.png)
DSP (DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL) TRAINING PROGRAM
30-Day Intensive Training + Annual Subscription
IDD WORKFORCE TRAINING
The professional standard for everyone who supports someone with IDD.
VantageIDD is a purpose-built DSP training platform. The curriculum is designed to map to the CMS Core Competency framework and the NADSP Code of Ethics, and we are actively pursuing accreditation through CQL.
3
Program tracks for every workforce type
30
Days to first trained DSP cohort
CMS Core Competencies
Curriculum designed to map to CMS Core Competencies, National Frontline Supervisor Competencies, and NADSP Code of Ethics
Dr. Karyn Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Clinical Architect, VantageIDD
Chief Clinical Officer, REACH Services · Published by AAIDD · 35+ Years IDD Research
IDD CASE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
Self-Paced + Annual Compliance Cycle
À LA CARTE CUSTOM PROGRAM
Custom Program Diagnostic
THREE TRACKS
Built for every IDD workforce need
Each track addresses a different training need and a different buyer conversation. The Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Support Coordinators (SCs) tracks are structured training programs. The à la carte track is a guided diagnostic that packages modules into a coherent named program.
1
DSP (DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL) TRAINING PROGRAM
30-Day Intensive Training + Annual Subscription
Professional training program for direct support professionals. Aligned to CMS Core Competencies, National Frontline Supervisor Competencies, and NADSP Code of Ethics. Coaching-anchored.
- 7 modules across 30 days with live WICS coaching throughout
- 3 group sessions and 2 one-on-one coaching sessions per cohort
- Module 5 anchored by Dr. Harvey — Trauma-Informed Practice in IDD Settings
- Completion certificate aligned to CMS Core Competency Framework domains and NADSP Code of Ethics
- HCBS Medicaid-ready documentation and compliance export
- Year 2+ subscription renewal for trained DSPs
2
IDD CASE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
Self-Paced + Annual Compliance Cycle
Professional training program for support coordinators and TCM staff. Audit-ready dashboard included.
- 4 modules: Trauma-Informed SC Practice, PCP Goal Writing, Fatal Five (SC lens), Mandatory Reporting
- Module A anchored by Dr. Harvey - trauma from a case management perspective
- Fully self-paced - no live coaching sessions
- Annual completion cycle aligned to Medicaid TCM requirements
- Manager dashboard with group management, new hire auto-enrollment, and exception handling
- Audit-ready completion export for DMH and state surveyors
3
À LA CARTE CUSTOM PROGRAM DIAGNOSTIC
Guided Diagnostic to a Named Program
Five questions. One coherent program. Outcome-driven curation from modules across both tracks.
- Five outcome-focused diagnostic questions identify your organization's specific training need
- Routes to one of four named program packages - not a module shopping cart
- Coaching recommended or essential depending on the outcome your organization needs
- Dr. Harvey Trauma Program available as the sole standalone option
- Minimum three modules to ensure coherent learning outcomes
- Annual subscription renewal on all selected modules
TRACK 1
DSP (Direct Support Professional) Training ProgramSeven modules. Thirty days. One program.
Direct Support Professional Training
A structured 30-day intensive program with live WICS coaching throughout. Every module is sequenced to build on the last. The program is aligned to CMS Core Competencies, National Frontline Supervisor Competencies, and NADSP Code of Ethics and is Medicaid-ready. Dr. Harvey anchors the module on Trauma-Informed Practice in IDD Settings.
M1DAYS 1–3
IDD Foundations and Person-Centered Practice
What IDD is, the history of disability rights, person-centered thinking, NADSP Code of Ethics, dignity of risk, and self-determination. Every DSP reviews and commits to a person-centered code of professional practice before advancing.
M2DAYS 4–6
Communication and AAC
Presuming competence, augmentative and alternative communication, communication barriers DSPs create, supported conversation techniques. Practical application with real individuals in care.
M3DAYS 7–10
Health, Safety, and the Fatal Five
Recognizing and responding to the Fatal Five, health change escalation, daily support fundamentals, universal precautions, and behavior as health communication, all with coached real-world application.
M4DAYS 11–15
Medication Administration Fundamentals
Six Rights, medication classes in IDD settings, psychotropic monitoring, MAR documentation, error response, and refusal of medication. Prepares DSPs for their organization's training process.
