I read something today that stayed with me:
“People sometimes imagine ‘community inclusion’ as a big concept written into a strategic plan. It is, but it’s also small. It’s Tuesday afternoon routines. It’s the direct support professional who knows which grocery store entrance is easiest for someone. It’s the same face showing up every morning, so a person feels safe and grounded. When we lose too many direct support professionals, the whole idea of inclusion becomes unsustainable. Families feel the pressure first. Providers feel it next. Eventually, the community notices too, though sometimes only after something bad happens.” — Joseph M. Macbeth
This reflection captures the reality we see every day. Community inclusion isn’t abstract — it’s built through small, consistent moments created by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). They are the frontline of support, and their work is demanding, skilled, and deeply human. DSPs complete Level 1 Medication Aide certification, CPR/First Aid, de‑escalation training, and more than 16 hours of annual re‑validation. Yet despite these expectations, their wages have not kept pace with the cost of living, and they remain vulnerable to shifts in public benefits like SNAP and Medicaid.
When a DSP leaves for a better‑paying job, the people they support lose a trusted relationship and the daily structure that helps them feel safe and connected. This disruption makes inclusion, stability, and independence significantly harder to maintain. DSPs do work the public rarely sees — and work we as an agency don’t always spotlight — but they are the reason people can live happy, content, constructive, healthy, and meaningful lives. The job is hard, every single day, yet most DSPs understand the profound impact they make. That kind of purpose is difficult to find in any other field.
At SCDDB, we are committed to providing a fair wage and a comprehensive benefits package. Even in the face of drastic 33% State budget cuts, we are not willing to compromise the ability of our DSPs to make a living. Their work is too important — to the people we serve, to their families, and to our community.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has contacted their legislators in recent days. Progress appears to be happening, but we cannot ease up. We must continue advocating for full funding of services for people with developmental disabilities. Keep sharing. Keep speaking up. Keep caring.
In service of our shared community,
LaDella Thomas
Executive Director, SCDDB
417‑496‑5739
LThomas@stoneddboard.com
Shared from: The NLCDD Bulletin • Issue 17 • January 2026, Joseph M. Macbeth, “A Workforce Under Pressure: How Shifts in Public Benefits Disrupt DSPs and the People They Support.”