New York State Talent
Development Consortium:
DSP Competency Project Update
A Collaborative Approach for
Improved Outcomes
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Goal of the Consortium
• Design, implement and maintain a consistent,
enterprise wide outcome focused approach to
developing and sustaining talent in the field of
developmental disabilities and thereby
provide consistent, high quality supports and
services to all individuals we support.
Positive Quality Outcomes for the
People We Serve
System Wide
Talent and
Development
Approach
Efficient Use of
Resources
Highly
Developed
Employees
High quality
services for all
individuals
within our
system
Statewide Steering Committee
A True Collaboration
National
Workforce
Experts
Provider
Associations
Employee
Labor Unions
Voluntary
Agencies
Steering
Committee
Parents
Self
Advocates
OPWDD
DDSO
OPWDD
Senior Staff
Priority Project for the Consortium
• Develop a standardized set of competencies
for Direct Support Professionals (DSP)
• Create a training plan that outlines resources
to master DSP competencies
• Develop evaluation tools for use by
supervisors and others
• Establish evaluation methods focused on
person-centered outcomes
Progress on
DSP Competency Development
• Researched DSP competencies currently in place and
identified best practices
• Developed competencies targeted to NYS DD System and
vetted the competences with stakeholder groups and
national experts
• Developed evaluation tools for use by supervisors and
others and vetted evaluation tools with stakeholder groups
and national experts
• Currently identifying and compiling a list of learning
resources to support the competencies
• Piloting DSP Competencies
What is a competency based
program?
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Setting standard of support
How our staff should be performing everyday
Not just a training or evaluation program
Skill based competency program
Objectives are measurable through defined tasks
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Competencies
• Aligned with the mission, vision, and goals of
our system. Based on Strategic Framework.
• Encompasses 7 Goal Areas
• Includes a Code of Ethics
• Leads to improved quality of life for people
with developmental disabilities.
Competency Structure
• Goal Statement
• Competency Areas
• Skill Statements
• Tasks
Structure of Competencies
Goal
Competency Area
Goal 1. Putting People First Competency Area A:
Skill
Skill 1:
Supporting a person’s
Demonstrates
unique capacities,
respect for all
personality and potential others
Time Frame
Task
Core: 0-3 Months
a. Communicates directly with individuals
b. Begins to use person-first language when
communicating about the individual
c. Uses body language and eye contact to
show attention to others comments
d. Monitors own tone of voice and volume when
providing instruction and direction to individuals
e. Assists individuals to dress and groom in a
way that demonstrates his/her self-respect and
dignity to others in the community
Core: 3-12 Months
a. Consistently uses person-first language
when communicating about the individual
b. Develops a respectful and genuine
relationship with the individual that is
demonstrated through tone of voice,
interpersonal interactions, and content of
conversations
Skill 2:
Core: 0-3 Months
Demonstrates
support for
individual choicemaking in order to Core: 3-12 Months
enhance
confidence and
assertiveness
a. Supports choices made by the individual
while taking into account health and safety
concerns
b. Demonstrates the use of positive feedback
a. Recognizes and supports choices made by
the individual while taking into account health
and safety concerns
b. Provides positive feedback and
encouragement to the person supported as the
person assumes his/her leadership role in
choice-making
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c. Assists individuals in sorting through choices
Goal 1: Putting People First
• Supporting a person’s unique capacities,
personality and potential
• Getting to know the person through
assessment and discovery
• Advocacy
• Facilitating personal growth and development
• Facilitation of services
Goal 2: Building and Maintaining
Positive Relationships
• Building and maintaining positive relationships
• Meaningful communication
Goal 3: Demonstrating
Professionalism
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Professional relationships
Professional behavior
Diversity and inclusion
Documentation
Education, training and self-development
Organizational participation
Ethics
Goal 4: Supporting Good Health
• Promoting positive behavior and supports
• Supporting health and wellness
• Recognizing, preventing and reporting abuse
Goal 5: Supporting Safety
• Safety first
• Supporting crisis prevention, intervention and
resolution
• Ensures safety of individuals during
environmental emergencies
Goal 6: Having a Home
• Supporting people to live in the home of their
choice
Goal 7: Being Active and
Productive in Society
• Active participation in the community
• Employment, educational and career goal
attainment
Code of Ethics
• The DSP Workgroup recommended and the
Steering Committee adopted, the NADSP Code
of Ethics for DSP’s in the NYS DD System.
• The NADSP Code of Ethics has been added to
the Core Competencies document.
• Implementation of the Code will be integrated
into the plan for the competencies as well.
How do DSPs learn skills?
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OJT
Teaching and Modeling
Observation and Feedback
Coaching/Repetition/Feedback
Learning Resources (Webpage)
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Accountability
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Evaluation
Provide Feedback
Develop learning plan
Review 3 Evaluation Tools
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Evaluation Tools
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Initial (3 Month)
Annual
Individual, Family, or Other Advocate
Tools can also be used for Self-Evaluation
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Structure of Evaluation Tools
Goal
Competency Area
Does
Exceeds Meets
Not
Not Meet
Skill
Skill
Applicable
Skill
Standard Standard
N/A
Standard
Goal 1. Putting Competency Area B:
People First
Getting to know the
person through
assessment/discovery
Skill
Skill 1: Evaluates the ways in which past, and
current events, and environmental factors,
affect the way the person acts/reacts to
others.
Examples of tasks which
demonstrate the skill
a. Reviews files and relevant information.
b. Meets with the individual and their circle
of support to learn more about the person
c. Recognizes that challenging behavior can
be a form of communication and responds
to it appropriately.
Skill 2: Using a holistic approach participates a. Implements goals as written to achieve
in the individual’s life planning activities and desired outcomes.
b. Has access to and can interpret and
assists in their implementation.
question the plans.
c. Is able to respectfully contribute, within
the team setting, to the identification of
desired plans for an individual.
