ANCOR Position Statement: National Alliance for Direct Support
Professionals
ANCOR supports the National Alliance for Direct
Support Professionals code of ethics.
National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals Code of Ethics
Direct Supports Professionals (DSP) who support people in their
communities are called upon to make independent judgments on a daily basis that
involve both practical and ethical reasoning. The people who assume the support
role must examine and call upon values and beliefs, as well as creative vision,
to assist them in the complex work they perform.
A primary purpose of the DSP is to assist people who need support
to lead self-directed lives and to participate fully in our communities and
nation. This emphasis on empowerment and participation is critical because the
prejudices of society form powerful barriers that prevent many people with mental
or physical disabilities from enjoying a high quality of life. And, too often,
the very social policies and service systems designed to help can create other
barriers.
Therefore, it must be the mission of the DSP to follow the individual
path suggested by the unique gifts, preferences, and needs of each person they
support, and to walk in partnership with the person, and those who love him
or her, toward a life of opportunity, well-being, freedom, and contribution.
Unfortunately, there have been no set criteria to guide these journeys as there
are for other professional groups (such as doctors, nurses, service coordinators,
and social workers) who have intimate knowledge of and responsibility for another
person's emotional, financial, or physical being. There is no other position
today in which ethical practice and standards are more important than direct
support. DSPs are often asked to serve as gatekeepers between people needing
support and almost every aspect of their lives, including access to community,
personal finances, physical well-being, relationships, employment, and everyday
choices. The whole landscape of a person's life can change with the coming and
going of these critical support people.
As a result of these work duties, DSPs face ethical decisions
on a daily basis and consistently feel the tension between the ideals of the
profession and its practice. There are numerous pressures coming from organizations,
government, social policy, and societal prejudice that can shift focus and allegiance
away from those supported. In order to maintain the promise of partnership and
respect that must exist in a helping relationship, a strong ethical foundation
is critical to help DSPs navigate through the maze of influences that bombard
them.
This issue has lead to the efforts on the part of the National
Alliance for DSPs to identify the kinds of ethical situations that DSPs face
and to develop a set of ethical guidelines. The NADSP convened a national panel
of DSPs, advocates, families, professionals, and researchers who constructed
this code of ethics. Focus groups and surveys regarding the draft language were
conducted throughout the country and were integrated to create the final code.
This Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a straightforward and relevant ethical
guide, shedding some light on the shared path to a self-directed life. It is
intended to guide DSPs in resolving ethical dilemmas they face every day and
to encourage DSPs to achieve the highest ideals of the profession.
The skills and knowledge of community support practice must be
joined with the ethical principles to create the environment needed to fully
support people. To do so effectively, we must all work toward recognizing DSPs
as professionals who have skills, knowledge, and values that constitute a unique
and important profession. There must be a commitment to hiring, developing,
and supporting DSPs who have a healthy sense of their own worth and potential,
and the worth and potential of the people they support, and who can infuse these
beliefs into practice. DSPs themselves must know that it is part of their role
to foster a spirit of cooperation and mutual responsibility with other DSPs
regarding ethical practice.
DSPs, agency leaders, policymakers, and people receiving services
are urged to read the Code and to consider ways that these ethical Statement
can be incorporated into daily practice. The beliefs and attitudes that are
associated with being an effective human service professional are the cornerstones
of this code. This code is not the handbook of the profession, but rather a
roadmap to assist us in staying the course of securing freedom, justice, and
equality for all.
1. Person-Centered Supports
As a DSP my first allegiance is to the person I support; all other activities
and functions I perform flow from this allegiance.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Recognize that each person must direct his or her own life
and support and that the unique social network, circumstances, personality,
preferences, needs and gifts of each person I support must be the primary
for guide the selection, structure, and use of supports for that individual.
Commit to person-centered supports as best practice.
Provide advocacy when the needs of the system override those
of the individual(s) I support, or when individual preferences, needs or gifts
are neglected for other reasons.
Honor the personality, preferences, culture and gifts of people
who cannot speak by seeking other ways of understanding them.
Focus first on the person, and understand that my role in
direct supports will require flexibility, creativity and commitment.
2. Promoting Physical and Emotional Well-Being
As a DSP I am responsible for supporting the emotional, physical, and personal
well-being of the individuals receiving support. I will encourage growth and
recognize the autonomy of the individuals receiving support while being attentive
and energetic in reducing their risk of harm.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Develop a relationship with the people I support that is respectful,
based on mutual trust, and that maintains professional boundaries.
Assist the individuals I support to understand their options
and the possible consequences of these options as they relate to their physical
health and emotional well-being.
