The Problem:
North Carolina faces a serious shortage of trained Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Low wages, limited training opportunities, and a lack of career pathways make it difficult to recruit and retain workers. Without enough qualified DSPs, people with I/DD may experience gaps in services and long waits for needed supports.
Action:
The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) led several strategies to strengthen the DSP workforce. The Council worked with state leaders to advance recommendations it developed to expand the DSP pipeline, improve training, increase wages, and strengthen the professional role of DSPs. NCCDD also organized a major legislative session attended by more than 300 participants and 20 legislators. The event focused on the DSP workforce shortage and the state’s waiting list for services and received significant media attention.
Results:
North Carolina launched a pilot training program for DSPs through community colleges to help prepare more workers for the field. The state also created a Caregiver Council to implement workforce recommendations originally advanced by NCCDD. In addition, the state awarded $3 million in grants to help recruit and retain DSPs, benefiting more than 140 provider agencies. A statewide DSP rate study is also underway, modeled on a study previously conducted by NCCDD.
Unique Role of the Council:
NCCDD helped drive this progress by developing the key recommendations that shaped the state’s workforce strategies and by bringing policymakers, providers, and advocates together to move solutions forward.