ODP Announcement 21-033 is to inform all provider agencies employing Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) that the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will be participating in the 2020 NCI® Staff Stability Survey. Since 1997, ODP has partnered with the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to administer the National Core Indicators® (NCI) surveys. These satisfaction surveys have provided ODP with a wealth of data about the strengths and challenges within the service system and helped form its policy initiatives.
In 2014 NASDDDS and HSRI added the Staff Stability survey to enable states to examine workforce challenges, identify areas for further exploration, benchmark statewide workforce data, and over time measure improvements made through policy or programmatic changes. ODP requests assistance implementing a Staff Stability Survey among its provider agencies. This survey includes questions relating to volume, stability, compensation, and benefits of DSPs serving adults 18 years of age and older. The data gathered from this voluntary and anonymous survey will help ODP, along with other policy makers and advocates, to:
- Inform policy and program development regarding DSP workforce (DSPW) improvement initiatives
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of workforce initiatives
- Compare state workforce outcomes with those of other states
- Provide context for consumer and family outcomes
- Create systems that more effectively collect, analyze, and use DSP workforce data
Within the next few weeks, providers will receive an email from HSRI inviting them to participate in this Staff Stability Survey. Those wishing to participate will be furnished with a unique login that will enable providers to directly enter survey responses into the HSRI database. Results of the survey will only be reported in the aggregate and organizations will not be identified in any way.
It is recommended that Human Resources or Payroll Office complete surveys and should reflect DSPs who were on agency payroll during any period between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. The deadline to complete data entry is June 30, 2021.
A copy of the survey is included to allow for preparation of data prior to completing data entry. ODP is excited to be a part of this important project. RCPA strongly encourages providers to participate in order to help ODP make sound policy decisions regarding Pennsylvania’s DSPs.
CONTACT:
Ms. Lee Stephens, ODP IM4Q/NCI Statewide Coordinator
888-565-9435