Posted on the WLOS News 13 website on August 6, 2025
Raleigh, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is partnering with the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) to launch an advanced training certificate program for Direct Support Professionals (DSP), according to a news release from NCDHHS.
DSP is critical in helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live, work, and thrive in communities of their choice. DSP also provides a wide range of support from daily tasks like bathing, eating, and taking medications, along with connecting people with community resources and employment opportunities.
"This partnership with North Carolina’s Community Colleges will strengthen and retain our direct support professionals workforce," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai in a news release. "The advanced training certificate provides an opportunity for individuals to obtain new skills and training to support this critical profession that cares for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Carolina."
According to the news release from NCDHHS, the program is being offered for free to current students and anyone interested in pursuing a career in the field of DSP. The program will be offered for free through the continuing education programs at the following schools:
- Stanly Community College
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Forsyth Technical Community College
The program will begin in either August or September and may expand to more community colleges in 2026 or 2027, according to NCDHHS.
NCDHHS says the certificate consists of two eight-week continuing education courses, and the sessions will be offered virtually to make it easier to participate, as well as to expand access to individuals not located at the aforementioned college campuses.
According to the news release, there is limited space for the course, and individuals interested in earning the certificate should contact the continuing education office at their preferred campus for registration information and the schedule.
"North Carolina’s community colleges are proud to partner with NCDHHS to launch this vital training program that not only addresses the state’s growing need for direct support professionals but also opens doors to long-term career opportunities in behavioral health," said Dr. Jeff Cox, President of the North Carolina Community College System, in a news release. "Through this collaborative effort, we’ve developed a statewide curriculum that promotes credit mobility, expanded faculty capacity, and aligned training with real workforce needs. This is exactly the kind of responsive, student-centered programming that makes our colleges such powerful engines for community well-being and economic advancement."
According to the news release, the program is part of NCDHHS's commitment to addressing the critical shortage of DSPs who provide in-home care and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North Carolina.
NCDHHS launched a campaign in September 2024, aiming to target high school and community college students and people who are unemployed or underemployed to educate and motivate them to consider a career in human services.
According to the news release, as part of its Direct Support Professional Workforce Plan, NCDHHS was awarded $3 million in grants to more than 140 provider agencies and employers of record this year.
NCDHHS says these funds went to recruit, support, train, and retain DSPs through hiring and retention bonuses, on-the-job training, and childcare assistance.
"These efforts reaffirm NCDHHS' dedication to enhancing opportunities for North Carolinians with I/DD by creating a more accessible and supportive community," said Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, in a news release. "DSPs are essential to building a comprehensive system of care that promotes inclusion and connectivity."
To learn more, visit Inclusion Connects.