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The College of Direct Support
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Each course has 3-7 lessons. Lessons in a course can be assigned individually. A highly skilled DSP will gain an understanding of the spectrum of issues facing DSPs across settings and thus will benefit from completing all lessons. However, is recommended that lessons be selected and prioritized based on learner needs and the needs of the person being supported. Some lessons may not be a high priority for some staff. For example, Employment Supports is a low priority for someone supporting young children. An overview of all courses and lessons can be found at www.collegeofdirectsupport.com.
The College of Frontline Supervision is also available to all eligible Kansans.
What courses are included in the College of Frontline Supervision (CFS)?The College of Frontline Supervision is a computer-based multimedia, training program designed to provide essential training for people who supervise DSPs. The content of these courses is similar to the workshops previously presented in Kansas under the title of Removing the Revolving Door.
The College of Frontline Supervision has 4 courses.
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How much time does it take a learner to complete each course or lesson?
Each course is approximately 6 hours long. A course contains several lessons. Lessons can be assigned individually. The number of lessons varies across courses. Lessons have been estimated to require between 45 minutes and 90 minutes. The length of time to complete each lesson varies with the learner. Some learners take notes. Some are fast learners. Some courses provide links to other resources. The learner who chooses to explore these links will spend more time on the course than the learner who moves through at a rapid pace.
A learner can stop at any point in a lesson and resume at that point at a later time. Thus if other responsibilities demand the learner’s attention, there is no time lost or need to redo previous learning.
Why use CDS and CFS?
High quality, training for people in direct support roles is crucial to the professional development of DSPs and to the well-being of the individuals supported by DSPs. The CDS provides carefully designed training in the areas identified as most important in the work of DSPs. The CDS is available over the internet, accessible anytime and anywhere that multi-media and internet-ready computers are available. Whenever and wherever they participate, learners receive the same consistent, high quality training that has undergone rigorous review by nationally recognized content and training experts. It reflects best practices and has been designed to engage adult learners.
CDS/CFS allow learners to access materials on their schedule. It is not necessary to wait for a sufficient number of learners to be available to schedule a class. Learning can occur any time day or night, avoiding the challenges of rearranging schedules and paying overtime for staff coverage. When accessed from remote locations, considerable savings can occur through a reduction in travel.
This training enables DSPS to improve the quality of services they provide and to identify themselves as professionals. Kansas supervisors report growth in DSPs who completed CDS lessons.
Organizations throughout the United States have identified benefits they have seen through CDS. Partner Profiles, Evaluation Briefs and Other Evaluation reports are available in the Publications section at http://www.collegeofdirectsupport.com and Resources.
Individual Support Systems, Inc. has used CDS successfully since 2003.Individual Support Systems, Inc. began using the College of Direct Support (CDS) in 2003 with funding through the Kansas Mobilizing for Change Project. CDS has been used continuously since that time. Nearly all of the 125 direct support professional staff (DSPs) at ISS have taken CDS lessons. It is used for newly hired staff in orientation, to provide regular training on topics related to specific work duties, and for seasoned staff in both a certification and an apprenticeship program.
ISS focuses on the needs of the workforce as well as the needs of the individuals served, believing that when workers feel valued, their performance is high and reflected in quality of lives of the individuals served. CDS builds direct support professionals. Staff see CDS as a professional designed program that does not speak down to them. It allows DSPs to get quality professional training. It adapts to the needs of staff by addressing their different learning styles, allows staff to complete lessons at their own pace and provides flexibility in choosing lessons that match staff work assignments ISS director, Kathy Stiffler, reports that one reason she especially likes CDS is that lessons bring ethics to forefront. This is especially important for staff working in community sites without direct supervision.
ISS has seen a substantial reduction is staff turnover with a 2006 rate of 12.8% (down from 41% in 2002). It is difficult to conclusively attribute the entire reduction in turnover to the agency-wide use of CDS, however it should be noted that a major change was the addition of CDS. ISS does not provide wage and benefit packages that are greater than other Topeka service providers. The population served by ISS, is not the easiest to serve, providing services to more people funded by individualized rates than any other service provider in Kansas.
Small providers have seen the benefits.
“It is a thorough program and covers important information that care
givers need. We are a small business and provide support in a residential setting.
This provides an opportunity for staff to be trained thoroughly by our agency
as well as a large agency trains their staff.”
The CDS courses are also a valuable resource for families, self-advocates, professionals, board members and others interested in developmental disabilities. Foster parents are using CDS to meet their training requirements and a parent of a child with disabilities is using CDS to learn about the options her young daughter will have in the future. It can help all individuals become aware of best practices.
