Direct Support Professional (DSP) Welcome & Service Manual
Welcome & Service Manual for DSPs working with clients under Service Code 062 and Service Code 862.
1. The Developmental Disabilities System
California has a special law called the Lanterman Act. This law says that people with disabilities have the right to get the help they need to live happy, independent lives in their home communities.
Regional Centers are local nonprofit organizations that coordinate and fund services. Agencies like Adaley provide direct services that help consumers achieve their goals and remain active in their communities.
2. Important California Laws (WIC Rules)
As a DSP, you must follow these laws during every shift.
| Law Number | What It Is | What You Must Do |
|---|---|---|
| WIC §4502 | Human Rights | Treat consumers with dignity and respect. |
| WIC §4504 | Ability to Choose | Support consumer choice and self-determination. |
| WIC §4518 | Privacy Rules | Protect confidential information. |
| WIC §4646.5 | IPP Process | Support goals identified in the Individual Program Plan. |
| WIC §4648 | Regional Center Services | Help consumers participate in community life. |
| WIC §4655 | Emergency Medical Decisions | Know emergency contacts and procedures. |
| WIC §4710 & 4710.5 | Fair Hearing Rights | Respect consumer appeal rights. |
3. Client Rights (Title 17, Section 50510)
Clients have rights that must always be protected.
- Be treated with kindness and have their privacy respected.
- Practice any religion they choose.
- Be safe from hitting, mean words, neglect, or being locked in a room.
- Be free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, intimidation, coercion, retaliation, and all forms of mistreatment.
- Be part of the community and do fun things with others.
- Pick out their own clothes and keep their own personal belongings.
4. Your Job: Service Code 062 vs. Service Code 862
Code 062: Personal Assistance
The Goal: Teach Skills for Daily Life
- Teach, reinforce, and facilitate daily living, social, and community navigational skills.
- Support progressive goals identified directly in the consumer's Individual Program Plan (IPP).
- Boundary Rule: You are actively guiding and facilitating independence—not performing passive care or babysitting.
Code 862: In-Home Respite Services
The Goal: Give the Family a Break
- Provide safe supervision, interaction, and care inside the consumer's home.
- Relieve the primary, non-paid family caregivers from their continuous care duties.
- Boundary Rule: Respite is for care and supervision. You do not design educational curriculums or enforce developmental skill-acquisition protocols during these hours.
Regardless of your assigned service code, DSPs are strictly prohibited from engaging in any of the following activities. Violating these boundaries creates severe liability and is grounds for immediate termination:
- Invasive Medical Care: Do not administer injections, manage G-tubes, or provide medical treatments. Medication monitoring is limited strictly to pre-poured, consumer-authorized reminders unless explicitly certified under an approved agency protocol.
- Unauthorized Individuals: Do not supervise or provide care for siblings, relatives, or any individuals other than the authorized Adaley consumer.
- Heavy Housekeeping: Do not perform major household chores, yard work, or cleaning that is unrelated to the immediate health, safety, and care of the consumer during your shift.
- Community Outings & Transportation: DSPs are strongly discouraged from driving consumers in personal vehicles. DSPs may meet consumers at community events or transport them only when explicitly authorized. All community outings and consumer transportation must be pre-approved in writing by the Company. Attending an outing or transporting a consumer without prior written approval is a severe policy violation resulting in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination. Approved outings are eligible for business expense and mileage reimbursement under California Labor Code § 2802.
5. Abuse Prevention, Consumer Protection & Mandated Reporting
Adaley Inc. maintains a strict zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or mistreatment of consumers. Every consumer has the right to receive services in a safe environment and to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion at all times.
Adaley Inc. enforces zero tolerance for abuse, neglect, exploitation, or mistreatment of consumers. Any confirmed violation will result in immediate termination of employment and reporting to protective services, law enforcement, and the Regional Center as required by law.
As a DSP, you are a Mandated Reporter under California law. If you witness, suspect, or receive information regarding potential abuse or neglect, you must execute the following statutory steps:
Note: Under California law, this reporting duty is a personal, legal obligation that cannot be delegated. Adaley administration will actively assist you in completing, reviewing, and transmitting this form, but you must sign as the reporting party. Internal notification to Adaley does NOT absolve you of your personal legal obligation and cannot delay or block your report.
Special Incident Reporting (SIR) 1-Hour Rule
Per Title 17 regulations, Adaley must report any "Special Incident" to the Regional Center within a strict 24-hour window. To meet this statutory deadline, you must notify an Adaley supervisor, via email to contact@adaleyinc.com or call or text to (510) 800-6696, within one (1) hour of the occurrence if a client experiences any of the following during your shift:
- An injury or accident requiring medical treatment beyond basic first aid.
- An unexpected or emergency hospitalization.
- A medication error (wrong dose, wrong time, missed medication, or wrong person).
- An incident where a consumer goes missing or wanders away from care (elopement).
- Any physical alteration, behavioral outburst causing severe property damage, or contact with law enforcement.
Adaley Inc. strictly prohibits retaliation against any employee who makes a good-faith report of suspected abuse, non-compliance, or ethical violations. In addition to internal reporting channels, employees may submit formal complaints regarding vendor operations directly to the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) via the official DDS Whistleblower website.
6. Emergency Procedures
- Know emergency phone numbers and contacts.
- Locate exits, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits.
