New opportunities and pathways are being created to increase the number of quality staff who support individuals served through the regional centers. One of these initiatives is the Direct Service Professional (DSP) Internship Program! This program launched in August 2024, run by All’s WELL Healthcare. The program allows entry-level DSP interns to be paid for up to 30 hours per week for up to three months. Interns learn valuable DSP skills alongside a qualified DSP, handling a variety of duties in different settings. If you know someone interested in becoming a DSP intern or are a provider ready to mentor an intern, please share the information below.
How does the DSP Internship work?
During the Internship, All’s WELL Healthcare will serve as the DSP Intern’s employer, and will pay the wages and provide the worker’s compensation coverage. The program also:
- Covers the costs for the placement of potential interns, which include the cost of fingerprinting, background checks, or other requirements for the employment setting
- Provides training while the DSP Intern’s profile is matched with the right regional center service provider
- Works with the service provider to help select the right DSP Intern for mentorship
- Helps service providers hire a DSP Intern at the end of the internship
While service providers are not required to hire the interns, ongoing employment is one of the goals of the program. Once a DSP Intern is hired by a service provider and employed for six months, the former DSP Intern will receive a $625 (before taxes) retention stipend. After twelve months, the DSP Intern will receive another $625 (before taxes) retention stipend.
The DSP Internship Program is a great opportunity to learn and get paid while gaining the skills needed to deliver high quality services. This can lead to a richer life for the DSP Intern. Nearly 100 DSP Interns have been placed with service providers across California and 25 have been hired after their internship. In fact, two DSP Interns hired by the ARC of San Diego and The ARC of Amador have received their first $625 retention stipend. Way to go!
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a DSP Intern, please share the QR code or this link with them to get started: https://dspinternship.allswell.com
If you or someone you know is a service provider that is ready to mentor a DSP Intern, please find the contact at your regional center by scanning this QR code or go to this link: https://www.dds.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Direct_Service_Professional_Internship_Program.pdf
