In Indiana, over 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, yet they earn an average wage far below the typical American worker. 
To honor their important role and highlight the growing shortage of Direct Support Professionals in Indiana, Governor Mitch Daniels has declared September 13-17, 2010 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,” says 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,” said 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. 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.”
In addition to paying tribute to their contributions, the Governor’s Proclamation highlights a workforce crisis for DSPs – the third fasting growing occupation in the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average US worker earns $16.75 an hour, but the average hourly DSP wage is only $9.26. These low wages contribute to a turnover rate of over 45%.
Funding of Direct Support Professional positions is especially critical in Indiana, which is one of only nine states to rely solely on community-based services for people with disabilities. (The last state-run institution, Fort Wayne Developmental Center, was closed in 2007.) Community-based Direct Support Professionals across the US earn 51% less than DSPs working in public institutions, according to a 2009 report by the American Network of Community Options and Resources. The same report ranked Indiana in the bottom third of states for average DSP entry wage.
Indiana DSPs will be celebrating Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week by increasing awareness of their role supporting Hoosiers with disabilities and encouraging others to investigate a career in their important field. Indiana’s DSP week coincides with National Direct Support Professionals Week as declared by the United States Senate in June of this year.
Direct Support Professionals of Indiana (DSPIN) is a group of Direct Support Professionals from around the state interested in creating a positive change and building a qualified workforce through the formation of a state chapter of the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP).
INARF, the principal Indiana trade association representing providers of services to people with disabilities, supports the Governor’s Proclamation and works to provide increased educational opportunities and professional development for Direct Support Professionals, in addition to advocating for higher wages.
Since 1967, Opportunity Enterprises has been a non-profit organization which creates sustainable life choices and opportunities for individuals with unique challenges and abilities. Today, OE serves 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.