DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA (DSPAM) SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS

DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA (DSPAM) SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS
The DSPAM is an organization of individuals whose purpose is to improve the quality of human services provided to persons with disabilities by strengthening the direct support professional workforce.
DSPAM’s areas of interest include but are not limited to:
 
reducing staff turnover rates,
increasing the social status of Direct Support Professionals,
improving training opportunities and programs,
increasing educational and career opportunities, and
enhancing wages and benefits paid to Direct Support Professionals.
 
DSPAM is a volunteer driven organization. It is affiliated with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. The Board of Directors has operating and oversight responsibility of the organization. It meets approximately eight times per year. Board members are expected to join and be active in at least one committee or workgroup. See attached job description for further duties of Board members.
 
The Board is currently seeking applications or nominations to join it. Interested individuals must be or become members of DSPAM. Membership categories are:
Direct Support Professional (including frontline supervisors);
Associate includes self-advocates and family members.
Other Professional includes professionals who work in disability related fields.
 
To apply or nominate someone send a brief biography, along with a statement of interest to Bridget Siljander, bridgetsiljander@yahoo.com .
Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota (DSPAM)
Board Member Job Description
The DSPAM is an organization of individuals whose purpose is to improve the quality of human services provided to persons with disabilities by strengthening the direct support professional workforce. DSPAM’s areas of interest include but are not limited to:
· reducing staff turnover rates
· increasing the social status of Direct Support Professionals,
· improving training opportunities and programs,
· increasing educational and career opportunities, and
· enhancing wages and benefits paid to Direct Support Professionals.
Duties of the Board of Directors
The management of the corporation is delegated to the Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for ensuring that the corporation is operating within the legal standards governing nonprofit corporations in the general areas of finance, programming and oversight.
Duties of Individual Board Members
1. Become a member of DSPAM.
2. Attend Board meetings regularly. Review board meeting materials in advance. Become familiar with issues. Ask questions. Request additional information as necessary.
3. Inform the Chair if unable to attend a Board meeting.
4. Actively serve on Board committees, task forces or special projects based on individual strengths and areas of interest.
5. Approve annual budget and work plan, policies and positions of the organization.
6. Participate in DSPAM long range planning activities.
7. Act as resource to the Board chair on individual areas of expertise.
8. When the organization has adopted positions or policies convey these when representing the organization, even when they may differ from individual opinions.
9. Assist in raising awareness of DSPAM by participating in presentations or special events.
10. Assist in raising funds. Financially support the organization based on individual ability.
11. Assist in recruiting Board and Committee members.

Annual meeting and elections scheduled for Friday, December 20, 3:00-5:00. At Arc MN – conference room.

DSPAM Annual meeting and elections are scheduled for Friday, December 20, 3:00-5:00. At the Arc MN – conference room at 800 Transfer Road, Suite 7A, St. Paul, Minnesota 55114 For more information and to RSVP, email bridgetsiljander@yahoo.com or call 612-272-0281. We are accepting board member applications. Hope to see you there!

Day at the Capitol – A Day to Advocate for DSPs and the Disability Community

The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota is cohosting a Day at the Capitol with the Arc of MN and other disability organizations on Thursday, April 25. Please register by Monday, April 22. For more information, click here…

Rally on 4/11 Canceled Due to Weather

Our rally at the Minnesota State Capitol on 4/11 has been canceled due to weather. A spring blizzard! Can you believe it? We will keep you posted about a possible reschedule. Sorry for any inconvenience and be safe. 

DSPAM Testimony in the Minnesota House of Representatives

Bridget Siljander

Testimony on 4/10/13

Chair:  Rep. Huntley

Omnibus HHS Finance Bill

Good morning, Mr. Chair and Committee Members.  Thank you for the privilege to offer my testimony on the Omnibus Health and Human Services Finance Bill.   My name is Bridget Siljander.  I have been a Personal Care Attendant, PCA, since 1997, and am the president of the Direct Support Professional Association of MN (DSPAM).

DSPAM seeks to improve the quality of human services provided to persons with disabilities and older persons by strengthening the direct support professional workforce.

I am the face and voice of one of 120,000 direct support professionals, which includes PCAs, in Minnesota.  You probably won’t see many of our faces or hear many of our voices because we are a marginalized and underrepresented workforce. I am one of the very few empowered PCAs.  So, just because you don’t currently hear much from our labor population, doesn’t mean that ALL of the proposed cuts to PCA Services won’t be devastating to PCAs and the Minnesotans who rely on their low-cost services to age in place and participate with dignity in community life. 

Cuts to PCA Services will undercut the sustainability of the PCA workforce, which is an unacceptable and short-sighted way to balance the budget and address concerns about the program.  DSPAM members believe that the PCA program can’t afford cuts and PCAs can’t afford reductions to wages.

