Frontline Initiative: DSPs Using the NADSP Code of Ethics

Promoting Physical and Emotional Well-Being

As a DSP, I will commit to promote the emotional, physical, and personal well-being of the people I support. I will encourage growth and recognize the autonomy of those receiving support while being attentive and energetic in reducing the risk of harm.

Furthermore, as a DSP, I will:

• Develop a respectful relationship with the people I support that is based on mutual trust and maintains professional boundaries.
• Understand and respect the values of the people I support and facilitate their expression of choices related to those values.
• Assist the people I support to prevent illness, avoid unnecessary risk, and understand their options and possible consequences that relate to their physical health, safety, and emotional well-being.
• Partner with each person and their support network to identify areas of risk and create safeguards specific to these concerns.
• Challenge other support team members, such as doctors, nurses, therapists, coworkers, and family members, to recognize and support the rights of people to make informed decisions even when these decisions involve personal risk.
• Be vigilant in identifying and reporting any situation in which the people I support are at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or harm.
• Address challenging behaviors proactively and respectfully. If aversive or deprivation intervention techniques are included in an approved support plan, I will work diligently to find alternatives and pursue the elimination of these techniques from the person's plan.

View and download the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals Code of Ethics

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