Skill 3: Encourages and supports problemsolving and coping skills.
a. Talks about problems/concerns with the
individual to gain understanding of his/her
point of view.
b. Helps the person better cope with their
problem by providing emotional support.
Skill 4: Is informed about formal and informal a. Can demonstrate the use of informal
assessment techniques used on a daily
assessment, and can conduct informal
assessments in a variety of settings, to gain basis in each setting in which he/she works
with individuals (home, work, travel,
information about the individual and his/her
neighborhood, etc.), such as observation,
response to the environment.
active listening, etc.
Skill 5: Practices self-direction of services as a. Can describe the concept of selfdetermination and how it applies to the
the main method for supporting serviceperson receiving support
related decision-making
Comments (Optional):
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Implementation of Competencies
• Workgroup and Steering Committee pilots
– Agencies
– Processes and feedback
• Present at Provider Association and Agency
Conferences
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NYSACRA Regional Activities
Mid Hudson Coalition
NYSRA
Others
• Recommendations
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Align Performance
Management Systems
• DSP Performance will be measured by their
ability to demonstrate the new competencies
• Supervisory training and resources are being
identified/developed to support supervisors’
ability to evaluate skills using the new tools
Develop Outcome Measures
• DSP Workgroup has met with OPWDD Strategic
Planning and Performance Measurement staff
• Outcome measures encompassing both the
technical skills and the value-based skills in the
new competencies will be applied to determine
the effect on the desired outcomes
DSP Competencies Overview
Talking Points
• Introduction- Need for Change
1. Improve Quality of Supports Delivered
2. Focus attention on the person served & achievement of desired
outcomes
3. Standardize Training Topics
4. Improve Professionalism
5. Support for Current Employees
6. Improve Portability of Skills & Decrease Re-training Costs
7. Why a Code of Ethics?
8. What are the new components?
9. Will this cause a need for additional training and more work?
10.Do we already do this?
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Workgroup Early Lessons Learned
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Involve human resources and leadership early
Identify DSP job titles
Identify stakeholders
Crosswalk competencies with current training to
identify gaps
• Consider hiring Individuals with Developmental
Disabilities to help with training
• Feedback indicates that supervisory staff really like
the tool so get them to use it
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Workgroup Early Lessons Learned
(Cont)
• Know your agency and system
• Just do it
• Combine forms and evaluation tools…don’t want 2
separate evaluation forms
• Identify champion in agency to be positive leader
• Review overview document (talking points)
• Supervisor preparation is essential
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Next Steps for DSP Competencies
• Identify supervisory training and resources to
support the use of the new tools
• Create an online learning resource library
• Expand pilot to other agencies
Next Steps for DSP Competencies (Cont)
• Begin regional roll out of the new
competencies and supporting tools
• Consortium members are making themselves
available to share information on the
competencies at association meetings and/or
professional conferences
Regional Implementation Plan
• Sept 2012 – DSP Workgroup agencies continue implementation
• Sept/Oct 2012 – Steering Committee agencies begin organizational
readiness activities
• Nov 2012 - Jan 2013 – Workgroup members meet with OPWDD DDRO
Regional Directors and Voluntary Provider Regional Representatives to
begin planning rollout of competencies. Regional Directors meet with
stakeholders and plan for regional implementation. Regions finalize plans
and start implementation.
• Nov 2012 - Jan 2013 – Workgroup members meet with OPWDD DDSOO
Regional Directors to begin planning stateside rollout of competencies.
Regional Directors meet with stakeholders and plan for regional
implementation. Regions finalize plans and start implementation.
• Nov 2012 – Steering Committee agencies begin implementation
• Nov/Dec 2012 – Develop person centered outcome measures
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Regional Implementation Plan
(Cont)
• Nov/Dec 2012 – Workgroup completes any final edits based on feedback
• Dec 2012 – Launch of website. Competencies, Tools, Learning Resources,
and other web based supporting materials will be made available
• Jan 2013 – Announcement to field
• Jan 2013 – Steering Committee meeting
• March 2013 – Regional agencies begin organizational readiness activities
• April 2013 – Workgroup provides Steering Committee update on progress
• April 2013 – Regional agencies and OPWDD begin implementation
• May 2014 – Complete implementation
• May 2014 – Ongoing – Assessment
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Organizational Readiness
1. Form Implementation Team including ambassador from
workgroup
2. Educate leadership team
3. Assess current performance evaluation system
4. Crosswalk current staff development resources with
competencies
5. Identify skills that will be developed on the job through
mentoring and coaching
6. Identify gaps
7. Research and identify necessary learning resources
8. Educate and prepare supervisors
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Next Project for the Consortium
• Develop Supervisory Competencies
• Assemble a diverse team to adopt supervisory
competencies for the NYS Developmental
Disabilities System.
Communication/Feedback Plan
• DSP Competency Website will provide information
about program
• Email account being set up for questions and
comments
– DSPCompetencies@opwdd.ny.gov
• Workgroup members will serve as ambassadors to
regions
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Table Talk
• With the people at your table, discuss the following
points:
 What are the benefits to having established core competencies
that you can see?
 Consider how you currently learn the skills you use daily. Can you
think of other ways and resources to develop the new skills
represented in the core competencies?
 Based on the goal statements and competency areas, in what skill
areas might you personally need to build your skills?
 Do you know of any good resources we should encourage trainers
to use to develop these skills in new DSPs?
Thank you!
Questions and Answers
Additional feedback, questions, and/or concerns can be sent to:
Perry Samowitz at PSamowitz@yai.org
Jeremiah Coleman at Jeremiah.Coleman@opwdd.ny.gov