We oppose cutting reimbursement rates, which trickles down to wage cuts. We must protect the integrity of the PCA Program, which will become the Community First Services and Supports (or CFSS). We must protect workers, that is, PCAs. We must protect Minnesota families, especially our most vulnerable, who are impacted by disability and aging. Our people are our priority.

DSPAM supports the changes to the PCA Program, in the development of the Community First Services and Supports (or CFSS). We urge decision makers to provide training to families and PCAs, so they know how to use CFSS. We recommend making sure that there is peer mentoring available to PCAs and families.  

During the 2013 session, DSPAM urges you to:

Take specific steps to protect the interests of over 120,000 direct support professionals serving Minnesota citizens and families. Specifically, we urge you to do the following:

Support a Cost of Living Allocation, or COLA, for providers of support services to people with disabilities. The only time most DSPs get raises is when the legislature authorizes a rate increase for their employers. The current economic crisis impacts DSPs tremendously. For those of us with little or no discretionary income, the only places we can cut are food, child care, housing, and transportation. We have no cushion!

Eliminate the projected 1.67% cut to the already drastically reduced reimbursement rate for DSPs. We need to increase the hourly reimbursement rate for DSPs, not reduce it. Consumers are forced to work with DSPs who are under-qualified and unprofessional in order to get their needs met, while those who are qualified and passionate about providing services are forced to pursue careers that will supply a living wage.

Support the addition of on-site training hours for DSPs. Currently, when a consumer is receiving PCA services, their DSPs are not allowed to have any overlap in hours even if they are brand-new and going through training. By not allowing a new DSP to learn from an experienced DSP and watch them provide cares to their consumer, the consumer and the DSP are both placed at a disadvantage.

Oppose any proposals to cut rates for programs serving people with disabilities. Many of these agencies do not have the ability to absorb further cuts. Imposing cuts will likely result in layoffs of direct support professionals and a diminished quality of life for people who have disabilities. Some agencies may not survive additional budget cuts, thus affecting the community-based infrastructure that is so important to people with disabilities.

Oppose efforts to limit access to community-based services for people with disabilities. People with disabilities already sit on waiting lists for years for many types of critical support services. Families who have children with disabilities need these services now to stay together. Adults with disabilities need these services now to live, work, and play in their local communities.

Support efforts to make health insurance affordable and accessible to direct support professionals. Lack of health insurance causes dedicated people to leave the field out of necessity to care for their family and personal health needs.

Thank you for the privilege of offering my testimony.

Day at the Capitol – Join DSPAM! And, Wear RED!

THURSDAY, APRIL 11, is Statewide Disability Advocacy Day.
Noon-1 p.m. rally in Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda

RSVP: Call MCIL at 651-646-8342 by April 8.

Wear RED! And encourage others to do the same.

This is your opportunity to meet with senators and representatives about your concerns as a person with a disability or an ally/advocate. It is more important than ever you be there to advocate for yourself and people with disabilities.

Please make accommodation requests during registration. ASL and CART services will be provided.

CO-SPONSORS:

Metropolitan Center for Independent Living,

Minnesota State Council on Disability,

Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living Inc.,

Independent Lifestyles, Inc,

Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota and

Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council.

MEET YOUR LEGISLATORS To find out who your senator or representative is, click here…

Let them know which district you live in. They are more receptive to making appointments with their constituents.

Make a 10-min appointment on April 11 with your legislators by March 20. Say you want to talk about services for people with disabilities.

Be ready to tell how you use these services and how they allow you to live independently in the community.

Bring a letter to Gov. Dayton about how these services impact your life. We will deliver these to his office.

2013 Legislative Letter – Direct Support Professional Association of MN

March 2013

Dear Senator or Representative,

The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota (DSPAM) is a professional association representing the interests of people employed to provide direct care and support services to individuals with disabilities and seniors. Our members primarily work in residential programs, day training programs, employment support services, plus personal care assistance positions. DSPAM seeks to improve the quality of human services provided to persons receiving disability services by strengthening the direct support professional workforce.

In 2008, DSPAM surveyed the needs, interests, and overall working conditions for direct support professionals in Minnesota. Our results remain relevant today. Our key findings are listed below:

• Direct support professionals (DSPs) are not making living wages. The majority of DSPs are dissatisfied with their wages and list it as the most important issue facing their families. Fact: Only 14% of DSPs make more than $14 per hour; the remaining 86% make below $14.

• DSPs report that they cannot afford insurance coverage, even if it is offered by their employers. Low wages influence a DSP’s ability to purchase health insurance coverage. Fact: 65% of DSPs are uninsured.

• DSPs report they feel respected by their clients and coworkers. However, many report they do not feel respected by their communities or employers. There is an overall lack of respect for our profession. Fact: DSPs enable people with disabilities to live and work in community settings rather than more expensive institutional environments.

