Practice Makes You Perfect?
Practice and Study Makes You Professional!
The Role of Continuing Education for Direct Support Professionals
John Raffaele
EDITOR’S NOTE: Confucius once said, “Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.”
One of the hallmarks of a professional (physicians, lawyers, teachers, engineers, pilots, nurses, accountants) is the commitment to ongoing education. New ideas, new evidence, and new policies can only be practiced if they are learned throughout the professional’s career. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are no different. The field of direct support is not stagnant; new insights, new thinking and new revelations are consistently being introduced. In this article by John Raffaele, the Director of Educational Services at the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals he emphasizes the need, the advantages, and the necessity for DSPs to consistently master their educational goals.
Professional athletes are constantly improving themselves through training and development. Think about the most recognized athlete you know or admire. You can bet that they have spent many, many hours learning, exercising, and training to be the best they can be.
Actors continue their education and learn new methods to act in order to improve their art. Oscar-winning actors, Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and countless other award-winning actors are where they are because they studied.
Musicians have a saying… “practice makes perfect.” When you watch a professional musician perform, they are showing you years they have studied and practiced their craft. Listening to and watching Beyoncé perform is to experience excellence in musicianship and performance. She did not drop out of the sky with this immediate talent. She has worked so hard and is known in the music industry as someone who is always improving her skills and abilities.
What does this have to do with direct support professionals (DSPs)?
What DSPs do each and every day is both meaningful and complex. DSPs support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to live self-determined, fulfilling lives in their communities. This responsibility requires a wide range of skills. They must have empathy, patience, technical knowledge, communication skills, and professionalism along with a commitment to ongoing and continued learning.
Direct support is a field that intersects with social policy, human rights, psychology, health care, and education. Because of this, DSPs must be lifelong learners, always deepening their understanding of best practices and latest research in order to provide the highest quality of support possible.
Continuing education is an ethical obligation. In the same way that doctors, nurses, and teachers continually update their knowledge to remain competent and effective, DSPs must participate in ongoing professional development. While mandatory training on topics like CPR, First Aid, and Fire Safety forms a necessary foundation, it is not enough to sustain excellence in direct support.
DSPs should always try to go further, seeking out new learning opportunities and pursuing deeper understanding. They also should share what they know and learn with their colleagues.
This article explores why continuing education (not just mandated training) is essential in direct support, how it impacts the people supported, and the responsibility of DSPs and their supervisors to create a culture of learning and growth within the profession.
This Is Complex Work
The daily work of a direct support professional involves much more than helping someone complete routine tasks. At its core, it is about supporting people to live self-directed, meaningful lives according to their own choices and values.
DSPs assist individuals with personal care, communication, employment, relationships, recreation, and community inclusion. They must balance these responsibilities while navigating complex systems like health care, social services, education, and government regulations.
DSPs must strive to always be person-centered. Each person supported is unique, with distinct needs, abilities, and preferences. This means there is no single “right” way to provide support. DSPs must be creative problem-solvers, advocates, and educators. They must also have a deep understanding of human development, trauma, mental health, and social inclusion.
These are not skills that can be mastered in an annual training session. The body of knowledge evolves continuously, as new research emerges about autism, intellectual disabilities, assistive technology, and person-centered planning among so much else. Without ongoing education, even the most experienced DSP risks falling behind.
Mandatory Training: The Foundation, Not the Finish Line
Most states or provinces and even federal rules require DSPs to complete a set of mandated trainings to ensure the health and safety of the people with whom they work. These often include CPR, First Aid, Fire Safety, Medication Administration, and Infection Control.
These courses are essential, as they equip DSPs to respond to emergencies and maintain safe environments. However, these trainings are typically standardized and repeated annually. While necessary, they rarely challenge or deepen the DSP’s understanding of the broader profession.
Completing these requirements may satisfy licensing regulations, but it does not automatically enhance a DSP’s ability to promote autonomy or facilitate inclusion.
In fact, one of the challenges in the field is that required training often overshadows opportunities for personal and professional growth. Agencies may focus narrowly on compliance rather than on professional development. The result is a professional workforce that is competent in basic safety but not necessarily confident in addressing complex human and ethical issues.
Compliance is only the beginning. Professionals in all fields go beyond what is required and seek out learning opportunities that expand their capacity to support people in more meaningful and person-centered ways.
The Pursuit of Expanded Knowledge
The most engaged direct support professionals are the folks who never stop learning. They recognize that their work is grounded in relationships, and that understanding another human being is an ongoing process.
To support someone effectively, one must not only know their care needs but also their history, dreams, communication styles, and preferred ways of engaging with the world. This understanding comes from curiosity and a commitment to growth.
Continuing education can take many forms. It may involve attending workshops on trauma-informed care, taking online courses on assistive technology, reading current literature about inclusive employment, or participating in peer learning groups. Each of these experiences adds layers of understanding and strengthens the DSP’s ability to adapt and respond to new challenges.
For example, consider a DSP who supports a person using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. The device itself may be technologically advanced, but it will only be as effective as the DSP’s ability to program, maintain, and interpret it.
Without specific training, the device might go underused, leaving the person isolated or frustrated. However, when a DSP takes the initiative to learn about the technology—through online tutorials, workshops, or collaboration with speech-language pathologists—they empower the person to communicate more fully and participate in daily life. That investment in learning translates directly into improved quality of life.
