Why DSP Turnover Isn’t “The Cost of Doing Business”: Insights from NADSP
Let’s be honest: If you’re leading an IDD organization today, you’ve probably experienced the same mental tug-of-war as everyone else in the field. One moment you’re brainstorming creative retention strategies, and the next you’re quietly wondering if you should just buy your HR team matching capes because they’re essentially running a full-time rescue squad.
You’re not alone.
You’re not imagining it.
And you’re not stuck — even if the system sometimes tells you that you are.
There’s a moment in my recent conversation with Joe Macbeth and Dan Hermreck from the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) that should give every leader a jolt of hope. It’s the moment when the data makes it impossible to keep saying that high DSP turnover is “just the cost of doing business.”
Because credentialed DSPs — across many agencies — aren’t leaving at 40%.
They’re leaving at about 10%.
And while correlation is not causation, the signal is clear:
Skill recognition changes something powerful.
And it’s something leaders can build into their organizations right now.
Part 2 of our interview uncovers why.
The Dangerous Story We Tell Ourselves: “This Is Just How It Is”
There’s a story that floats through our field like background radio static:
“Turnover is normal.”
“Everyone’s dealing with it.”
“It’s the nature of the work.”
Macbeth and Hermreck push hard on this, and not in a hand-wavy, motivational way. What they challenge is the premise — the assumption that because turnover is common, it must also be inevitable.
Yes, average DSP turnover rates hover around 40%.
But that doesn’t mean they have to.
The agencies investing in competency-based development and NADSP credentialing are seeing something different — not just better retention, but a different culture forming around the work itself.
And culture isn’t magic.
Culture is behavior we’ve normalized.
The Competency Shift That Changes Everything
For decades, DSPs have been praised with vague compliments:
“She’s just good with the guys.”
“He’s a natural.”
“Things go smoother when she’s around.”
The problem?
You can’t scale “magic.”
You can scale competencies.
One of the most powerful insights Macbeth and Hermreck shared is that credentialing creates a moment where DSPs suddenly see the skill behind their work — sometimes for the first time in their careers. Once they understand the why behind their success, their confidence grows… and so does their performance.
And this is where the 10% number starts to make sense.
No, credentialing is not a silver bullet.
And no, it doesn’t magically transform every workforce overnight.
But it does something agencies have been trying to do for years:
It makes professionalism visible.
When DSPs feel recognized, seen, and skilled — they stick around.
When they don’t, they drift.
That’s the real difference.
States Are Finally Paying Attention — Literally
One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation is how state systems are beginning to reward DSP skill with actual dollars. There are pilot programs tying reimbursement to competency. There are wage enhancements linked to credentialing. And there’s growing legislative awareness that skill, not tenure alone, should drive fair compensation.
This is the beginning of what could become a major shift across the country.
And agencies that get ahead of this trend will be positioned to benefit — long before others catch up.
So What Does This Mean for You?
If you’re a leader staring down 40% turnover, credentialing isn’t just a professional development perk.
It’s a stabilizer.
A culture-builder.
A way to show your DSPs that what they do is complex, demanding, and worthy of recognition.
And while not every DSP will pursue credentialing, the ones who do tend to:
deepen their practice
stay longer
raise the standard for their peers
strengthen team morale
bring intention where intuition used to stand alone
As Macbeth put it, credentialing isn’t about handing out badges — it’s about helping DSPs understand their impact.
When they do, the entire organization feels it.
If You Lead an IDD Agency, This Is Worth Your Time
Part 2 of my conversation with Macbeth and Hermreck is packed with the kind of insights you can take straight to your leadership team. It’s challenging, hopeful, practical — and it offers a clear picture of what’s already working across the country.
🎧 Listen to Part 2:
Why DSP Turnover Isn’t “The Cost of Doing Business” w/ NADSP
(Available now on YouTube, on the podcast page, and on all major podcast platforms.)
If you missed Part 1 — the “Oval Office to the Pope” episode — it’s the perfect setup for this one.
Useful Links
🌐 NADSP’s E-Badge Academy
https://nadsp.org/services/the-nadsp-e-badge-academy/
📥 Free Tool for Leaders:
The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams
Learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast.
https://iddleader.com/burnout
