Connections: Discussing the staffing crisis for direct support professionals

Leaders from organizations that provide services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities say they are dealing with a staffing crisis. Direct support professionals provide assistance to people disabilities, helping them live and work in their communities. Leaders say there was a staffing shortage prior to the pandemic due to inadequate funding, and now the issue has reached a crisis point. This hour, we discuss the role of direct support professionals, the state of staffing for their field, and the impact the shortage has on people with disabilities. Our guests: Marisa Geitner, president and CEO of Heritage Christian Services/DDAWNY Patricia Dimento, direct support professional with People, Inc. Angelica Perez-Delgado, CEO of Ibero-American Action League Kevin Scott, former direct support professional and now staff member at Ibero-American Action League Rebekah Meyer, project administrator at RMAPI This story is reported from WXXI’s Inclusion Desk .