Inviting DSPs Participating in the Career Path for Focus Groups!

We are holding a series of focus groups for Direct Support Professionals participating in the career path to gather input on the College of Direct Support, portfolio, mentoring, and coordination of the career path. Participant point of view is extremely important to us. If you are a DSP and/or mentor participating in the Career Path/College of Direct Support and from one of the following agencies: Allies, Inc., The Arcs of Atlantic, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Warren Counties, Bancroft, Caring with Compassion, CP of North Jersey, Matheny Medical and Educational Center, Partnerships for People, or UCP of Hudson County we’d like to hear from you.

August 8, 2008
10:30am – 1:00pm
Arc of Middlesex
219 Blackhorse Lane
North Brunswick, NJ 08902


August 18, 2008
10:30am – 1:00pm
Matheny Medical & Educational Center
65 Highland Ave.
Peapack, NJ 07977


August 19, 2008
10:30am – 1:00pm
Hammonton Library
451 S. Egg Harbor Rd.
Hammonton, NJ 08037

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Registration is limited to those DSPs participating in the career path. Please register to attend one of the 3 focus groups being held throughout the state. A stipend of $75 will be provided for those DSPs attending the focus groups “off-the-clock” (i.e. not being paid by their employer to attend).

Mail or fax the form to:

Beth Ong
The Boggs Center/UMDNJ
P.O. Box 2688
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-2688
Phone: 732-235-9327
Fax: 732-235-9330
Email: elizabeth.ong@umdnj.edu



Please complete the registration form. Please select the date you will attend and indicate whether you are requesting a stipend. The Boggs Center will send you a confirmation letter and directions two weeks before the focus group.

Enhancement to the College of Direct Support

Please see below the message from Carol Britton on recent CDS developments:

Hello All:

I received notice today that the College of Direct Support is making some improvements in it's functionality.
Next week on the 16th of June 2008, you and your learners will see a different look when you open a CDS lesson through the addition of a content player.
The new content player will enable you and your learners to view References such as the Skills Standards, Resources, and the Glossary at the top of every lesson page, provide a larger 'Annotation' button that is easier to find and see, provide a button to view a brief description of the lesson, and allow the CDS content staff to introduce a greater variety of interactive exercises to enhance the learning experience.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the new player.
Thanks,
Carol

Carol M. Britton, MSWTraining & Consultation SpecialistThe Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental DisabilitiesUMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolDepartment of PediatricsPhone: 732-235-9321Fax: 732-235-9330Web: http://rwjms.umdnj.edu/boggscenter email: carol.britton@umdnj.edu

ABCD attends DSW Symposium...

In May, ABCD participated in the 2008 Direct Service Workforce (DSW) Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland. This year's Symposium on Strengthening the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver (HSBS) Workforce was given by the DSW Resource Center of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and was geared towards better meeting the needs of people with disabilities in the community by strengthening the members of the Direct Service workforce that serve them, better known as DSPs (Direct Support Professionals).

The Symposium included panel discussions led by DSPs, the people they serve, and other professionals in the field on disability. The Symposium also included workshops for attendees on various health and human services issues as they relate to the DSP Workforce, including housing, wages, compensation and benefits, etc. To read more about the Symposium, and access the vast collection of presentation materials, visit the DSW Resource Center's conference link by clicking here.

New Jersey DSP Career Path Pilot Program Moves into Second Year!

Beginning July 1, 2008, the Career Path Pilot Program for DSPs will move into its second year as a federally-funded project aimed at strengthening the Direct Support workforce in New Jersey. ABCD is proud to continue its support of the program and of its agencies that are currently participating. For more information about strengthening the Direct Support workforce in New Jersey, visit the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center and ABCD's "For DSPs" webpage.

Also, stay tuned for more details about the Direct Support Professionals Conference taking place on September 25, 2008.