Direct support professionals, or DSPs, fill vital roles by providing support and services to people with developmental disabilities, aging Oklahomans, medically fragile individuals and people with disabilities transitioning into the community from care facilities. A DSP serves as a direct caregiver meeting the needs of individuals within a family home, the individual’s home, or in combination with residential support. The DSP also helps with developing and maintaining the individual’s skills to ensure health, safety, community integration and other daily activities. A DSP can be employed through a traditional provider agency or employed through one of the available self-directed service options.

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Oklahoma Human Services is launching an initiative — called DSP+ — with Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS); Community Living, Aging & Protective Services (CAP); and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to address the workforce shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) and provide more people with Home & Community Based Services.

Newly hired and currently employed DSPs will receive monetary incentives. This initiative is designed to help address workforce challenges impacting the care of older Oklahomans and individuals with disabilities, as there is currently a shortage of DSPs in our state.

• For DSPs hired on or after Feb. 1, 2024, a one-time $1,000 recruitment incentive will be issued after working at the provider agency for a full calendar month
• The DSP will receive another $1,000 incentive after six months of employment
• While DSPs are required to enroll to receive the payments, they are only eligible if employed by a participating provider agency
• The incentive payments are deposited with the provider agency by the 10^th day of the month, and DSPs will receive the incentives from their employer by the last day of the month
• Employee is responsible for paying 7.65% in employment taxes, as well as federal and state withholding taxes, on the incentive
• Receiving incentive payments from the DSP+ program may cause an employee to be ineligible for state-sponsored programs such as SNAP, WIC and Child Care. Employees are encouraged to contact their case workers before enrolling in DSP+.

You must be employed by a participating provider agency before enrolling. A list of participating provider agencies is included in the question below. Please reach out to the provider agency directly for job openings. Enroll now. 

Prospective DSPs must:

• Be employed by a participating agency
• Be enrolled in DSP+

For prospective DSPs, the recruitment incentive is flexible because it’s based off start date. Payments are made after a DSP completes a full calendar month at their new employer. However, the sooner you enroll the better to ensure you receive the maximum available incentives.

Oklahoma Human Services has partnered with Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS); Community Living, Aging & Protective Services (CAP); and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to address the workforce shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) and provide more people with Home & Community Based services. The initiative is called DSP+.

Newly hired and currently employed DSPs will receive monetary incentives. This initiative is designed to help address workforce challenges impacting the care of older Oklahomans and individuals with disabilities, as there is currently a shortage of DSPs in our state.

• DSPs employed on or before Jan. 31, 2024, must enroll in DSP+ by Jan. 31, 2024, to receive a $1,000 incentive by March 31, 2024
• The DSP will receive another $1,000 incentive after six months of employment
• While DSPs are required to enroll to receive the payments, they are only eligible if employed by a participating provider agency
• The incentive payments are deposited with the provider agency by the 10^th day of the month, and DSPs will receive the incentives from their employer by the last day of the month
• Employee is responsible for paying 7.65% in employment taxes, as well as federal and state withholding taxes, on the incentive
• Receiving incentive payments from the DSP+ program may cause an employee to be ineligible for state-sponsored programs such as SNAP, WIC and Child Care. Employees are encouraged to contact their case workers before enrolling in DSP+.

These DSPs will participate through the financial intermediary Acumen.

Current DSPs are eligible to participate in DSP+ if employed in the following areas:

• Daily Living Support
• Intensive Personal Support
• Habilitation Training Specialist
• Self-Directed Habilitation Training Specialist
• Program Coordinators (must work shifts in client home)
• Agency Companions
• Advanced Personal Services Assistance (APSA)
• Advanced Supportive/Restorative (ASR)
• Personal Care Assistant/Aide (PCA)
• Personal Services Assistant/Assistance (PSA)

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If you leave your current position before serving a full calendar month, you will not receive the one-time recruitment incentive. If you leave your current employer and start with a new one, your time will start again with the new employer.

Oklahoma Human Services has partnered with Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS); Community Living, Aging & Protective Services (CAP); and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to address the workforce shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) and provide more people with Home & Community Based services. The initiative is called DSP+.

Newly hired and currently employed DSPs will receive monetary incentives. This initiative is designed to help address workforce challenges impacting the care of older Oklahomans and individuals with disabilities, as there is currently a shortage of DSPs in our state.

• Serve HCBS waivers 
• Register with OHS as a DSP+ program participant
• Support DSPs registering for initiative
• Review and timely attest to program eligibility for DSPs
• Provide monthly turnover data to OHS
• Process/pay DSP incentives by the last day of the month the proceeds are received
• Attest payments were made to DSPs in the designated amount
• Provide documentation of payments to OHS
• Return unpaid or overpaid incentive payments to OHS upon discovery or notice

How do I enroll in DSP+?

Enroll Now

Administration incentives are paid in six-month increments based on the following:

• Entities with 5 or fewer DSP+ participants receive $1,000 
• Entities with 6 to 25 DSP+ participants receive $2,500 
• Entities with 26 to 100 DSP+ participants receive $4,000 
• Entities with 101 to 250 DSP+ participants receive $7,000 
• Entities with 251 or more DSP+ participants receive $10,000 

• If you enroll by Jan. 31, 2024, administrative incentive payments will be issued for initial registration numbers based on the number of participants registered by Jan. 31, 2024. This payment will be received by March 10, 2024.
• The agency will receive another incentive payment after six months and again after 12 months or by January 2025, whichever comes first.
• A prorated administration incentive will be paid in January 2025 if the full six-month period was not met.
• Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) will pay the 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes payable on DSP recruitment and retention payments — no cost to the provider agency

• Provider agencies enroll in DSP+ 
• DSPs employed by participating provider agencies enroll in DSP+
• DSP+ incentive payments are issued to provider agencies by the 10^th day of the month
• Agencies provide incentive payment to DSPs by the last day of the month

Receiving incentive payments from the DSP+ program may cause an employee to be ineligible for state-sponsored programs such as SNAP, WIC and Child Care. Employees are encouraged to contact their case workers before enrolling in DSP+.