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AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: July 28, 2022
To: Direct support professionals (DSPs), service providers, lead agencies and other interested parties
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To share resources for DSPs
Contact: PositiveSupports@state.mn.us

How to ask for help

The work of a direct support professional (DSP) is both rewarding and challenging. It can be common to experience difficulties when providing supports and services to others. DSPs support people on their best and worst days. When a person is having a bad day, they may communicate their emotions by engaging in challenging behaviors. It is OK for DSPs to ask for help if they do not know what to do or if they need assistance.

The following sections provide tips on how to ask for help and ways to work through direct support challenges.

Request assistance as soon as possible

Seeking assistance is normal and strongly encouraged. First, the DSP should connect with their supervisor to:

· Learn about agency policies

· Review the person’s plans of care

· Learn about what support the DSP’s employer can provide.

An option for a next step is to reach out to the case manager or person coordinating supports, who may be able to provide recommendations or bring in an additional service provider that has specialized training. The DSP should let them know how urgent the situation is for the person.

The sooner the DSP expresses their experiences and concerns to their supervisor, the more effective they can be in supporting the person. People who communicate through challenging behaviors have a better chance of being successful if they receive the right supports early on, when problems begin to occur.

Record information

The DSP can follow these general suggestions to support a person who communicates through challenging behaviors.

Understand the person’s communication

Behavior is a form of communication. For example, the person might be communicating that they do not feel they have much control or choice over their life. A person-centered communication chart might help the DSP understand what the person is trying to communicate. For more information and a template, see Helen Sanderson Associates – Communication chart.

Describe specific behavior

The DSP should be very specific about the person’s behavior when asking for assistance. For example, the DSP should try not to describe an emotion or simply state that the person is “not listening.” Instead, the DSP should be more specific by describing what they heard and saw. For example, state something like “the person flips over furniture when asked to come eat dinner.”

Document observations

The DSP should write down observations, such as the time and what happens before, during and after a behavior occurs. It might be helpful to use a tool like a learning log. For information about this tool, see Helen Sanderson Associates – The learning log (video).

Recorded observations can be helpful to professionals who might need to evaluate the situation. If the person receives waiver or personal care assistance (PCA) services, the DSP could reach out to a qualified professional. The qualified professional can recommend bringing in other professionals, such as a positive support services provider (see CBSM – Positive support services). The person’s medical provider might also offer recommendations on specialized evaluations.

Record what is working and what is not working

The DSP should write down what is working and what is not working in the person’s support plan(s). The information the DSP collects can help their supervisor and other professionals understand what is happening. Then, they can work with the person to make changes. For information about this strategy, see Helen Sanderson Associates – Working and not working (video).

Celebrate successes

DSPs should take time for self care. Acknowledge and celebrate successes, even when they are small or slow in progress. It can be easy to fall in the trap of focusing on what is not going well, but DSPs should be sure to give themselves and their team credit when they see improvements in the person’s quality of life and behavior. Acknowledging when teammates do something well can go a long way in building effective teams and positive workplace environments.