M5DAYS 16–21
Trauma-Informed Practice in IDD Settings
Dr. Harvey's clinical framework applied to direct care. Trauma prevalence in IDD populations, behavior as trauma response, the five principles, stabilization strategies, secondary trauma, and DSP self-care.
⊕ Dr. Karyn Harvey, Ph.D. - Chief Clinical ArchitectM6DAYS 22–26
Documentation, HCBS Compliance, and Mandatory Reporting
Person-centered documentation, Medicaid HCBS audit standards, incident reporting, HIPAA, abuse and neglect mandatory reporting, and the VantageIDD compliance export. Audit-ready by module end.
M7DAYS 27–30
Professional Identity and Career Development
What a professional identity means in direct support, compassion fatigue and recovery, career pathways from DSP to QIDP and clinical roles, and the cohort completion ceremony. Certificate of completion issued on Day 30.
5Coached sessions across 30 days
3 group + 2 individualSession breakdown per cohort
~8 min/dayAverage daily coaching commitment
TRACK 2
IDD Case ManagementProfessional Program
Support Coordinator (SC) & Targeted Case Management (TCM) Staff
For support coordinators, TCM staff, and supervisors. Four self-paced modules aligned to Medicaid TCM compliance requirements. Manager dashboard with full audit-ready export. Annual subscription cycle.
MODULE A
Trauma-Informed Support Coordination
⊕ Dr. Harvey anchored
Reading trauma history in case documentation, writing trauma-sensitive service plans, and coordinating providers around trauma needs - the SC lens, not the direct care lens.
MODULE B
Writing and Monitoring Goals for Person-Centered Plans
HCBS audit-standard goal writing, goal monitoring frequency, progress notes, and when to revise a goal. The core SC competency most commonly cited in audit findings.
MODULE C
Fatal Five - Monitoring and Coordination Lens
Recognizing Fatal Five patterns across case notes over time, escalating when a provider minimizes a concern, and documenting a health concern as a case management record for coordination.
MODULE D
Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation - SC Mandatory Reporting
SC-specific mandatory reporting obligations distinct from direct care staff, recognizing abuse and financial exploitation in home visits and case notes, and filing when a provider minimizes concern.
Manager Dashboard + Compliance Export
HR coordinators manage up to four training groups, annual assignment cycles, new hire auto-enrollment, individual exception handling, and one-click audit export, without IT involvement.
Group management
Annual cycle + due dates
New hire auto-enrollment
Excuse / extend individuals
Audit trail export
J. Martinez - Module AComplete
T. Wilson - Module BIn progress
A. Patel - Module COverdue
S. Thompson - Module AComplete
K. Rodriguez - Module DIn progress
TRACK 3
À la carteFind your program.
Five outcome-focused questions route you to a coherent, named training program. The questions are designed the way a professional needs assessment should be, outcome first, not product first.
The four named programs
Every diagnostic path resolves to one of these four. No isolated modules are sold outside these packages, except the Dr. Harvey Trauma Program.
IDD Workforce Foundation Program
Establishes professional identity, foundational clinical competency, and a career pathway that gives DSPs a reason to stay. Approximately 14 days. Coaching recommended.
M1 FoundationsM2 CommunicationM3 Health/SafetyM7 Professional Identity
Trauma-Informed IDD Organization Program
Dr. Harvey anchors this program. Builds consistent trauma-informed practice across the organization. Coaching essential, practice change requires human accountability. Both DSP and SC versions available.
Dr. Harvey M5M1 FoundationsM3 Health/SafetySC Module A
IDD Compliance and Documentation Program
Covers HCBS documentation standards, mandatory reporting, HIPAA, and person-centered note quality for both DSPs and SCs. Self-paced sufficient for this outcome, compliance is process-based, not relational.
M6 DocumentationSC Module B PCP GoalsSC Module D ReportingM3 Health/Safety
IDD Mixed Workforce Professional Program
For organizations with both DSPs and SCs who want a unified training program. Dr. Harvey anchors the clinical component. DSP track includes coaching; SC track runs in parallel self-paced.
