North Wake News

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced a $3 million investment aimed at recruiting and retaining direct support professionals (DSPs). This initiative is part of the department's Direct Support Professional Workforce Plan, which seeks to aid individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in living independently within their communities.

"Every person in North Carolina should have the support they need to thrive in their communities," stated NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. "We must prioritize and invest in the workforce that is charged with caring for people. Not only to ensure individuals and families have the right care when and where they need it, but also for the long-term well-being of our state."

Over 140 provider agencies and employers will receive grants as part of this investment. These funds are intended to improve DSPs' working conditions through initiatives such as hiring bonuses, retention bonuses, on-the-job training, and child care assistance.

Kelly Crosbie, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services, emphasized the importance of DSPs: "Direct support professionals are essential in helping people with I/DD live and work in the communities of their choosing. These efforts are one part of a multi-faceted plan to create a workforce pipeline and give employers the tools they need to recruit and retain a strong, well-qualified DSP workforce to help as many people with I/DD as possible."

In addition to grants, several pilot programs will launch later this year. These include developing a wage protection program for full-time DSPs, career advancement opportunities, a recruitment multimedia campaign, an HR onboarding system for streamlining employment processes for DSPs, as well as two mentoring programs focusing on peer-to-peer and leadership-to-DSP mentoring.

A second round of incentives focused on recruitment, retention, and training will be available in spring 2025. Previous applicants may reapply if their proposals align with these categories. The NCDHHS Division of Mental Health will soon announce details about this next phase.

These initiatives align with NCDHHS’s Inclusion Connects strategy aimed at providing more choices and access to services for those with I/DD. The department remains committed to making North Carolina more accessible by supporting independent living options for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.