Who can access CDS and CFLS?
SRS purchased CDS for all people who support any individual receiving developmental disability services funded by SRS. The access thus extends to families, DSPs, teachers, respite workers, etc. Basically any person who provides support to a Kansan receiving support from SRS developmental disability services is eligible to access CDS without cost. The local administrator can determine eligibility and enroll learners in the CDS. The administrator may consider selected CDS lessons for professionals, board members, and office/support staff as well as DSPs. Shared understanding of the concepts can build a corporate culture supporting the individual.
Kansans must use the Kansas website to have their records maintained in the CDS data base. If you have previewed lessons on the CDS marketing website, test scores will not be maintained.
How does a service provider or individual enroll learners in CDS?
Kansas has elected to have one state administrator. This allows providers to access CDS without cost although it does limit access to some functions. In the experience of the Kansans Mobilizing for Change Project, the central administration provided cost savings without limiting access to the most important functions of the curricula.
Kathy Olson of the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities will serve as administrator. If you would like to maintain a direct access to CDS you can establish a contract with MC Strategies. This contract will provide you direct access for technical assistance, allow you to supplement the material with agency-specific materials, and enable you to take full advantage of the many learner management resources.
Service Providers: Each organization electing to work with the state administrator should designate one or more local administrators. This person will be trained on how to enroll individuals, assign lessons, monitor progress, and run organization reports. Contact Kathy Olson (or 620-421-6550 ex 1771) to schedule an appointment for training.
Individuals: The local administrator can enroll interested family members and other support staff. If there is no local administrator available to you, contact Kathy Olson to enroll.
What computers, software, and internet connections are needed for CDS and CFLS?
A learner can log in at any inter net location equipped with a suitable computer. The ID and Password are assigned to each individual by the local administrator can be entered at any site. Computers at dispersed work sites, home, the public library, or elsewhere can be used.
Some of the features of CDS do not work well on Macs. PCs are recommended. Without a high-speed connection the lessons may be very slow and lose the learner’s attention. Because the lessons have narration, headphones or a location where the noise will not disturb others is recommended. The narration can be displayed in a text format but most learners prefer to listen to the narration.
The minimum requirements for equipment and software needed to use The College of Direct Support and The College of Frontline Supervision include:
What do local administrators do?
The local administrator maintains control of training at the agency level. This person is often the training coordinator. The Local administrator must schedule a 60-90 minute phone training session to learn how to use the administrative functions of CDS.
Before beginning CDS the local administrator should:
After completing training the administrator should:
What is the role of the local training coordinator?
Both CDS and CFS are great resources to replace textbook, videos, and lecture. They reflect best practices. The interactive multimedia approach can capture the learner’s interest. Each lesson has a test. Test scores are available to the learner and administrator.
The training coordinator may or may not be the administrator. If the training coordinator is not the administrator, the coordinator should:
Review lessons
The content of courses was developed and reviewed by national experts.
It reflects best practices. (There may be parallel best practices
in your organization.) We do recommend that the trainer and/or administration
review lessons to become familiar with the content and see how these
materials fit with local agency policies and practices.
Content may replace or supplement existing training. CDS may need to be supplemented with some local information. The trainer may choose to focus on certain lessons and postpone use of others.
Review the CDS material to see how this compliments or reflects current practices. Some lessons have forms or protocols that may differ from across organizations. To assure that the best training is provided and confusion is avoided, discuss/review any differences in local practices.
Register learners and assign lessons
The local administrator/training coordinator should prioritize and
assign lessons based on learner needs. When needed, the administrator/training
coordinator should familiarize the learner with basic computer usage
and the process of on-line training.
Provide support and follow-up
Each lesson can be completed independently. However, to maximize these
on-line courses, discussion with peers, supervisors, and training
coordinators will reinforce the concepts and help the learner apply
the concepts into daily practice.
An important role is to provide follow-up. Support the learner by answering questions, leading discussion groups, and applying the concepts to the work situation. There are many ways to do this. Some suggestions for on the job training (OJT) and Portfolio assignments are provided for each lesson. The training coordinator can decide whether or not to assign these.
Can a learner/administrator get documentation that training was completed?
The learner can print out an individual report and certificates of completion from their personal page. Each local administrator can print out reports for individuals from their organization. The state administrator can access all information.
Are CEUs or college credits available for completing courses?
Currently the University of Minnesota offers some CEUs. There is an additional cost for this enrollment. We are currently exploring the possibility in Kansas. Individuals interested in Kansas credit should contact kolson@ku.edu. If there is sufficient interest we will pursue this option.