We are happy to share the full report with you upon request. Our findings paint a very clear picture of how difficult working as a DSP can be. For many, this is a career with significant limitations: low wages; expensive insurance; lack of respect; difficulty connecting with others in the field; and lack of incentives to pursue educational opportunities. These challenges create an uninviting environment for our profession during a time in which our services are urgently needed.

Mission:

DSPAM is dedicated to the development of a highly competent and professional human services workforce by supporting and working together with Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), self-advocates, families, and allies.

800 Transfer Road, Suite 7A

St. Paul, MN 55114

E-mail: bridgetsiljander@yahoo.com

Phone:  612-272-0281

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Over the last several legislative sessions, the services provided by direct support professionals have been subjected to numerous devastating cuts. These cuts impact us and our families, not to mention those we serve and their families. For example, the funding for personal care assistance (PCA) services has been whittled away. This program keeps people independent in our communities. These cuts are an unacceptable solution to balancing our state’s budget.

We urge you to take specific steps during the 2013 session to protect the interests of over 120,000 direct support professionals serving Minnesota citizens and families. Specifically, we urge you to do the following:

• Support a Cost of Living Allocation for providers of support services to people with disabilities. The only time most DSPs get raises is when the legislature authorizes a rate increase for their employers. The current economic crisis impacts DSPs tremendously. For those of us with little or no discretionary income, the only places we can cut are food, child care, housing, and transportation. We have no cushion!  
• Eliminate the projected 1.67% cut to the already drastically reduced reimbursement rate for DSPs.  We need to increase the hourly reimbursement rate for DSPs, not reduce it.  Consumers are forced to work with DSPs who are under-qualified and unprofessional in order to get their needs met, while those who are qualified and passionate about providing services are forced to pursue careers that will supply a living wage.
• Support the addition of on-site training hours for DSPs.  Currently, when a consumer is receiving PCA services, their DSPs are not allowed to have any overlap in hours even if they are brand-new and going through training.  By not allowing a new DSP to learn from an experienced DSP and watch them provide cares to their consumer, the consumer and the DSP are both placed at a disadvantage. 
• Oppose any proposals to cut rates for programs serving people with disabilities. Many of these agencies do not have the ability to absorb further cuts. Imposing cuts will likely result in layoffs of direct support professionals and a diminished quality of life for people who have disabilities. Some agencies may not survive additional budget cuts, thus affecting the community-based infrastructure that is so important to people with disabilities.
• Oppose efforts to limit access to community-based services for people with disabilities. People with disabilities already sit on waiting lists for years for many types of critical support services. Families who have children with disabilities need these services now to stay together. Adults with disabilities need these services now to live, work, and play in their local communities.
• Support efforts to make health insurance affordable and accessible to direct support professionals. Lack of health insurance causes dedicated people to leave the field out of necessity to care for their family and personal health needs.

Please contact the Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota whenever there is an opportunity for our members to offer testimony at the Capitol or if you have any questions about the issues facing us, our families, and those we support.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

Bridget Siljander, Chair

Jennifer Walton, Vice-Chair

Open DSP Position!

Direct Support Professional

Looking for a part-time Direct Support Staff for an upbeat and active woman living in West St. Paul.   She is open to working with people of any age as long as they are at least 18.  She will need some physical assistance but there is not any heavy lifting.  The person hired will assist with dressing, grooming, grocery shopping, running errands, cooking, cleaning, and some assistance with body care.  Twice a week she goes to pool therapy and needs help with getting in and out of her swimwear, getting in and out of the pool using a wheelchair and help with getting redressed after swimming.  Applicants who like WII are encouraged to apply!  She would like someone to play WII with as a form of Physical Therapy. 

Area: St. Paul, MN near the Lafayette Bridge

Shifts:  Mon-Sat 7:30 am – 9:30am.  There are also evening hours twice a week for 3 hours.  Evening hours are flexible.  It’s possible for this position to be divided by two people – please indicate when applying what hours you can work.

Qualifications: The right person for this position must be upbeat, reliable, and understanding.  Must be 18 years of age and pass a criminal background check.  All ages above 18 are encouraged to apply. 

Salary:  Starting wage is $9.50 an hour with the possibility of more based on resent experience. 

Contact:  send your resume and letter of interest to Kat Gordon @ catherineg@mcil-mn.org   

The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living is the agency the couple is working with to utilize PCA services.

PCA 20% Cuts Ruled Unconstitutional

PCA 20% Cuts Ruled Unconstitutional.  Download and Read the Judges Ruling for further information.

PCA 20% Cutbacks Ruled Unconstitutional

The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota Recognized Seven Direct Support Professionals with Awards

The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota Recognized Seven Direct Support Professionals with Awards.