- Understand consumer-specific medical needs and emergency plans.
- Call 911 during emergencies and notify Adaley immediately.
7. Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) via Aaniie
To comply with the federal 21st Century Cures Act and California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) mandates, Adaley Inc. utilizes the Aaniie platform for Electronic Visit Verification.
DSPs must use the Aaniie mobile app on their smartphones to log their exact location and timestamp when checking in and out of a shift. This digital record serves as the legal documentation required by the state to prove that personal assistance or respite care was successfully delivered to the consumer. Falsifying EVV tracking records or failing to log shifts accurately constitutes regulatory non-compliance and may result in immediate termination.
8. Employee Handbook
All Employees of Adaley Inc must adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the Employee Handbook.
The most up-to-date version of the Adaley Inc employee handbook can be found at https://www.adaleyinc.com/eehandbook
Upon request, we will email you a PDF copy or mail you a paper copy of the handbook.
9. Behavior Support
Consumers you support may exhibit behaviors that communicate unmet needs, discomfort, or frustration. As a DSP, your role is to respond with patience, consistency, and respect — never with punishment or force.
Understanding Behavior
Behavior is communication. Before responding to a challenging behavior, ask yourself: Is the consumer hungry, tired, in pain, overstimulated, or unable to express a need? Understanding the cause helps you respond effectively.
Your Responsibilities
- Follow any behavior support plan (BSP) included in the consumer's Individual Program Plan (IPP). Never skip or modify steps in the plan.
- Use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors — acknowledge effort, celebrate progress, and offer praise.
- Remain calm and use a gentle, steady tone. Escalating your voice or body language can increase a consumer's distress.
- Do not use physical restraint, withhold food, isolate, or use any punitive technique. These are prohibited under California law and Adaley policy.
- Redirect rather than confront. Offer an alternative activity or change the environment when a consumer becomes dysregulated.
If a behavior results in injury, property damage, or poses a safety risk, report it to Adaley immediately following the incident reporting steps in Section 5. Document what happened before, during, and after the behavior as accurately as possible.
10. Cultural Competency
Adaley serves consumers and families from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds. Providing respectful, effective support means honoring each person's identity and background.
Core Principles
- Respect individual identity. Each consumer is a whole person with their own preferences, values, traditions, and communication style. Do not make assumptions based on appearance, language, or ethnicity.
- Honor family and cultural practices. Dietary customs, religious observances, family roles, and communication norms vary across cultures. Ask, listen, and follow the family's lead.
- Use plain, clear language. Avoid jargon, idioms, or complex sentences. If a consumer or family member has limited English proficiency, notify Adaley so appropriate language support can be arranged.
- Be aware of your own biases. Everyone has unconscious assumptions. When in doubt, pause and ask how you can best support the consumer and their family's preferences.
Practical Tips
| Situation | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|
| Consumer prefers a specific pronoun or name | Use it consistently and respectfully. |
| Family has dietary or religious restrictions | Follow their guidance without question. |
| Communication style differs from yours | Adjust your pace, tone, and approach. |
| You are unsure about a cultural practice | Ask respectfully, or contact Adaley for guidance. |
11. Service-Specific Skills
The skills you use on a shift depend on whether you are providing Personal Assistance (Code 062) or In-Home Respite (Code 862). Review the relevant expectations for your assignment.
Code 062 – Personal Assistance Skills
The goal of 062 shifts is to teach and reinforce skills that help the consumer become more independent. You are not just completing tasks for the consumer — you are supporting them in learning to do things for themselves.
Skill-Building Approaches
- Least-to-most prompting: Start with the least intrusive support (a gesture or verbal cue) and only increase assistance if the consumer does not respond. Avoid doing things for the consumer that they can attempt themselves.
- Task chaining: Break multi-step tasks (brushing teeth, making a snack, getting dressed) into small, manageable steps. Teach one step at a time.
- Consistency: Use the same language, sequence, and approach each shift so the consumer can predict and learn the routine.
- Celebrate effort: Acknowledge every attempt, not just perfect performance.
Examples of 062 Activities
- Supporting daily living skills (hygiene, meal prep, dressing)
- Community access and navigation (grocery shopping, public transit)
- Communication and social skills practice
- Goal-directed activities from the IPP
Code 862 – In-Home Respite Skills
The goal of 862 shifts is to provide safe, engaged supervision while giving the primary caregiver a break. Your focus is keeping the consumer safe, comfortable, and occupied.
Core Skills for Respite
- Engagement: Offer age- and interest-appropriate activities (games, crafts, sensory play, music, walks). Avoid long periods of inactivity or passive screen time.
- Safety monitoring: Maintain visual supervision at all times. Know the consumer's specific safety needs (wandering risk, allergies, fall risk, seizure history) before the shift begins.
- Routine maintenance: Follow the family's established routines for meals, rest, and activities. Do not introduce significant changes without family approval.
- Communication with the family: At the end of your shift, briefly let the caregiver know how the shift went, any notable activities, and anything that seemed to affect the consumer's mood or comfort.
Acknowledgment of Receipt & Understanding
By completing and submitting this form, you confirm that you have read the DSP Welcome & Service Manual in its entirety, that you understand the guidelines, policies, and responsibilities described in all eleven (11) sections, and that you agree to adhere to them throughout your employment with Adaley Inc.