What does 'advocacy' mean for Direct Support Professionals?

Advocacy in the context of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) fundamentally means supporting and empowering individuals with disabilities to speak for themselves and make their own choices. This includes helping them understand their rights, access necessary resources, and navigate systems that may impact their lives. Advocacy focuses on promoting self-determination and improving the quality of life for those individuals, ensuring that their voices and preferences are prioritized in decision-making processes.

The other options reflect roles and responsibilities that DSPs might engage in, but they do not capture the essence of advocacy. Managing decisions for individuals undermines their autonomy and self-advocacy, while providing financial advice or ensuring compliance with regulations does not directly address the empowerment aspect of advocacy. These tasks are important in their own right, but they lack the core goal of enhancing the agency and independence of individuals with disabilities, which is the hallmark of effective advocacy.