What does a Direct Support Professional do?
Direct support professionals are responsible for the day-to-day care of the sick and the elderly. They help maintain the home of their client and try to develop their skills so they can take care of themselves. Direct support professionals help the client eat, bathe, dress, and drink if necessary. They also help encourage their clients to be more independent and follow their interests and hobbies.
Direct support professionals do not need to have any experience in this position. They should also have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. They also need to have a driver's license and a CPR certification. Direct support professionals should be able to plan out a client's day and ensure that they get to all of their necessary appointments. They must have the ability to juggle multiple clients and stay on top of all of them.
Direct Support Professional Salaries
Average Base Pay
Direct Support Professional Career Path
Learn how to become a Direct Support Professional, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Direct Support Professional Insights
BrightSpring Health Services“Schedule was perfect and I was able to pick up more hours and build amazing relationships with everyone.”
ResCare Community Living“Former supervisor made false claims and also made threats of bodily harm to that supervisor and nothing was done.”
“I dont like bashing CIS because I really like the company but the pay really is terrible.”
Wediko Children's Services“Great opportunity to see if this is the field you really want to go into.”
“Don’t think the training is the best but with this job you learn most of it while working.”
“Definitely a great place to start a career and they took me on knowing nothing and gave me full training and certifications.”
Metropolitan Family Services“It's great if you're trying to build experience but not as much if you're trying to make a decent income.”
Community Living