DSPM In D.C.

(Or; "Excuse me, could you tell me where this building is?")

We were doing really well until we got to the top of the stairs. Tracy and DyEllen had survived their first airplane trip, no one had lost their luggage and we had gotten to our stop on the Washington D.C. Metro system like we had been riding it all our lives. Once we stepped off the Metro, it was a whole other matter. I’m usually pretty good with directions and have dubbed myself trip navigator on many occasions in the past; being underground and having several different exits to choose from was making it hard to tell how to get the heck out of L’Enfant Plaza Station. We had been told that the station directly linked to our hotel, all we had to do was pick the right staircase and we’d be in the lobby. I picked the wrong one and we ended up on the street.

We were in Washington D.C. that February afternoon to attend a two-day workshop, held by the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), to create a national code of ethics for direct support staff. To prepare for the workshop, we held a conference in our area for direct support where we discussed what ethical problems were seen in our profession and what would be needed in a code of ethics. Topics ranged from how to handle money to relationships and sexuality. The results of this conference were brought to Washington to share with NADSP.

Unfortunately, for all the information we had received from NADSP and dug up on our own about D.C., I had gotten us lost. We ended up dragging our luggage around behind us on frozen, ice covered sidewalks, switching directions at random, until DyEllen stopped someone and asked for directions. Being a guy, I would have walked around until I was a Doncicle rather than ask for direction.

The next day we went to meet with Missouri Senator Kit Bond, to discuss the ADA legislation passing through the senate at the time. Most important to us was the part of the bill that discussed scholarships for direct support staff. We would like to thank Senator Bond and Legislative Assistant, Dreama Towe for their time and assistance, we really appreciated it.

The rest of the day was spent walking around the capitol mall, touring the White House and going through some of the Smithsonian museums. To say we were tired when we got back to the hotel was like saying Mt. Everest is "kind of a difficult climb." I was too tired to eat... and that’s saying something.

The next day, we got to meet the people we would be working with for the workshop. A variety of people from all aspects of human services attempted to write guidelines to help direct support staff in their day to day job. We were impressed by the dedication of the people we met and their commitment to the direct support workforce.

This was a more difficult project than I had thought. We could have spent two weeks discussing everything we felt needed to be included in the code. For every point that was made, there was an equally insightful counterpoint. It was equal parts exhausting and invigorating.

We were also pleased to meet people from other states, including representatives from New York, New Hampshire, and Minnesota, who are trying to start groups aimed at direct support staff. It was good to get feedback on ideas and hear suggestions from others. We’re hoping those contacts continue and grow stronger for years to come.

At the end of our second day together, there was still work to be done, so we agreed to get together through conference calls and e-mails to finish up. Some of us had flights home to catch, while others found an Irish pub and restaurant I which to have an excellent meal and toast the success of the last two days.

DSPM was proud to be a part of the workshop, which we believe is the first step in a national credential process for direct support. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the groups that helped us make this important trip to Washington. Funding for airfare was secured through NADSP and a donation from the Missouri AAMR was given for the balance of the trip, including lodging and meals.

Results from the two-day workshop will be available soon and we will post the code of ethics on the site as soon as possible.

-Don Carrick