M1 FoundationsM3 Health/SafetyDr. Harvey M5M6 DocumentationSC Module ASC Module D
SOLE STANDALONE EXCEPTION
Dr. Karyn Harvey Trauma-Informed IDD Practice
The only product available as a standalone outside the four named packages. For organizations that already have a training system in place and want to upgrade their trauma-informed practice component specifically. Includes all five Dr. Harvey videos, the Case Companion Guide, three IDD-specific case studies, and a completion certificate. Priced separately - contact for rates.
CHIEF CLINICAL ARCHITECT
The clinical authority behind every VantageIDD program.
"A direct support professional role deserves a real professional identity, clear standards, and recognized training standards. The people supporting individuals with IDD deserve a workforce that is trained to that standard."
Dr. Harvey designed the clinical and curriculum architecture underlying VantageIDD. She is not a guest faculty or endorser, she built the framework the entire program rests on. Her trauma-informed IDD practice model anchors Module 5 of the DSP Training Program and Module A of the IDD Case Management Professional Program.
The Relias connection: The trauma-informed IDD module that many providers currently complete through Relias was built on Dr. Harvey's published research. VantageIDD brought Dr. Harvey into the room. She does not just underpin the content, she designed it.
FIELD
Trauma-informed care in IDD populations
PUBLISHED BY
AAIDD - American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disability
CURRICULUM SCOPE
DSP Module 5, SC Module A, and the Harvey Standalone Trauma Program
OVERSIGHT ROLE
Reviews WICS coach alignment and clinical standards across all VantageIDD programs
THE TEAM
Built by the people behind Hello, It's Me®
VantageIDD is inspired by and operates under the Hello, It's Me® umbrella - a Focus EduSolutions initiative dedicated to empowering the IDD community.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Vik Aurora
CEO and Founder
Vik Aurora is a visionary founder of Hello, It's Me® who has dedicated 35+ years to empowering individuals with disabilities to forge meaningful connections. A first-generation entrepreneur who entered the education industry at 19 and never looked back, Vik brings multi-domain expertise spanning information technology, human resource assessment, behavioral competency-based retention, and e-learning. Holding an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston, he has been the driving force behind the creation and launch of Hello, It's Me® and the strategic vision behind VantageIDD. His goal: reach half a million users by 2028, expand to 50 countries by 2030, and build a world where every individual, regardless of ability, can connect, learn, and thrive.
Dr. Karyn Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Clinical Architect
Dr. Karyn Harvey brings over 35 years of clinical and research experience in intellectual and developmental disabilities. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland and is nationally recognized as an expert in trauma-informed IDD support. Currently serving as Chief Clinical Officer at REACH Services and formerly a Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Harvey has authored three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma-Informed Behavioral Interventions, and Trauma and Healing. She has received national awards for clinical excellence from NADD (2016), AAIDD (2020), and START (2023). At VantageIDD, she designed the clinical and curriculum architecture underlying every program, she is not a guest endorser. She built the framework.
Charles Gaughan, MBA
Chief Growth Officer, EVP Capital Strategy
Growth leader with 17+ years in healthcare payer technology and services. Founder and Principal Consultant at Health Revenue Strategy. Former VP of New Business Development at Cotiviti and VP of Payer Markets at Prognos, with national sales leadership at Quest Diagnostics. Charles brings go-to-market strategy, payer market expertise, and revenue leadership to the team.
OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
Shyam Nair
Vice President, Innovation
Shyam Nair leads innovation and product development, bringing over twenty years of experience in eLearning, instructional design, and education technology. Working across clients, instructional designers, graphic designers, programmers, and visualization strategists, Shyam develops interactive and innovative learning programs that meet the needs of diverse learners. At VantageIDD, he leads curriculum architecture and the technical delivery of the three-track program framework, ensuring the platform is built to the standard the IDD workforce deserves.
Randeep Kaur Sethi
Operations Lead
With close to three decades of experience in education, Randeep Kaur Sethi has built schools, trained educators, and developed programs that address real industry and community needs. She focuses on aligning educational initiatives with the unique needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, ensuring every program delivers meaningful, user-focused outcomes. Randeep's collaborative approach connects stakeholders and drives impact at scale, her ability to bring organizations toward a common cause makes her a force multiplier for the IDD community. She is the primary contact for all VantageIDD program inquiries.
