Thirtieth Anniversary Issue on Progress and Priorities in Direct Support
I'm No Expert on You - But You Are
In the world of direct support, we often talk about "person-centered" care as the gold standard. We discuss the workforce crisis as an ongoing battle for recruitment and retention. But if we peel back the layers of these systemic issues, we find a core that is deeply diverse, predominantly women, and largely comprised of people from marginalized communities.
Reflecting on my eight years with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), I’ve realized that providing culturally responsive support isn't just a professional skill but a commitment to seeing the person in front of you for who they truly are.
I usually preface my thoughts by saying I have never been a direct support professional (DSP). I’m never sure if that takes away some of my credibility but my perspective is that of a family member. I am an auntie who saw first-hand how an incident of abuse by a care provider impacted my nephew.
Nicole DamaPoleta
In reflecting for this article, I thought of a moment I will never forget, a moment from my first NADSP conference in St. Louis in 2018. Amidst the flurry and stress of the event, two Black women approached me and asked to take a photo. They told me they wanted the picture because they rarely saw someone who looked like them--a Black woman in a leadership role within this field. Their exact words were, “We don’t see many people who look like us doing what you’re doing.” I still feel the weight of those words.
That moment still makes me emotional. It serves as a stark, daily reminder: representation matters. While the vast majority of our DSP workforce is made up of women of color, the leadership of many organizations often does always not reflect that reality. My "why" is to ensure that people who have been historically marginalized don't just do the work but see themselves as the leaders in the field. During my decade in the field, I will say I have seen change but also, I attend conferences or events where I don’t always see other people who look like me.
Closing the Gaps in Support
I decided to ask a close friend about her experience in our workforce. My friend Latis Vance has been a direct support professional for 18 years. She shared a perspective that perfectly illustrates the current gaps in culturally responsive supports:
"One gap I see is that sometimes staff aren't taught enough about cultural backgrounds, things like food preferences, hair care, religious practices, or communication styles. People make assumptions instead of asking the individual or their family what’s important to them."
My "why" is to ensure that people who have been historically marginalized don't just do the work but see themselves as the leaders in the field.
At NADSP our team talks about how often DSPs are trained to "handle the bad days" or manage crises. But what about the great days? What about supporting someone whose hair texture is different from yours, or whose religious dietary needs require specific knowledge? When a workforce is stretched thin and "investment" is treated as a luxury, these vital cultural details are the first things to be overlooked.
We are currently in a complicated political climate. I hear from colleagues across the country that some agencies are backing down from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work due to federal executive orders.
It is important to remember: Executive orders are not federal laws. While grants and funding may be at risk, the reality of our workforce is not changing. It is only becoming more diverse. Organizations cannot afford to "step back" from cultural responsiveness. Whether you are in New York, where programs through Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) are making strides in language access or anywhere else in the country, the mission remains the same: we must support the workforce we have, not the one we imagine.
The individual receiving services is the only expert on their own life.
I think for the future of our field, we must embrace cultural humility. Unlike "competence," which implies you can eventually become an "expert" on someone else’s culture, cultural humility acknowledges that you are never the expert on another person. The individual receiving services is the only expert on their own life.
To move forward, organizations and folks should reflect on these three strategies:
- Stay Curious: If you don't know how to support someone's specific cultural or religious needs, seek out local community alliances, queer community groups, or even reputable online resources.
- Communication is Key: We cannot have deep discussions about equity if we haven't learned basic communication. Do we know how to navigate tough conversations? How do the people we support want to be communicated with? How do our teams handle or work through feedback?
- Get to Know the Person You’re Working with: As Latis noted, the most effective approach isn't general human resources training. The best approach is taking the time to get to know the person. Connect with them and know you will need to commit to continuing to learn about them.
Direct support professionals are the most resourceful people I know. DSPs are committed to helping people lead the lives they choose. I have no doubt many are already doing this work. You just may be calling it something else. By adopting a philosophy of cultural humility where we admit we will make mistakes but remain lifelong learners, we can build a system where every DSP and every person receiving support feels seen, heard, and respected.
We’ve faced challenges before, and by choosing to recognize and lead with our differences, we will get through this one, too.