Changing Lives . . .

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Better support for Ohioans with intellectual and
other developmental disabilitiesPromising
career paths for those who support them in
their own communities

• Changing Lives . . .

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Our Goal

• Improve the quality of life for individuals
  with intellectual disabilities . . . and help
  them achieve self-directed lives.
• Improve the knowledge and skills of Direct
  Support Professionals . . . and create promising
  career paths for them.

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Research and experience confirm

• There is a direct link between a stable
  workforce that is able to provide skilled
  support and the quality of lifefor people with
  intellectual disabilities.

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Ohio lacks a stable and sufficient pool of
Direct Support Professionals

• High rates of turnover and vacancies
• Low compensation
• Lower Direct Support Professional wages in
  private organizations than in state agencies
• Limited career pathways and opportunities

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John Martin Director Ohio Department of MR/DD

• Addressing the challenge ofrecruiting and
  retaining direct support professionals has to be
  a priority. A shortage of well-trained, highly
  skilled support workers is one of the most
  significant barriers to improving the quality of
  life for individuals with mental retardation or
  other developmental disabilities.

TESTIMONIAL
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• Thats what PATHSis all about
• Voluntary credentialing program
• Created by the Ohio Alliance of Direct Support
  Professionals (OADSP)
• Funded by the Ohio Department of MR/DD and the
  Ohio DD Council

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Our mission ...

• Create a competency-basedand
  industry-recognized,credentialed career pathfor
  Direct SupportProfessionals (DSPs)

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Our core principles

• All Ohioans with disabilities should have
  access to high-quality, community-based
  supportsthat are provided by skilled
  professionals who are committed to their
  physical, social and emotional well-being and
  personal security.

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Many benefit from PATHS services

• Individuals with intellectual disabilities and
  their familieshave better-trained Direct
  Support Professionals (DSPs)
• DSPs are better prepared to help people develop
  the skillsthey need for self-directed lives
• Providers who employ DSPs can deliver better
  services and those they serve will be more
  satisfied with the support they receive

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Ohios demand for DSPs is growing

• The demand for Direct Support Professionals
  (DSPs) has grown by 42 during the last decade
  as baby boomers have matured
• Turnover rates are high, especially in the first
  90 days of employment
• Recruiting, interviewing and training cost
  3,000 for each DSP

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But PATHS improves the situation

• Reduces staff turnover
• Gives Direct Support Professionals better
  trainingand career advancement
• Adds a new dimension of professionalism to the
  industry
• Strengthens partnerships with persons with
  intellectual disabilities and their families

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Jenny Crowe CAP Graduate Self-Advocate, Cincinnat
i, Ohio

• The PATHS program
• has given me a greater understanding of how
  people with disabilities can benefit from caring
  support services and how I can
• help others who have
• disabilities like mine.

TESTIMONIAL
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PATHS Its all about quality by design

• Teaches more than just task performance
• Recognizes that Direct Support Professionals
  (DSPs) must be prepared to help people develop
  skills needed to lead self-directed lives
• Instills in participants respect for themselves
  and their fellow DSPs and builds an
  appreciation for the professionalism of their
  DSP position

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PATHS courses

• Certificate of Initial Proficiency (CIP)
• Certificate of Advanced Proficiency (CAP)
• Certificates of Specialized Skill and Knowledge

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Certificate of Initial Proficiency (CIP)

• 60 hours of classroom instruction, including
  training in community living skills and
  supports, self-determination, facilitating and
  supporting community inclusion, service
  facilitation, communication, advocacy,
  documentation and personal ethics
• A portfolio is developed to show acquisition of
  essentialskills

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Certificate of Advanced Proficiency (CAP)

• 116 hours of classroom instruction, including
  additional training in community and service
  networking, crisis prevention and intervention,
  education and self development,
  vocational/educational and career support and
  assessment strategies
• A second portfolio is developed to show
  acquisition of essential skills

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Certificate of Specialized Skill and Knowledge

