Principles of self-determination form the core of a new model of supports for adults who have developmental disabilities. Adults who have disabilities often rely on others for ongoing assistance in the activities of daily living. The workers providing these direct supports influence opportunities for self-determination. Self-determination is the control over, choice in, and responsibility for one's daily life. The purpose of this project is to deliver innovative content in the form of a video-based training package for direct support workers on the concepts and practices of promoting self-determination. Training needs have escalated as institutional residential settings are phased out in favor of community placements, and as states across the country scramble to meet the needs of the thousands of people with developmental disabilities on wait lists for community services. In addition to the need to train the 400,000 existing residential and vocational direct support workers, the staff turnover rates of over 50% per year in residential settings means continual pressure to hire and train new staff. The proposed video training package will offer an affordable means of providing state of the art training on the significance of self-determination and techniques for promoting self-determination during day-to-day activities. A video-based assessment study with 100 entry-level direct support staff will test the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes and skill.
The innovative feature of this product is its content--no video training for direct support staff on promoting the self-determination of adults with developmental disabilities currently exists. With the high staff turnover and the increasing need for community support staff trained in this new model of supports, a market for this product exists among the thousands of developmental disabilities support provider agencies across the country who hire and provide training for direct service providers. Agencies providing support services typically belong to statewide networks of provider agencies and share information via newsletters, conferences, and meetings. Agencies providing supported employment have also developed statewide networks. Several national organizations, such as the American Association on Mental Retardation, include membership divisions for direct support employers and employees. The Arc (formerly the Association for Retarded Citizens) includes 1100 state and local chapters, many of which are service providers. Sales of this product will be promoted using direct mail techniques that include the use of mailing lists from list brokers and associations, data entry of providers from reference sources, and the bulk mailing of informational brochures to providers. Promotional material will stress the cost-effectiveness of the training approach, the ease of use of the video training, and the effectiveness of its research-based content. In addition, IRIS Media will disseminate product information through ads in organization newsletters, submissions to video """"""""theaters"""""""" at annual associations meetings, and a professional conference presentations. We anticipate offering a price of approximately $100 for the Phase I product.
