Staff Qualification and Training Requirements

Direct Support Persons

Agency staff that spend more than 20% of their time providing direct support to people with developmental disabilities must meet certain qualifications and complete a DHS-approved Direct Support Person (DSP) training program. 

• What qualifications are needed to be a DSP?
• What additional qualifications and training are needed by a DSP to administer medications?
• What if the person hired as a DSP is already a CNA, LPN or RN?
• What if the person you hired as a DSP is a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional?
• What if the person hired as a DSP has been trained as a DSP and is on the Health Care Worker Registry as a DD Aide, but has not worked as a DSP for 2 or more years?

Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals

Agency staff that seek to function as a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) in the Illinois developmental disabilities service system must meet the federal and state requirements for education and experience. QIDP credentials must be reviewed by the DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities.  If credentials qualify as a QIDP, the name is added to the state QIDP-Eligible database. QIDPs must then complete a DHS-approved QIDP training program.

• What is a QIDP and How Do I Become One?
• QIDP Training Requirements

Note:  ICFs/DD are not required to add their QIDPs to the state QIDP-Eligible database or provide 40 hours of state-approved QIDP training.