Finding and keeping direct support professionals (DSPs) on the job is a strategic issue for most provider organizations serving consumers with I/DD. Many of these provider organizations are closing programs and/or delaying the launch of new growth initiatives because of shortages of staff (see The Change Game).

So what are DSPs looking for? Answering that question was the focus of the 2025 DSP Survey Report. The survey found a steady decline in the percentage of DSPs who report feeling unfairly compensated. In 2019, 62% of respondents said they did not feel fairly compensated—by 2025, that number had dropped to 38%. Similarly, the share of DSPs who felt unappreciated fell from 35% in 2019 to 26% in 2025. The percentage of respondents who said…