• Includes specializedinstruction to become a
  certified PATHS instructor or to work in
  supervisionor management
• Additional courses are being developed

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Lynda Green Supported Living Manager, Welcome
House, Rocky River, Ohio

• Through PATHS, Ilearned how to take
• everyday situations and
• turn them into learning opportunities.
• I discovered the importance
• of thinking out-of-the-box

TESTIMONIAL
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Kathy Connor Petty Director, Community and
Medicaid Services, Cuyahoga Board of MR/DD

• PATHS graduates gain
• the skills and confidence needed to provide
  quality services to the individuals receiving
  residential support in Cuyahoga County. I hope
  more providers will take advantage of what PATHS
  has to offer.

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Learning is not a walled-in, classroom-centered
experience

• From classroom to workplace
• Competency-based training
• Teaches theory and expands knowledge
• Primary focus is on graduating Direct Support
  Professionals who are fully prepared to put what
  they have learned into practice
• Portfolios document learning
• Skill Mentors broaden the learning experience

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Portfolios

• Provide a measurable documentation of
  candidates skills
• Offer examples of the Direct Support
  Professionals work
• Demonstrate mastery of essential skills
• Portfolios are reviewed by instructors to
  determine whether the candidate is prepared to
  receive a CIP or CAP credential

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Skill mentors

• Ensure that candidatescan transfer
  classroomknowledge to the workplace
• Meet with candidates on a regular basis
• Help candidates set goals, stay on track and
  develop their own ideas and portfolio

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PATHS is nationally validated

• Approved by CommunitySupport Skill Standards
  Project of the U.S. Departmentof Education,
  which fosters national, voluntary skillstandards
  for Direct Support Professionals
• Meets the Code of Ethics of the National
  Alliance for Direct Support Professionals
  (NASDP)

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and PATHS has deep support in Ohio

• Certificate of Initial Proficiency courses are
  approved by the Ohio Department of MR/DD as
  two, 30-hour Day Habilitation seminars
• PATHS is supported by the Ohio Provider
  Resource Association (OPRA) and its 150 members
• PATHS is supported by the Ohio Developmental
  DisabilitiesCouncil

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Maureen Corcoran President of Governmental and
Legislative Affairs, Ohio Provider Resource
Association

• Individuals with
• disabilities have a right
• to receive high-quality
• supports that allow them
• to stay in the community
• and to have self-directed
• lives. Thats what PATHS
• is all about.

TESTIMONIAL
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PATHS across Ohio

• Seven regional councils
• Certified PATHS instructors
• PATHS Training System and Curriculum Kits

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Seven regional councils

• Regional councils recruit participants, train
  skill mentors, grade portfolios and present
  credentials in
• Central Ohio
• Northeast Ohio
• Northwest Ohio
• Mideast Ohio
• Southeast Ohio
• Southwest Ohio
• West Central Ohio

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Certified PATHS instructors

• All PATHS training is conducted by certified
  instructors who have documented expertise and
  extensive field experience.
• All instructors work through the nonprofit
  Ohio Alliance of Direct Support
  Professionals(OADSP).

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PATHS is available in the Training System and
Curriculum Kit

• Skill mentor training manual
• Candidate handbook
• Portfolio handbooks for CIP and CAP
• Community support skills standards manual
• PATHS poster and recruiting brochures
• CD-ROM of all class materials and modules

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The VALUE of a PATHS credential

• A PATHS credentialopens the door to new job
  opportunities and a long-term, fulfilling
  career.
• PATHS graduates consistently demonstrate their
  ability to provide high-quality supports to
  people to help them achieve self-directed lives.

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Tracey Johnson CAP Graduate, Dayton, Ohio

• PATHS was an
• incredible experience.
• I recommend it for people who want to advance
  their careers in this field.

TESTIMONIAL
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Visit our Web site for more information
www.ohiopaths.org

• Changing Lives . . .

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Or contact us at ohiopaths_at_ohiopaths.org
or1.866.862.2322

• Changing Lives . . .