08/05/2026
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are the backbone of disability services. They help people with disabilities live independently, work, participate in their communities, and achieve their personal goals. Yet across the country, providers are struggling to recruit and retain the DSP workforce, leaving too many people without the supports they need.
UCP is urging members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) to support the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act (S. 3211).
This bipartisan legislation is an important first step toward addressing the DSP workforce crisis. By establishing better data collection through the Department of Labor, the bill will help policymakers better understand the size, scope, and challenges of the DSP workforce — information that's essential for developing effective solutions to strengthen recruitment, retention, and long-term investment.
Citizens of Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin: Your Senator serves on HSGAC, and now is the time to speak up! Contact their office and urge them to support S. 3211 when it comes before the committee this week.
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/about/committee-members/
DSPs make community inclusion possible. They deserve to be recognized, counted, and supported, and people with disabilities deserve a workforce that's strong enough to meet their needs.
