Background

The Illinois Direct Support Professional (DSP) Workforce Initiative began in July 2005 through funding from the The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD). ICDD realized the need for systemic change in the state regarding Illinois' direct support workforce. The focus of the DSP Initiative is to improve recruitment and retention of Direct Support Professionals in Illinois, who are competent and confident in the skills needed to provide quality supports and services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Partners for this project include the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration, the Institute on Disability and Human Development at UIC, and the Human Services Research Institute.

The University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration (UofMN-ICI) is the lead bringing their knowledge, expertise, and resources in this area. They are collaborating with the Institute on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago (IDHD at UIC) to ensure the initiative makes a specific impact on the unique system within Illinois. Over the 3 year period, UofMN will slowly phase out of the project and IDHD at UIC will take on a larger role. Also, the Human Services Research Institute in Cambridge, MA is consulting. The initiative is using a three-pronged approach to create systemic change throughout Illinois that will increase recruitment and retention of DSPs.

First, a Steering/Advisory Committee (SAC) has been created to effect systemic change in Illinois regarding workforce issues. This group is charged with the creation of a Workforce Plan which will be the guiding vision for a statewide systemic impact in Illinois. This group includes people with developmental disabilities and their families, advocacy organizations, providers and provider associations, direct support professionals, workforce development experts, labor representatives, governmental agencies, and academic professionals.

Second, 14 employer organizations and 4 alternates were selected to be part of the initiative. The employer organizations all provide some type of services for people with developmental disabilities in a community setting and employ DSPs. The benefits of participating in this project include the following:

• An opportunity to shape and participate in a statewide plan to address direct support workforce issues in Illinois.
• A chance to hear and share information about working intervention strategies to improve recruitment and retention of direct support professionals.
• A chance to participate in training that teaches intervention strategies for improving recruitment and retention outcomes as well as how to train other organizations and families on these issues and their solutions.
• Access to project products and tools such as the realistic job preview video, marketing toolkit, and on-line training for direct support professionals and frontline supervisors.
• Also, the 14 employer organizations (excluding alternates) will receive technical assistance to overcome barriers to recruitment and retention.

Third, 10 individuals and/or families who direct their own support staff have been selected for the initiative. They will receive training specific to their needs and perspectives. They will receive the same benefits from the project as well as the technical assistance from project staff.

Workforce Development Plan

The Initiative's Steering and Advisory Committee have created a comprehensive plan to address direct support workforce issues in Illinois. The following are three versions of the Workforce Development Plan with varying details about these workforce issues.

One Page Summary - (pdf) 1.5 MB

One Page Summary - (Word) 59 KB

Executive Summary - (pdf) 3.3 MB

Executive Summary - (Word) 52 KB

Full Version - (pdf) 3.4 MB

Full Version - (Word) 169 KB