Project Description:
Active Support trains direct support professionals to provide people with disabilities more opportunities to participate in routine activities in their homes and communities. They become more skilled at assisting people to participate in tasks they cannot do alone using prompts to guide the person, and offering praise. People supported by trained staff spend more time doing productive, enjoyable, and engaging tasks and less time waiting for things to happen. People with the most substantial disabilities benefit most from Active Support because they are included throughout the day even if they are not able to perform tasks without assistance.
Active Support training helps staff to organize and plan opportunities for people to participate in individual, household and community activities. During training, the staff identifies household and community tasks they are doing for each person. They find ways to support the person to participate actively in those tasks. The staff team also develops plans so that each staff person who works with an individual uses the same sequence of steps and praise for specific tasks.
During training, the staff reviews individual goals and plans so that new activities are coordinated with those goals. As it identifies new opportunities, the staff team may suggest a new or revised goal to the person and their team. Staff trained in Active Support learns to give people a chance to try doing new things, and to offer more choices of things to do.
Active Support training does not change the number of staff members or hours of support provided to individuals. It does change how the staff spends their work hours. Staff members spend more time supporting people to participate in daily tasks. Active Support training shifts the role of staff from being a domestic servant (doing everything for people) to providing meaningful support (helping people be engaged in their own lives). Staff members who use Active Support methods report increased job satisfaction, feeling more productive, and a renewed sense of purpose around their work.
Several providers are working with the Research and Training Center on Community Living and Employment at the University of Minnesota (RTC) to provide Active Support training. An Active Support evaluation project funded by the U.S. Department of Education began in September 2008. It continues until September 2013.
Pairs of homes from an organization will start the project at the same time. One home will receive Active Support training right away. The other home will receive Active Support training one year later. We will evaluate the changes people with disabilities experience when staff members receive Active Support training. We will gather information at the beginning of the evaluation, three months later, and one year later. We will also collected information three months after training staff in the waitlist home. University of Minnesota trainers will support participating homes by calling participating supervisors monthly for six months and participating in at least one staff meeting.
Active Support training begins in a classroom with the entire staff from one home at the same time. Additional training occurs at the home. Each staff person will work with a mentor to practice using the new techniques on the job. The staff meet monthly to review what they learned, make needed changes, celebrate accomplishments, address problems, and improve the supports people receive.
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
