Tag: DirectSupport

Nominations for 2012 Moving Mountains Awards Being Accepted Until Nov. 30th

Nominations are now being accepted for the prestigious 2012 Moving Mountains Awards that recognize and honor organizations using best practices in direct support staff workforce development.

The deadline for nominations is November 30, 2011.

These annual awards are sponsored by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and the Research and Training Center (RTC) at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, which authors the Elsevier/College of Direct Support (CDS) curriculum.

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Partner Profile: OHI in Maine CEO Says, “CDS Curriculum Revolutionized Training”

The partnership between OHI in Maine and Elsevier/College of Direct Support (CDS) began in March 2010. Bonnie-Jean Brooks, the founder and CEO of this 33-year-old agency says, “CDS completely changed the culture and approach to training its 260 Direct Support Professionals that support approximately 600 people.”

“There is no question that CDS has revolutionized training at OHI. It has also caused us to better understand learning styles and, as a result, we have made some changes in our hiring process,” Brooks explained. “We have learned that the world requires people in our field to be ‘wired’ — to be able to use technology. Some people are not, sadly. Since the inception of CDS in our life we have gone on to do other technology-based training and our staff has been and is extremely receptive to it – no doubt because of CDS breaking the barrier for us!”

Brooks authored this Partner Profile that tells the success story of OHI and the College of Direct Support curriculum. Click HERE to read the Partner Profile.

NEW Film for Thought Course Breaking Shells: Art and Steve

The University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center of Community Living, authors of the College Of Direct Support curriculum and Elsevier are pleased to announce the release of a new Film for Thought course, Breaking Shells: Art and Steve. This course is now available for Learning Administrators to incorporate into the learner’s lesson plan by creating a module and assigning to learners.

Film for Thought: Breaking the Shells: Art and Steve

This Film for Thought course, “Breaking the Shells”, is a documentary of two men who are self-advocates. The men call themselves “The Messengers.” This is because they teach others about personal rights. The Messengers explain how they became leaders in their own person-centered planning process. These two men have gained control in their lives by using this process. They share their message so that others can develop the same skills to plan for their lives. The Messengers believe that this process supports individual choice and freedom. They understand that direct support professionals play an important role in achieving this vision. You will join The Messengers as they spread their message to stakeholders.

Suggested Pre-requisite Courses in the CDS Curriculum

• Civil Rights and Advocacy
• Community Inclusion
• Direct Support Professionalism
• Individual Rights and Choice
• Introduction to Developmental Disabilities
• Person-Centered Planning
• Working with Families and Support Networks

The Admin Corner

Elsevier Performance Manager: Featuring Content

Elsevier Performance Manager: Core Development is an online education and performance management solution that offers administrators, such as you, tools needed to better manage, develop and communicate with your staff. Administrators, use Elsevier Performance Manager daily to perform tasks such as adding learners, viewing learner transcripts, assigning training, and reviewing reports.

Over the next several months, the Admin Corner will feature a specific training tool within Elsevier Performance Manager geared to increase your productivity. This issue of the Admin Corner features Content.

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The DSP Chronicles 2011 ANCOR DSP of the Year: Gina Bartlow “Learn What Makes Us the Same”

Written by Tom King

Her powerful words quickly convey why Gina Bartlow is the 2011 ANCOR Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the Year.

“I am an ordinary person doing an important job.”

“The DSP job description always seems to include something like ‘and other necessary duties not otherwise listed’ because there is no way one can capture all of the responsibilities and challenges that may present themselves in a single day.”
“So why do I love it so? The change that I see happening in someone’s life is intoxicating. To know that I have contributed in such a profound way makes it all worth it.”
” Learn what makes us the same.”

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