“Pathfinder Village helps people find their
way in life to independence, success, and
maturity — all the things you want for your family.”
Marian Mullet | Founder of Pathfinder Village
Eight staff achieve DSP 2.0 credential
Edmeston, New York, May 31, 2023 ... Pathfinder Village announced the graduation of eight staff through its Direct Support Professional 2.0 program last week. This training program aligns with direct care and human service competencies using a multi-tiered approach to build employees’ skills, provide one-on-one mentoring, and offer theme-based classroom sessions.
The newest DSP 2.0 graduates are Mackenzie Bigford, Brittany Harty, Koral Hoag, Chelsea Keach, Katie Kujawski, Angela Lund, Danielle Sheldon, and Gregory Winton. The newly credentialed DSP 2.0s work primarily in Pathfinder’s residential homes but also provide vital supports to people with intellectual disabilities as they participate in community-based services and activities, receive medical services, and pursue pre-vocational/employment activities and personal interests.
“This group of Direct Support Professionals dedicated the last nine months to completing a robust professional development program,” said Pathfinder’s Chief Program Officer Kelly A. Meyers. “I’m inspired by their growth, the confidence each person has gained, and how they’ve all demonstrated care and compassion for individuals they support.”
“The DSP 2.0 training is an incentivized program that offers staff the skills and guidance they need to commit to a career in direct care,” said Program Specialist and staff trainer Michelle Banks. “The requirements of DSPs have increased over the past decades, and the quality of care that frontline staff provides is rooted in mastering direct care responsibilities, being pro-active advocates, and developing trust with the individuals and families they serve. Our DSP 2.0s are more involved in resident programming and deliver improved services.”
Pathfinder Village also offers further advancement opportunities through its DSP 3.0 program. This eight-month course is focused in working with an aging population and offers case management experience and professional mentoring in collaboration with the Village’s Kennedy Willis Center on Down Syndrome and Jefferson Eldercare, Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia.
Village administrators recognize having a trained, knowledgeable Direct Support Professional workforce is critical, as there are growing numbers of aging individuals in the US with cognitive declines and dementia. The development of the DSP 2.0 and 3.0 trainings extends Pathfinder’s decades of work in aging programs and infrastructure supports for people with intellectual disabilities.
Pathfinder Village is an internationally respected livable community and services provider in upstate New York and was founded in 1980 to provide people living with Down syndrome and other disabilities an independent and fulfilling lifestyle. As it works to provide quality supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, the Village also offers highly successful educational, day services, vocational and pre-vocational services, aging and outreach programs. To learn more, visit https://pathfindervillage.org, or visit our social media on Facebook and Instagram.