In 2000, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) brought together a national panel that included direct support professionals, self-advocates, family members, human service professionals and researchers to identify the kinds of ethical situations that direct support professionals face and to develop a set of ethical guidelines to address them. In 2016, the NADSP reconvened a new and diverse stakeholder group to review the language of our original document and recommend to the board of directors an updated version of the Code of Ethics that uses more contemporary language.
This revised Code of Ethics has not changed in content, it remains to serve as a straightforward and relevant ethical guide, shedding light on the shared path to a self-directed life. It is intended to guide direct support professionals in resolving ethical dilemmas they face every day and to encourage them to achieve the highest ideals of the profession.
Direct support professionals, agency leaders, policymakers, and people receiving support are urged to read the Code of Ethics and to consider ways that these ethical statements can be incorporated into daily practice. The beliefs and attitudes expressed in the Code of Ethics are a cornerstone of the profession. This Code of Ethics is not the handbook of the profession, but rather a roadmap to assist us in staying the course of securing freedom, justice, and equality for all.
We would like to thank all of the members of the stakeholder group for their time and commitment to this process and a very special thanks to Dan Hermreck and Diane Potts who co-chaired the initiative.
We ask you to share this widely!
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| The NADSP Code of Ethics Word Cloud |
