Pathfinder thanks DSPs during National Recognition Week

Edmeston, New York, September 10, 2022 ... Pathfinder Village will join other human service agencies in celebrating National Direct Support Recognition Week from September 11-17. DSP Week is an annual opportunity to honor direct care staff who work with seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities, and recognize the many ways they help individuals lead fuller, more-independent lives.

“At Pathfinder Village, our Direct Support Professionals serve as teachers and role models for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. They help them be more independent at home and in the community,” said Lisa Roper, a team leader for Pathfinder Village’s Residential Program. “Through daily involvement, Direct Support Professionals build trust and form close bonds with individuals and their families.”

“It takes a special person to become a DSP, whether it is in a residential or day program,” added Ms. Roper. “A successful DSP must have knowledge of best practices, agency and state guidelines, and has to be committed to helping each person be successful in daily living. DSPs are there to provide guidance and care as needed, help celebrate life’s highlights, and show compassion.”

“This week is another opportunity to recognize the commitment that DSPs at Pathfinder Village demonstrate throughout the year,” said Chief Program Officer Kelly Meyers. “DSPs are our greatest asset, providing individualized support and guidance to the individuals we serve as well as to one another. DSPs wear so many hats, there is always a way to contribute. I believe the variety of responsibilities and settings, as well as the support and training we provide are all reasons DSPs choose Pathfinder. One thing is certain, DSPs sustain our Village.”

During DSP Week, Pathfinder administrators will show appreciation through gift cards, pizza lunches, and other gestures. Over the past two years, the agency has provided gas cards, bonuses, and enhanced pay rates to recognize the importance of DSPs to the Village’s service to residents, students and day program participants.

The Village also offers advancement opportunities for front-line staff through its two-tiered credentialling programs for DSP 2.0s and DSP 3.0s. These training programs are centered in classroom instruction, independent case studies, online courses, and professional mentoring in collaboration with the Village’s Kennedy Willis Center on Down Syndrome and Jefferson Eldercare, Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia.

Village administrators recognize having a trained, knowledgeable Direct Support Professional workforce is critical, as there are growing numbers of aging individuals in the US with cognitive declines and dementia. The development of the DSP 2.0 and 3.0 trainings extends Pathfinder’s decades of work in aging programs and infrastructure supports for people with intellectual disabilities.

Pathfinder Village is an internationally respected open-access community and services provider in upstate New York and was founded in 1980 to provide people with Down syndrome and other disabilities an independent and fulfilling lifestyle. As it works to provide quality supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, the Village also offers highly successful educational, day services, pre-vocational and outreach programs.  To learn more, visit http://pathfindervillage.org, or visit our social media on Facebook and Instagram.