The NADSP Code of Ethics

Advocacy:

As a DSP, I will advocate with the people I support for justice, inclusion, and full community participation.

Justice, Fairness and Equity:

As a DSP, I will affirm the human rights as well as the civil rights and responsibilities of the people I support. I will promote and practice justice, fairness, and equity for the people I support and the community as a whole.

Relationships:

As a DSP, I will assist the people I support to develop and maintain relationships.

Self-Determination:

As a DSP, I will assist the people I support to direct the course of their own lives.

Promoting Physical and Emotional Well-Being:

As a DSP, I will commit to promote the emotional, physical, and personal well-being of the people I support. I will encourage growth and recognize the autonomy of those receiving support while being attentive and energetic in reducing the risk of harm.

Respect:

As a DSP, I will respect the human dignity and uniqueness of the people I support. I will recognize each person who I support as valuable and promote their value to our communities.

Confidentiality:

As a DSP, I will safeguard and respect the confidentiality and privacy of the people I support. Furthermore, 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. •Recognize that confidentiality agreements are subject to laws and regulations at the federal and state levels, as well as agency policies. •Recognize that it may be necessary to disclose confidential information in order to prevent serious or imminent harm to the person I support or others. •Seek out qualified guidance to help clarify situations where the correct course of action is unclear to me.

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.

.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.

Vision.

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support people in their communities are called upon to make independent judgments on a frequent basis that involve both practical and ethical reasoning. The people who assume this complex role must examine their own values and beliefs while honoring those of the people they support.

Values, Skills and Knowledge.

The knowledge and skills of community support practice must be joined with the ethical principles to create the environment needed to fully support people in making life choices. To do so effectively, we must all recognize DSPs as professionals who have values, skills, and knowledge that constitute a unique and important profession, and who can infuse these beliefs into practice. Furthermore, there must be a commitment to hiring, developing, and supporting DSPs to create a healthy sense of their own worth and potential. Direct Support Professionals must embrace their role to foster a spirit of cooperation and mutual responsibility with other DSPs regarding ethical practice.

Mission.

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 are significant to them, toward a life of opportunity, well-being, freedom, and contribution. While other professional groups (such as doctors, nurses, service coordinators, and social workers) are directed by clearly defined criteria, the DSP is directed by the person they support. Therefore, the DSP must exemplify ethical practice, high standards, and creative vision as they partner with those they support in order to access community and make everyday choices about their personal finances, physical well-being, social and intimate relationships, and employment. The entire landscape of a person's life can change through ethical and intentional direct support services.

Purpose.

A primary purpose of the DSP is to assist people who need support to lead self-directed lives and to participate fully in our nation's communities. This emphasis on empowerment and participation is critical. The prejudices of society form powerful barriers, yet too often, the very social policies and service systems designed to help can create other barriers that prevent many people with intellectual, developmental or physical disabilities from enjoying a rich and fulfilling life.

NADSP Code of Ethics.

In 2000, these issues led to the efforts on the part of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) to bring together a national panel that included direct support professionals, self-advocates, family members, human service professionals and researchers to identify the kinds of ethical situations that direct support professionals face and to develop a set of ethical guidelines to address them. In 2016, the NADSP reconvened a new stakeholder group that represented professional and geographic diversity to review the language of our original document. The revised Code of Ethics has not changed in content, it remains 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 direct support professionals in resolving ethical dilemmas they face every day and to encourage them to achieve the highest ideals of the profession.