PCPID Releases 2017 Report

The President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) recently released its 2017 Report, “America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis: Effects on People with Intellectual Disabilities, Families, Communities and the U.S. Economy.”

The NADSP (The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals) is proud to have assisted the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center on Community Living in preparing this report and especially proud to highlight the work from some of our certified direct support professionals and stories from families and individuals who receive direct support services with whom we are honored to collaborate. The Report also shares our National Competency Areas and Code of Ethics, among other NADSP contributions to the I/D field.

According to PCPID, “the intended outcome of this Report is to ensure that the Administration is fully aware of and understand the effects of the direct support workforce crisis and the opportunities to address it in ways that strengthen the ability of people with intellectual disability to both participate in and contribute to their communities and the American economy.

Not only does the crisis facing this workforce threaten people with intellectual disability and their families; it also undermines the stability, efficiency and ability to grow much needed long-term services and supports and, therefore, undermines the overall U.S. economy”.

The Report specifically examines the following areas to determine how the direct support workforce can be sustained so people with intellectual disability are included and engaged in all aspects of society:
• Overview of the direct support workforce
• Critical challenges faced by the long-term services and supports industry
• Effects of the workforce crisis
• Economic and other factors that have influenced the crisis
• Promising practices to address the direct support workforce crisis.
For more information, visit: www.nadsp.org