Veteran DSPs carry with them a wealth of knowledge about the people they support. They often understand their organizational culture deeply. Their firsthand understanding of what has worked and what has not can serve as a rich resource for new staff.
However, this knowledge must be shared with other DSPs and members of the organization. Mentoring and coaching are essential components of continuing education within the workplace. Experienced DSPs have an ethical responsibility to guide their colleagues. This might mean demonstrating effective communication strategies, explaining a person’s history, or modeling how to respond to a behavioral challenge.
When this exchange of knowledge happens regularly, it strengthens the entire team.
The Direct Impact of Continuing Education and Development on People Supported
Perhaps the most important reason for continuing education is its direct impact on the lives of the people supported. When DSPs have the knowledge, skills, values, and best practices of the direct support profession, they are better equipped to promote independence, dignity, and self-determination.
The people they support benefit from improved direct support practices. Research consistently shows that staff competence and retention are directly linked to the quality of support people receive.
A well-trained DSP can recognize subtle health changes and intervene early. They can proactively prevent crises. They can adapt supports to reflect a person’s changing needs. They can also facilitate new opportunities. They can help someone secure employment. They can help someone make friends and build relationships. They can help people pursue hobbies.
All these things can be expanded and improved because DSPs are confident in their skills and understanding through continued education efforts.
The Role of Supervisors and Organizations
While DSPs carry personal responsibility for their professional growth, organizations also have a duty to nurture and support learning. A culture of continuous improvement begins with leadership.
Supervisors and administrators must view training not as a cost but as an investment in human support. Provider agencies can demonstrate their commitment to professionalism by investing in many ways.
Supervisors should ensure DSPs access to online learning platforms and certification programs. Supervisors should provide time and incentives for DSPs to attend workshops and conferences. Organizations should encourage mentorship programs where experienced staff coach new employees.
It is always important for organizations to consider partnering with higher education institutions to create pathways for credentialing and degrees. Supervisors and management should recognize and celebrate DSPs who demonstrate excellence through their learning journeys.
Supervisors, in particular, must be aware of the educational needs of their teams. They can identify skill gaps and recommend relevant training opportunities. For example, if staff struggle with implementing positive behavior supports, the supervisor might arrange for specialized training or consultation.
This proactive approach and role of organizational administration and management not only improve service quality but also boost morale. DSPs feel valued and supported in their professional journey.
Furthermore, organizations that invest in staff development tend to experience lower turnover. DSPs who feel that their growth is supported are more likely to stay, reducing the disruption that high turnover causes for the people supported.
Professionalism and Ethical Responsibility
By engaging in professional development, DSPs uphold the dignity of the individuals they support and the credibility of the field itself. The disability rights movement has long fought for recognition of people with disabilities as equal citizens with rights and choices.
DSPs who pursue ongoing education contribute to this mission by providing high-quality, person-centered supports that honor those rights.
It is worth noting that the perception of DSPs as professionals has grown significantly in recent decades. Credentialing programs and competency frameworks have elevated the field by defining clear standards for knowledge, skills, and ethical conduct.
Continuing education is the mechanism by which those standards are maintained and advanced.
Overcoming Barriers to Continuing Education
Despite its importance, access to continuing education can be challenging. Many DSPs face barriers such as time constraints, limited funding, or lack of organizational support. Low wages can make it difficult to afford courses or attend conferences, especially if they occur outside of work hours.
To address these barriers, agencies must prioritize accessible and affordable learning opportunities. Online training platforms, virtual webinars, and microlearning modules can help make continuing education more attainable.
Partnerships with state agencies or nonprofit organizations can also provide funding for professional development. Moreover, recognizing continuing education as a factor in career advancement can motivate DSPs to participate.
If additional credentials or certifications lead to higher pay, leadership opportunities, or public recognition, more DSPs will be encouraged to pursue them.
Ultimately, our entire field must move toward a culture where learning is not viewed as optional, but as integral to the identity of a professional DSP.
Creating a culture of learning requires intentional effort. It begins with shared values and a respect for knowledge and educational growth. In such a culture, mistakes are seen not as failures but as opportunities for growth.
Staff are encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and seek out new ideas. There are practical strategies for building this culture. There should be opportunities for reflection sessions where staff discuss what they have learned and how it applies to their work.
Organizations can promote or create learning communities or study circles focused on specific topics like communication or ethics. There are organizations that create and facilitate peer recognition programs that highlight employees who demonstrate professional growth.
When organizations embrace learning as a shared value, everyone benefits. The workplace becomes more dynamic and resilient, and the quality of supports rises across the board.
Conclusion
The work of direct support professionals is among the most vital and human-centered professions in our society. DSPs stand alongside people with disabilities, helping them build lives filled with purpose. Such a mission demands not only compassion but also competence and continuous growth.
Mandatory training provides a necessary baseline for safety, but true excellence in direct support requires much more. It requires a commitment to lifelong learning and an openness to new ideas.
It requires a willingness to share knowledge and a dedication to evolving and growing as a professional within the field.
Continuing education ensures that DSPs remain effective, ethical, and empowered professionals. Education is not just an investment in the lives of the people supported; it strengthens the fabric of our communities.
When we invest in the education of direct support professionals, we invest in the dignity, inclusion, and future of all people.
The pursuit of knowledge is not a luxury in direct support; it is a responsibility, a privilege, and a cornerstone of professional integrity.
John Raffaele
John Raffaele is the Director of Educational Services for the NADSP. John is a Master Social Worker and a highly experienced professional adult educator and facilitator.