FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Agency’s new Training Center of Excellence will offer free certification courses to staff members of organizations providing services for individuals with intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injuries
Manchester, NH, October 8, 2024– Easterseals NH, a leading social services agency committed to elevating all abilities, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a state-funded grant to train direct support professionals working for organizations across New Hampshire.
Easterseals NH’s Training Center of Excellence is providing access to new, high-quality professional development for working direct support professionals. As the first and only human services agency in New Hampshire to develop a nationally accredited curriculum for this segment of the workforce, Easterseals NH will be offering courses that provide direct support providers a pathway to advancement and certification through the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). Designed by subject-matter experts with input from practitioners, community stakeholders, and individuals with lived experience of disability, Easterseals NH’s unique training will empower service providers with skills they can immediately put into practice.
Professionals who earn NADSP certification are acknowledged for their exemplary work in supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injuries. There are three levels of certification—DSP-I, DSP-II, and DSP-III—designed to recognize the knowledge, skills, and values of direct support professionals. Each will focus on a variety of core competency areas, giving direct support professionals the opportunity to address challenges, work on issues identified by the individual whom they support, or assist an individual with pursuing a particular goal.
“We are thrilled to provide the opportunity for frontline staff to attend accredited training to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values to deliver high-quality support,” said Susan Silsby, Executive Vice President of Programs for Easterseals NH. “In addition, this training opportunity will lead to a national credential for employees that will provide a career ladder and increased job satisfaction.”
Courses will begin in November and run through the following spring. Online and in-person courses will be available with instruction from highly qualified clinical and training staff. Customized training will also be available.
To learn more about Easterseals NH’s Training Center of Excellence, visit eastersealsnh.org/training-center-of-excellence or contact [email protected].
About Easterseals New Hampshire
Since 1936, Easterseals New Hampshire has provided exceptional services to ensure that all people with varied abilities and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities. A leader in social services for individuals with disabilities and those underserved by traditional programs, Easterseals NH provides essential services and supports to approximately 16,000 children, adults, seniors, and veterans annually. Our programs cover areas like early intervention, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, adult day and in-home care, behavioral health, housing, and substance use disorders. Easterseals NH is a community of care for all ages, for all abilities, for life.
For more information, visit eastersealsnh.org or follow us @EastersealsNH on Facebook.
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