We hope to build CDS into existing degree programs in the future. The challenge is to assure that any courses taken build toward a useful/recognized degree. In other words, incorporating CDS into a career ladder for DSPs who choose to pursue advanced education is essential. It is our hope that CDS will be a part of relevant degree programs in the future. At the current time CDS courses are not core courses for any Kansas college degree.
CDS is part of the Ad Astra Credential in Kansas. CDS courses can be used for national DSP certification (http://www.nadsp.org/credentialing/).
What is Ad Astra? How does this relate to a nationally recognized credential?
Education for the DSP should lead to a career not just a series of courses. Ad Astra is a registered apprenticeship program with the Department of Labor. Ad Astra candidates complete related instruction (most of this is CDS), complete hours of mentored on-the-job experience, and complete a portfolio showcasing their work.
We hope that this voluntary credential will be come a standard of excellence across the state over time.
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals is developing a national credential (http://www.nadsp.org/credentialing/) which, in many respects, is similar to Ad Astra. Persons who complete Ad Astra meet the education and training requirements for the national credential.
CDS can also be used separately as a training component for the national credential. Ad Astra is more intensive than the national program and requires that salary increases accompany progress through Ad Astra.
In the Ad Astra experience it is important to build the program by starting with a small cohort. Is this apprenticeship worth it? Individuals enrolled in Ad Astra are blossoming and increased knowledge, skill, and confidence really are making a difference in the lives of the people they support. For information related to the experience of service providers who have used Ad Astra, contact Kathy Stiffler, Gary Merklein or Bonnie Duden. For additional information on Ad Astra contact Kathy Olson.
Are there any suggestions for implementing CDS?
Some of the biggest challenges in implementing CDS relate to finding equipment and space for training, establishing policies for on-line training, and determining how to compensate staff for training. Kansas service providers who have faced these challenges, have shared how they addressed these issues. Each organization is different, but here are some suggestions for your consideration.
Arrowhead
We scheduled informational meetings for staff to review what CDS is
and to sign people up for training times. Initailly we go through
one lesson with each person so they understand how to go through
the lessons. We are offering 7 modules initially and one elective. We
started with: DSP, Individual Rights and Choices, Maltreatment,
Introduction to DD, Positive Behavior Supports, Community Inclusion,
Person Centered Planning, plus one of the any remaining for the elective.
After completing a module a person will get a $25 gift card to Walmart. They
would have the potential of getting $200 in gift cards. After
completing all 8 modules they are given a 50 cent/hr raise. We
are all using the same modules, incentives and pay raises at all
divisions.
COF Training Services
Our plan to date is to get at least 3 or more persons from each department
both here in Ottawa and at our Burlington and Osage City locations
enrolled in CDS. We have dedicated two computers (one
in Ottawa and one in Burlington workshops) for use by the students. Each
person that enrolls is expected to put in 2 hours per week to finish
the courses. We have selected 3 classes for everyone to enroll
in they are; Direct Support Professionalism, Introduction to Developmental
Disabilities and Teaching People with Developmental Disabilities. These
will cover 17 class periods and we expect about 20 hours of work
to finish them. Each student works on the clock and either
comes to the workshop or works on the computer at the residence where
they work. Each student is cautioned to allow at least one
hour per class (without interuptions).
Futures
Initially I enrolled two staff members enrolled. One is an administrator
with years of experience in direct support. Her participation is
designed to help her select assignments for her staff. The other
student is our IT person who has no direct care experience. We’re
hoping that her participation will tell us how new staff with little
experience will do. We plan to make assignments to others after that.
Individual Support Systems Inc.
College of Direct Supports is paired with our Orientation Training
for new employees once a month. Our training is a week long. We currently
do classroom training and Computer training (College of Direct Supports).
Our curriculum is as follows:
Monday: 9am-12pm Introduction to ISS, overview of training, Review
of Employee Handbook/Position Description, Code of Ethics, Benefit package,
Adult Protective Services(video)/Licensure, Career Opportunities, train how
to access the College of Direct Supports and how to do training (assignments
given out for what needs to be completed during the afternoon). Maltreatment
of Vulnerable Adults, Individual Rights and Community Inclusion (Monday 1pm-5pm).
Tuesday: 9am-12pm Bloodborne Pathogens (video), Documentation, Role
of a Guardian, Case Manager and Program Coordinator. We talk about the computer
training , how it went, what they learned if there were any questions. Assigned
training for the afternoon 1pm-5pm (Documentation, Person-Centered Planning).
