What does Cultural and Linguistic Competence mean for Direct Support Professionals?

The importance of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) cannot be understated. DSPs The roles of DSPs have evolved from solely caregiving and focuses more broadly on supporting people across the full spectrum of disabilities to have meaningful lives in the communities in which they live, go to school, work, parent, engage in recreation, worship, and share friendships and other intimate relationships. This session will focus on: 1) cultural competence and linguistic competence and how these concepts and practices relate to the everyday responsibilities of DSPs and the people across racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups that they support and their families; and 2) the unique issues that DSPs face due to their multiple cultural identities and experiences attributed intersectionality, social location, discrimination and the “isms.”