Frontline Initiative

Since our last issue, the Alliance has new member organizations and has continued to develop, define its mission, refine its goals, and begin to build strategies for achieving its goals. The Alliance is a formal collaborative among national and other organizations committed to a common mission and the goals – listed below – which were developed by representatives from the Alliance’s member organizations.

Mission 

The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals promotes the development of a highly competent human services work force that supports individuals in achieving their life goals. Goals [in order of priority]

1. Enhance the status of direct support professionals.
2. Provide better access for all direct support professionals to high quality educational experiences (e.g., in-service training, continuing and higher education) and life-long learning that enhances competency.
3. Strengthen the working relationships and partnerships between direct support professionals, self-advocates, other consumer groups, and families.
4. Promote systems reform that provides incentives for educational experiences, increased compensation, and access to career pathways for direct support professionals through the promotion of policy initiatives (e.g., legislation, funding, practices).
5. Support the development and implementation of a national voluntary credentialing process for direct support professionals.