Written by Dan Hermreck, Director of Certification and Accreditation

It’s been a little over a year and a half since the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) launched the E-Badge Academy. We now have 51 badges that represent various skills and accomplishments in direct support which can be stacked into three levels of national certification for direct support professionals.  DSPs from participating organizations across the country have been submitting examples of their work, which are being evaluated by trained NADSP reviewers. As they earn individual badges, DSPs are also making progress toward a national DSP certification.

The E-Badge Academy is based on some of the core beliefs of NADSP. That quality is best measured at the point of interaction, and that quality direct support requires …