Promote and protect the health, safety, and emotional well-being
of an individual by assisting the person in preventing illness and avoiding
unsafe activity. I will work with the individual and his or her support network
to identify areas of risk and to create safeguards specific to these concerns.
" Know and respect the values of the people I support
and facilitate their expression of choices related to those values.
Challenge others, including support team members (e.g. doctors,
nurses, therapists, co-workers, family members) to recognize and support the
rights of individuals to make informed decisions even when these decisions
involve personal risk.
Be vigilant in identifying, discussing with others, and reporting
any situation in which the individuals I support are at risk of abuse, neglect,
exploitation or harm.
Consistently address challenging behaviors proactively, respectfully,
and by avoiding the use of aversive or deprivation intervention techniques.
If these techniques are included in an approved support plan I will work diligently
to find alternatives and will advocate for the eventual elimination of these
techniques from the person's plan.
3. Integrity and Responsibility
As a DSP I will support the mission and vitality of my profession to assist
people in leading self-directed lives and to foster a spirit of partnership
with the people I support, other professionals, and the community.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Be conscious of my own values and how they influence my professional
decisions.
Maintain competency in my profession through learning and
ongoing communication with others.
Assume responsibility and accountability for my decisions
and actions.
" Actively seek advice and guidance on ethical issues from others as
needed when making decisions.
Recognize the importance of modeling valued behaviors to co-workers,
persons receiving support, and the community at-large.
Practice responsible work habits.
4. Confidentiality
As a DSP I will safeguard and respect the confidentiality and privacy of the
people I support.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Seek information directly from those I support regarding their
wishes in how, when and with whom privileged information should be shared.
Seek out a qualified individual who can help me clarify situations
where the correct course of action is not clear.
Recognize that confidentiality agreements with individuals
are subject to state and agency regulations.
Recognize that confidentiality agreements with individuals
should be broken if there is eminent harm to others or to the person I support.
5. Justice, Fairness and Equity
As a DSP I will promote and practice justice, fairness, and equity for the people
I support and the community as a whole. I will affirm the human rights, civil
rights and responsibilities of the people I support.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Help the people I support use the opportunities and the resources
of the community available to everyone.
Help the individuals I support understand and express their
rights and responsibilities.
Understand the guardianship or other legal representation
of individuals I support, and work in partnership with legal representatives
to assure that the individual's preferences and interests are honored.
6. Respect
As a DSP I will respect the human dignity and uniqueness of the people I support.
I will recognize each person I support as valuable and help others understand
their value.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Seek to understand the individuals I support today in the
context of their personal history, their social and family networks, and their
hopes and dreams for the future.
Honor the choices and preferences of the people I support.
Protect the privacy of the people I support.
Uphold the human rights of the people I support.
Interact with the people I support in a respectful manner.
Recognize and respect the cultural context (e.g. religion,
sexual orientation, ethnicity, socio-economic class) of the person supported
and his/her social network.
Provide opportunities and supports that help the individuals
I support be viewed with respect and as integral members of their communities.
7. Relationships
As a DSP I will assist the people I support to develop and maintain relationships.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Advocate for the people I support when they do not have access
to opportunities and education to facilitate building and maintaining relationships.
Assure that people have the opportunity to make informed choices
in safely expressing their sexuality.
Recognize the importance of relationships and proactively
facilitate relationships between the people I support, their family and friends.
Separate my own personal beliefs and expectations regarding
relationships (including sexual relationships) from those desired by the people
I support based on their personal preferences. If I am unable to separate
my own beliefs/preferences in a given situation, I will actively remove myself
from the situation.
Refrain from expressing negative views, harsh judgments, and
stereotyping of people close to the individuals I support.
8. self-direction
As a DSP I will assist the people I support to direct the course of their own
lives.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Work in partnership with others to support individuals leading
self-directed lives.
Honor the individual's right to assume risk in an informed
manner.
Recognize that each individual has potential for lifelong
learning and growth.
9. Advocacy
As a DSP I will advocate with the people I support for justice, inclusion, and
full community participation.
Interpretive Statement
As a DSP, I will:
Support individuals to speak for themselves in all matters
where my assistance is needed.
Represent the best interests of people who cannot speak for
themselves by finding alternative ways of understanding their needs, including
gathering information from others who represent their best interests.
Advocate for laws, policies, and supports that promote justice
and inclusion for people with disabilities and other groups who have been
disempowered.
Promote human, legal, and civil rights of all people and assist
others to understand these rights.
Recognize that those who victimize people with disabilities
either criminally or civilly must be held accountable for their actions.
Find additional advocacy services when those that I provide
are not sufficient.
Consult with people I trust when I am unsure of the appropriate
course of action in my advocacy efforts.
