Frontline Initiative: DSPs Respond to COVID-19

DSPs respond to COVID-19

Direct support professionals (DSPs) have endured so much since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We dedicated this issue to hearing your stories and linking to resources because we know that COVID-19 has impacted so much of your day-to-day work. In this issue, you will read about DSP, Nevil Genjang who became ill with COVID and how it still affects him and his family. The issue includes stories from DSPs who saw COVID infect their co-workers and the people they support. Some recovered and some did not. It is very difficult to lose people whom you work with closely. It takes its toll on you. Helping the people you support process death while processing it yourself adds to the difficulty of being a DSP. Please look at the end-of-life resources linked to the article by Dr. Roger Stancliffe from the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. These were designed to support people with IDD and their DSPs to plan for and process end-of-life decisions. In another article, DSP Melissa Salazar shares the ways that she practices self-care. Her advice is, “I have to take care of my needs so that I can provide the best support for the people I work with.”

Clear, concise information

There is a lot of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. To provide clear, concise information for DSPs, we interviewed public health experts in our state who have worked with DSPs throughout the pandemic. Dr. Ruth Lynfield and Tammy Hale from the Minnesota Department of Health tell how to keep yourself, your family, and the people you support safe from COVID-19. They encourage DSPs to get vaccinated if you have not already. Vaccination works like a suit of armor to protect you and the people you support from COVID-19. Many of you have also shared your experiences in the three COVID-19 surveys that were fielded through the NADSP and ICI/UMN over the last year. Thank you for participating in these surveys; they help decision-makers understand what our field needs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This issue of Frontline Initiative summarizes some key results, as well as recommendations that have been shared with policymakers. In this issue, we also share articles by David Ervin and Dr. Seth Keller. Both are from organizations who emphasized clear information and support for DSPs in their critical decision-making roles.

Vaccinations

In 2021, vaccinations became available to all adults, youth, and children over age five in the U.S. Given that people with IDD are often at higher risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19, many people with IDD, their families, and DSPs breathed a sigh of relief when vaccines became available. Many lined up to receive a vaccine, while others were or still are hesitant. This issue includes many stories about the importance of this moment for people who receive supports. Self-advocates, families, and employers needed to decide where they stand on vaccinating DSPs.You can learn about their journeys and experiences. Self-advocates Katrina Simons, Mikayla Hoskins, B.J. Stasio, Bryan Dooley, and James Meadours emphasize how vaccination protects them and others from COVID-19. They share how DSPs’ safe practices  at work and home affect their health. Family members Maggie Scocozza and Gail Wright also share how COVID-19 has significantly impacted their lives and the lives of their children who receive supports. Watch the public service announcement videos at the end of this issue, where DSPs and people who receive supports tell what vaccination has meant for them. There are many stories. If a story resonates with you, we encourage you to share it with others.

Kiley Brennan with her service dog.

Thanks to our guest editor, Kiley Brennan

Due to support from DirectCourse, in this and future issues of Frontline Initiative, we will seek editorial support from a DSP guest editor. This is a stipend position to provide insight, expertise, and support for the issue. We benefitted from our guest editor, Kiley Brennan’s expertise in the current issue. Kiley is a direct support professional at Shangrila in Aumsville, Oregon. Thanks a million, Kiley, for sharing your experiences and editorial support in this issue. You've helped us stay fresh and relevant! 

We have said it many times before and will say it again: DSPs are the backbone of supports for people with IDD. Your tenacity, commitment, and love of humanity has shined brighter during this pandemic. This issue highlights the essential work that you do and the critical decisions you make as you provide supports. We hope this issue inspires high-quality direct support, and shows the importance of your decision-making, such as your use of personal protective equipment and vaccinations in your work. While we often feel like we work alone as DSPs, the pandemic highlights how direct support depends on others. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. If you are not yet vaccinated, we hope this issue of Frontline Initiative will influence you to do so.