Wednesday: we meet briefly at 9am about the computer training, assignment
given for the day Positive Behavior Supports and Safety at Home.
Thursday: 9:30am-11:30am Medication Training for our agency, 1pm-4:30pm
First-aid & CPR.
Friday: Meet briefly at 9:00amto discuss Computer training, review
of job requirements, work schedules and where employee will be working at.
(Supervisors are introduced to there employees the first day of training).
Computer training assignment is given medication training. Employee has the
rest of the day to complete any computer training they have not finished.
All employees are paid for attending training. I talk with Supervisors about whether or not employee completed training or not. Supervisors get with employee on the date they start working at the home. Supervisors are assigned to do on the job training with employees. Employee has to complete all the training above to start working at the home. We also take out employees through 2 days of Mandt Training from 9am-5pm.
Throughout the time on the Computer I am available to assist the staff if they have questions and or problems. We currently have an area with 4 computers available. We also have if needed other computers if we have more then 4 employees going through training.
We also offer Modules to our employees that may need additional training in different areas. We currently do the CIP training (Certificate of Initial Proficiency) and is offering the CAP (Certificate of Advanced Proficiency) training as well as the Apprenticeship to employees, upon completion we to offer a raise.
KETCH
All new hires are given one year to complete four assigned courses:
Direct Support Professionalism (HIPPA excluded as this is taught
by staff), Introduction to Developmental Disabilities, Teaching People
with Developmental Disabilities, and Community Inclusion. Staff are
required to have courses completed prior to their first annual review.
To encourage staff to complete lessons more quickly, a monthly drawing
is held. Each completed lesson entitles staff to one entry into the
drawing. Training is done on-site in a computer lab equipped
with five computers. Staff are available to provide assistance as
needed.
Lake Mary Center
All participants will be given the opportunity to volunteer for the
training after six (6) months of employment, contingent on a 90 evaluation
which meets standards and no other performance related issues/concerns.
The first six months seems to be the highest turnover period and
this would also provide an opportunity to complete all LMC required
training as well as ample contact time in the environment.
There are currently 15 College of Direct Supports (CDS) courses with 10 additional courses planned. All individuals that complete the training will be able to pick the order in which the modules are taken as long as all sections are completed. Upon satisfactory completion (80% or higher for each course) the employee will print out a certificate of completion to be turned into the Coordinator of the department. To get a good feel for the time required as well as gain a core knowledge base, all supervisors/mentors will be the first participants. Due to the voluntary nature of the training, the employee will complete the entirety on their own time.
After satisfactory completion of the first 5 modules the employee will receive $50 and after completion of the second 5 modules, the employee will receive a $50 bonus. Upon completion if the course, the employee will receive and extra $150 bonus for a total of $250. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, the employee will be distinguished with a DSP II status.
Life Patterns
Life Patterns offers a $25 bonus to any employee who completes 5 courses:
Introduction to Developmental Disabilities, Individual Rights and
Choice, Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults & Children, Community
Inclusion, and Person Centered Planning and Supports.
Sunflower Supports
I started a group of about 12 DSP's. CDS will be part of their overall
training. This will be on ongoing group, at least until we're done
with CDS. I'll assign lesson(s) which we will meet and discuss the
following week. I also plan to implement the Frontline Supervision
soon in the same format.
TARC
TARC conducted a small CDS program in which 5 courses were assigned
to two groups of 3 staff in our Day Services division. Three
hours per week was set aside during the regular work day for these
staff to work on CDS. We had monthly meetings with the participants,
their supervisors and the Day Services Director to discuss the coursework
and how it applied to theirday-to-day work. These meetings
were very helpful in keeping everyone focused and they resulted in
some very positive discussions. We had computers available,
but finding a quiet place for staff to work on CDS was our biggest
challenge. Reaction from the DSPs who were able to participate
was extremely positive.
These reports are in PDF format. The fill will open in a new window. To return to this page, close the new window. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here
| February 2007 | March 2007 | April 2007 |
| May 2007 | June 2007 | July 2007 |
| August, 2007 | September 2007 |
What if I have problems with CDS?
Staff should first check with the local administrator to identify problems with access that may be site-specific.
Once equipment malfunction and poor internet connections are ruled out, call Kathy Olson or Kelly Perry during regular workdays. They may not be available 24/7, however, in our experience there are very, very few problems with CDS after enrollment. We will help you solve your problem or if it is something we don’t understand we will work with you to contact MC Strategies for assistance.
If you see the need for revision in some lessons contact Kathy Olson. Your concerns will be shared with developers.
