About Us
The Direct Service (DS) Coalition
The DS Coalition is a group of direct service workers, other professionals, service providers, persons with disabilities, and family members who are working collaboratively to enhance the Direct Support workforce.
Definition of a Direct Support Worker (DSW):
A DSW is a person who assists an individual with a disability to lead a self-directed life, contribute to the community, and encourages attitudes and behaviors that enhance community inclusion. A DSW may provide supports to a person with a disability at home, work, school, church, and other community places.
Workforce Issues:
Coalition members have identified the following as challenges to enhancement of the Louisiana DSW workforce:
Low Wages. A statewide survey, conducted by the Human Development Center, of over 60 disability service providers representing over 4,000 DSWs indicates:
The average entry-level wage for DSWs in Louisiana is $5.56/hr.
47% of agencies reported that they highest hourly wage paid any DSW was under $6.95/hr.
Also indicated by the statewide survey, at these wages:
DSWs cannot afford to obtain health benefits, -7.6% of DSWs buy into health benefit programs available from their employer.
DSWs must work at more than one job to make ends meet- 38% of DSWs work 2 or more jobs.
Additionally, these wages make it difficult:
(a) for providers to recruit high-quality workers, (b) for providers to retain high-quality workers, and (c) to convince post secondary schools to develop education programs for students to enter the field.
Limited public awareness.
Typically the public learns about examples of abuse or neglect by DSWs from the media. Seldom does the media share stories that portray a DSP as a compassionate, dedicated, and competent individual. As a result, the community often does not value the work performed by DSWs, nor are DSWs viewed as professionals. Also of importance is the lack of recognition DSWs receive for the work they perform.
Lack of comprehensive training and credentialing.
SW training and competence are key elements in the provision of quality services to Louisianans with disabilities. While the importance of this training is well recognized, providers in Louisiana face many challenges in delivering high quality training. These include: (a) the limited availability of high quality training opportunities, (b) the lack of identification of core DSW competencies, and (c) the identification of training strategies that are effective in training DSWs.
Fragmentation of local and statewide efforts.
Several statewide and local initiatives are attempting to address the challenges to enhancement of the DSW workforce. All of these initiatives are needed. However, individual initiative resources are limited and past efforts have been fragmented. Successful statewide enhancement of the DSW workforce can only happen through increased cooperation, collaboration, and communication among initiatives.
The DS Coalition has formed workgroups around these challenges. If you would like to participate in the meetings please contact Sharon Delvisco at sdelvi@lsuhsc.edu.