Deepak Singh
Senior Director, Partnerships
Deepak Singh brings over 17 years of experience in healthcare education, EdTech innovation, and workforce development. He leads strategic partnerships with school districts, service providers, and employers to expand access to skill-building and transition pathways for individuals with IDD.
Suhana Jeelani
Senior Product Manager
Senior Product Manager with over seven years of experience in product development and strategy. Her role involves defining product roadmaps, streamlining processes, and working closely with teams to bring ideas to life.
● Coming soon
FREE WORKFORCE DIAGNOSTIC
DSPWellCheck
A 10-minute anonymous survey for your DSP team. Receive an organization-level workforce readiness report immediately, at no cost, with no commitment required.
- Organization-level results only - no individual DSP is ever identified
- Highlights professional development strengths and gaps across your workforce
- The natural starting point for a VantageIDD program conversation
- Free. Confidential. Results delivered immediately.
DSPWELLCHECK - PREVIEW
How confident are you in recognizing early signs of the Fatal Five in the individuals you support?
How often do you feel your documentation accurately reflects the individual's experience, not just the tasks you completed?
To what extent do you feel you have a professional identity in this role, separate from just doing a job?
ORGANIZATION REPORT - PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY READINESS
68% of your DSPs report a moderate professional identity score. Focus area identified: career pathway visibility.
GETTING STARTED
From first call to trained workforce
A clean implementation path from initial conversation to program launch. Two weeks from contract to first session. No IT complexity.
TRACK 1 - DSP Training
1
Discovery call
We identify your DSP cohort size, compliance requirements, and budget conversation.
2
Contract signed
Agreement signed. WICS coach assigned and introduced within five business days.
3
Cohort enrolled
DSPs enrolled. First group session scheduled within two weeks of contract signature.
4
30-day program
Seven modules delivered with 3 group + 2 one-on-one coaching sessions across 30 days.
5
Certificate of completion issued
Certificate of completion issued on Day 30. Aligned to CMS Core Competencies, National Frontline Supervisor Competencies, and NADSP Code of Ethics. Compliance export generated. Year 2 subscription activates.
TRACK 2 - SC Program
1
Discovery call
We identify your SC team size, Medicaid TCM requirements, and annual cycle needs.
2
Contract signed
Agreement signed. Manager dashboard configured with your training groups and annual cycle.
3
SCs enrolled
Annual cycle assignments configured. New hire auto-enrollment activated.
4
Annual compliance achieved
SCs complete four self-paced modules. Audit-ready export generated for DMH and state surveyors.
TRACK 3 - Custom Program Diagnostic
1
Discovery call
We review your workforce needs. If undecided, the five-question diagnostic routes you to the right package.
2
Package confirmed
One of four named programs selected. Coaching level determined by your outcome need.
3
Contract signed
Agreement signed. Coach assigned if coaching is included in your package.
4
Program complete
Workforce trained to your specific outcome. Annual subscription renewal on all selected modules.
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
Built around Medicaid, HCBS, and NADSP
NADSP competency framework curriculum
Module architecture follows CMS Core Competencies, National Frontline Supervisor Competencies, and NADSP Code of Ethics. NADSP accreditation in progress.
Medicaid-ready documentation
VantageIDD captures every field Medicaid auditors require - DSP name, hire date, module completion dates, assessment scores, and supervisor sign-off. The compliance export is audit-ready for both Track 1 and Track 2.
HCBS waiver compatible
Implementation supports person-centered delivery models across waiver-funded programs. Documentation standards in Module 6 align to current HCBS Settings Rule requirements and CMS waiver audit protocols.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
The cost of doing nothing
Model your current annual turnover cost. National average DSP turnover is 43 to 50 percent. Some organizations report 70 percent or higher. The VantageIDD investment is a fraction of what one year of that costs.
18DSP exits per year
$90,000Annual turnover cost at $5,000/exit
$9,000Conservative 10% reduction after Year 1 VantageIDD
10×+Turnover cost versus VantageIDD investment
Assumes $5,000 average replacement cost per DSP exit (recruiting, onboarding, and productivity loss). Actual costs typically range $3,000 to $8,000+. Pricing on request.
GET STARTED
Ready to talk about your workforce?
Tell us about your organization and we will come prepared with the right track for your situation. No pitch. No product demo before we understand your need.
