Healthcare Apprenticeships for Direct Support Staff

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Healthcare Apprenticeships for Direct Support
Staff

• Jules Isenberg-Wedel
• Residential Opportunities, Inc.

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Residential Opportunities, Inc.

• Non-Profit Agency Serving Over 200 Individuals
  With Disabilities
• Residential Group Homes, Supported Living, Home
  Health, and Respite Services
• Over 300 Direct Support Professional Staff

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Typical Site Staffing Hierarchy
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Direct Support Professional (DSP)

• Entry-Level Position
• Provides Primary Care and Support Services to
  Individuals Served
• Variety and Length of Required Training Similar
  to CENA
• DSP Position Not Certified or Credentialed by
  State

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Direct Support Professional Training

• CPR
• First Aid
• Medications
• Health
• Drivers Safety
• Environmental Emergencies
• Cultural Diversity
• Limited English Proficiency
• Working with People

• Residential Service Delivery
• Recipient Rights
• Resident Rights
• Nutrition
• Behavior Management and Intervention
• Bloodborne Pathogens
• Back Injury Prevention
• HIPAA
• Agency Mission, Vision, Values, Ethics

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Why Apprenticeship?

• Standardize and Improve Quality of Care
• Good Fit With Program and Training Already In
  Place
• Means of Credentialing Staff
• Increase Staff Retention
• Build Successive Generations

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Work Up Front

• Dedicate Time
• Build Buy In
• Secure Dedicate Resources
• Select/Develop Mentoring Training and Trainers
• Determine Target Programs Staff
• Select Train Mentors

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Model at ROI - A
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Model at ROI - B
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Model at ROI Multiple Phases

• Volunteer Incumbents in Residential Programs
  Subset
• Larger Incumbent Base New Staff in Residential
  Programs
• Expand and Adapt to Other Program Sites
• Long Term Goal Standard Practice Across All
  Programs

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Growing Pains

• Where to Start?
• Getting Everyone on Board
• Building Capacity
• Obtaining Money Budgeting for Cost
• Implementation Strategies
• Monitoring
• Measurement

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Benefits to Individuals Served

• Better Service Overall
• Increased Quality in Care
• Consistency of Service and Quality Between Staff
• Increased Retention Stability and Increased
  Relationship Building

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Benefits to DSPs

• Increased Supervision and Individualized Support
• Training Structure
• Monetary Incentive
• Career Ladder
• Portable Credential

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Benefits to Agency Overall

• Quality of Service Provided
• Consistency in Staff Supervision
• Marketability of Credentialed Staff
• Retention
• Successive Generation of Capable and Committed
  Staff
• Partnership with Other Healthcare Agencies