On Monday mornings, when ADEC’s day services open, the building quickly goes from still and quiet to full and the sounds of laughter and excited voices echo through each room. ADEC clients hurry in, excited to share every detail with their Direct Support Professionals, or DSPs as we say for short around here.
At ADEC group homes, DSPs make dinner and talk about the events of the day as clients crowd around to share and spend time with them. Some clients look forward to a special one-on-one time each day when they can talk about their highlights and enjoy being the center of attention.
For clients who can’t communicate very well, trusted DSPs are their most valuable relationships because they understand each other. After years, sometimes decades of providing care, communication is smooth and easy between the two. Just a gesture or a sound can mean volumes in terms of fulfilling thirst, taking care of bathroom needs or adjusting position in a wheelchair.
Direct Support Professionals form the very backbone of ADEC. Each day, they work with ADEC clients and make it possible for ADEC to provide choice and possibility for everyone who enters its doors.
Because these employees mean so much to ADEC, ADEC is paying it forward. After analyzing the results of a 2016 employee survey, ADEC’s Leadership Team heard what employees wanted and decided it was time to reward the hard work and dedication of DSPs with a plan to increase compensation in a meaningful way.
Effective January 27, 2017, ADEC Direct Support Professionals who work in residential services will now make $10.50/hour with an annual wage increase of 2.5% each January until that person reaches $15/hour.
ADEC direct support professionals who work in day services will now make $10/hour and will receive an annual wage increase of 2.5% until they reach $14/hour.
All ADEC employees, including Direct Support Professionals, will be eligible for annual merit increases based on employee’s annual personnel performance reviews. These increases will be on top of the new wage structure.
“We are very excited to offer the wage incentive to DSPs who make ADEC’s mission a reality every day,” Lisa Kendall, ADEC’s vice president of human resources, said. “The wage incentive increases the earning potential of DSPs, giving them annual increases. Increasing wages was a request from employees in the Employee Satisfaction Survey that we are glad to address. A special thank you to our DSPS for their hard work and dedication to our clients.”
As ADEC celebrates this 65th year, we also celebrate the employees who make it possible. ADEC’s Leadership Team continues to process the results of the 2016 employee survey and ensure each person has a voice in this organization. Click here to learn more about working for ADEC.
Photo by Rod Tackett | Communications Specialist
