Health care technology has made major strides in recent years, including software that leverages AI for behavioral health. Still, advancements have lagged behind in intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) circles, particularly in terms of meeting the unique needs of direct support professionals (DSPs).
With DSPs burnt out from staffing shortages and long hours, the time is now for tech companies to step up. According to 2023 data, the weighted average turnover rate among these workers across U.S. states stands at nearly 40%.
DSPs have been clamoring for more advanced I/DD software, which includes tools with AI features to help them manage heavy workloads and navigate challenges specific to clients’ care requirements and living conditions. At Core Solutions, we’re developing a solution customized to the way DSPs work and designed to provide support and relief, so cumbersome tasks don’t take time away from the provision of quality care and DSPs feel more satisfied in their roles.
Understanding the State of Health Care for People With I/DD
Data going all the way back to 2015 says that 36% of total health care expenditures for adults living in the U.S. were associated with disability. Given those numbers, attributed largely to the complexity of treating people with I/DD, you might think that investments in their care providers were significant.
However, DSPs—who make up most of the I/DD workforce—often earn minimum wage or just a bit more despite having a challenging and very important role. These unsung professionals must frequently travel between several locations, because living arrangements for people with I/DD are designed to integrate them into the larger community.
Multiple individuals may live in one home, and a DSP might visit several such residences in a single day, striving to meet the different needs of each person. Along the way, they’re depended upon to balance numerous care plans and extensive medication management, among other responsibilities.
Unfortunately, the technology that direct service professionals often rely on is not equipped to adequately support their work. Traditional, office-based hardware without I/DD software is ineffective in helping them, since carrying a computer is impractical. Manual methods of recording information, like taking handwritten notes, win out, even though they’re unreliable. DSPs run the risk of entering errors and incomplete information into client records—or not adding any or all information while they’re hustling between locations.
Taking I/DD Software on the Road With Advanced Mobile Solutions
The simple answer is a mobile app—but not one with the standard AI for behavioral health. We, as technology providers, must integrate I/DD AI capabilities into smartphones and distill them into the most essential solutions for DSPs.
Consider this example. A DSP can get overwhelmed tracking client progression and medication management. In one afternoon, they may visit a busy day program set up by a provider and see 10 to 15 clients. They have small, 10-minute encounters with each person to help the individual with tasks, see what (if any) positive steps they’ve taken, and get them their medications, which often number in double digits for clients with co-occurring conditions. The DSP has to remember all the information on each client, administer their medicines, walk over to a computer, enter updates, and move on to the next individual.
With DSP Assist, the mobile I/DD software app that Core is developing, direct service professionals can see the entire plan the provider has put together, often created in collaboration with the client. DSPs can check progress milestones off a list while keeping their attention on the person in front of them. After they use the app to take voice notes, the underlying AI technology will consolidate all recordings and summarize them in a single concise note.
DSPs also receive timely alerts for dispensing medications, which might otherwise have been missed on a computer they’re not tied to. They can further generate shift notes to ensure that all tasks are completed before they log out—not only improving their day, but the client experience as well.
Another great feature? With safety of vital importance for people with I/DD, DSP Assist has a one-button ability to record incidents, improving risk management.
The True Value and Future of I/DD AI: Exploring the Larger Gains
We believe the most essential benefits of this mobile I/DD software for DSPs, particularly the I/DD AI technology, are efficiency and compliance. The time saved with the various features in DSP Assist will add up quickly, giving workers back valuable minutes, while the AI will better ensure they’re staying on track with care plans that meet all industry standards and documentation requirements.
DSP Assist will not only understand the complexity of disabilities, client progression, and regulatory requirements, but also provide GPS coordinates, so DSPs’ locations are clearly known and meet compliance expectations. But it’s not only DSPs who will benefit.
Since mobile I/DD software streamlines the care and support processes, more attention can be paid to what’s important to the client during 1:1 meetings. The I/DD AI capabilities in DSP Assist can also make recommendations for the direction of a care plan and set notifications, so a client in need of frequent follow-ups is regularly checked on.
Core believes that the future of AI for behavioral health holds even more promise than we currently are seeing, and our extensive background in I/DD and intimate knowledge of DSPs’ challenges pushes us to continue finding solutions for their most pressing problems. To learn more about the rollout of DSP Assist and how we can help your I/DD facility and staff, contact us today.
Ravi Ganesan is CEO & President of Core Solutions.
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