Impact Feature Issue on Direct Support Workforce Development

Resources from Around the Country

  • The Right People for the Job (2002). A publication for agencies and individuals with disabilities offering straightforward information on how to recruit, assess, and select direct care workers for home and community-based care. Published by the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute and MEDSTAT.
  • The ToolBox. A Web site providing a variety of  tools for Direct Support Professionals and their supervisors, including information about the bookThe New Supervisor: Strategies for Supporting and Managing Frontline Staff  by Linda LaPointe.
  • Responding to the Challenge of a Changing Workforce (2002). A journal article discussing recruitment strategies for use with non-traditional groups such as Baby-Boomers, Generation Xers, and racial and ethnic minorities. Authored by Dennis Doverspike, Marianne Taylor, Kenneth Shultz, and Patrick McKay and published in the journalPublic Personnel Management, 2000, 29(4).
  • American Society for Training and Development. Through its Web site and other resources ASTD provides extensive information for training and staff development professionals in a variety of fields. Resources include its publication Infoline, a single-topic how-to reference that addresses training questions. Among the many topics in Infoline are team-building, successful orientation programs, and identifying core competencies for job success.