The State of America's Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2026

New data reveal little sign of meaningful progress ahead of impending wave of funding cuts.
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Fact Sheets

Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act One-Pager

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Noah Block
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Lydia Dawson
The bill urges the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to create a separate category within the Standard Occupational Classification system for DSPs. This classification is vital for strengthening and professionalizing the DSP workforce, enabling comprehensive and accurate data collection.
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SOCs are used to collect data and help all levels of government (local, state, federal) identify employment trends. Currently, “Direct Support Professional” is not recognized at the federal level because it does not have a unique SOC code DSPs. For this reason, DSPs are often inaccurately and inconsistently incorporated into a variety of SOCs which do not capture their full spectrum of work activities.

A SOC for DSPs will enable state and federal agencies to collect data on the high turnover rate of DSPs and inform policies to address the workforce crisis. ANCOR has long supported this legislation, recognizing its importance in addressing workforce challenges and improving the quality of care for individuals with disabilities.

More Resources

Comment Letters
CCD Letter of Support for SOC Legislation
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Fact Sheets
SOCs for DSPs: Better Policies, Better Outcomes
Capacity-Building Tools
DSP Recognition Week 2023 Sample Social Media Messages
Comment Letters
2023 Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act Sign On Letter