional standards guide inclusive, person-centered practices essential for meaningful DEI transformation. For this reason, The NYS CoP on DEI has selected The NADSP Conference as the venue for This year’s Buffalo Region Meeting. We wish to elevate the voices of DSP’s and others in NYS. 

• Help shape DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) work in your area
• Share ideas and talk about what matters most to you
• Learn how you can join local DEI teams and advisory groups
• Connect, share updates, and enjoy a bit of lighthearted engagement to keep things dynamic and enjoyable

Why Talk About Anxiety?

Jodi Benvie, LyAnn Grogan, KFI 

DSPs get lots of training on developmental disabilities, but we rarely provide training and support for mental health! This is a huge missing piece in our training and our care for the people we support, most of whom have some co-occurring mental health diagnosis such as anxiety. And who doesn’t have anxiety at some point in their lives? It affects DSPs, too! We will talk about how to recognize triggers and signs of anxiety in the people we support and ourselves and the biology and causes behind it. We will focus on how we can support ourselves and others through times of anxiety. Participants will gain knowledge about anxiety and strategies for how to support themselves and others with compassion during challenging times. 

• Participants will learn to recognize triggers and signs of anxiety in themselves and the people they support.
• Participants will have a basic understanding of the biology and causes of anxiety and how it affects the body.
• Participants will learn ways to reduce or manage anxiety in themselves and the people they support.