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Research and Training Center on Community Living Staff Member
Amy Hewitt, M.S.W., Ph.D.Training and Project DirectorAmy has an extensive background and work history in ID/DD. She has worked in various positions over the past 20 years including as a residential Program Director and Director of Training. She is currently the Director of Interdisciplinary Training and a Research Associate at the RTC/CL, directing several federal and state research, evaluation and demonstration projects in the area of direct support staff workforce development and community services. She is a founder and immediate Past Co-Chair of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals and is the Social Work Division President and a Board member for AAMR. She publishes and presents often on a variety of disability issues. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: ( hewit005@umn.edu)
Current Projects- CMS Direct Support Worker Technical Assistance
RTC staff will work with the Lewin Group to deliver technical assistance to the 10 grantees who received direct support workforce ... (More)
- College of Direct Support: National Online Training Program for Direct Support Professionals
The College of Direct Support (CDS) is a computer-assisted, competency-based, interactive multimedia training curriculum for direc... (More)
- Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) – Trends and Workforce Outcomes
This activity will study access people with ID/DD and their families have to consumer directed community supports (CDCS). It will... (More)
- Effective Interventions to Improve DSP Recruitment, Retention and Training Outcomes
This series of studies will document effective strategies to reduce turnover and improve recruitment of DSPs who support people wi... (More)
- Formative and Summative Evaluation of the College of Direct Support: The RTC/CL’s Web-Based Training System for DSPs and Frontline Supervisors
This study will provide both summative and formative research to measure the benefits, guide the development and inform the revisi... (More)
- The Illinois Direct Support Professional Workforce Initiative
This project is a three year workforce systems change initiative funded by The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICD... (More)
- Mobilizing for Change: Supporting the Frontline Workforce
This project is developing a national web-based training program for frontline supervisors in human service agencies to address is... (More)
- National Evaluation of Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (subcontract from the Lewin Group)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, regulation, and certification di... (More)
- National Training Institute for Frontline Supervisors
The National Training Institute For Frontline Supervisors and Technical Assistance Project (NTIFFS) is a three year grant program ... (More)
- Qualitative Case Study of Best Practices in Direct Support Staff Workforce Development
This project conducts two in-depth case studies of best practices in DSP workforce development in the United States each year. Cas... (More)
- Refining and Establishing Benchmarks for Workforce Instruments
This project will identify, refine, and establish benchmarks for tools that organizations can use to measure or improve DSP and FL... (More)
- Report to Congress on the Supply of Direct Support Professionals Serving Individuals with Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities
This project developed a draft of a Report to Congress on the supply and demand of direct support professionals needed to serve pe... (More)
- Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change
Funded by the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, this project i... (More)
- The Experiences of Direct Support Professionals during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Aftermath
In 2006, the University of Minnesota was asked to conduct a series of interviews and focus groups with staff from two programs of ... (More)
- Job analysis and validation of direct support professional and frontline supervisor competencies and training needs
This national study was conducted by the Research and Training Center on Community Living in collaboration with state agencies and... (More)
- Active Support Interventions and Their Effect on Increased Participation of Persons with Severe Impairments
Active Support (AS) is an organizational intervention to enable direct support professionals (DSPs) in community settings to effec... (More)
- Twin Cities and Zambia Disability Connection
This project partners with four local disability organizations (Arc Greater Twin Cities, Fraser, St. David's Child Development and... (More)
- National Direct Support Workforce Resource Center
This project brings together in one place the nation's premier resources on the topic of Direct Support, with the goal of improvin... (More)
- Recommendations for Minnesota's Personal Care Assistant Program
This project makes recommendations for Minnesota's personal care assistant services on specific component of the PCA program such ... (More)
Author, Contributor or Editor for the following Publications & Products
| • | Reviews of the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Programs in Six States - These reports summarize findings and observations of site visits to six states between February and
August, 2000 to view and discuss with key state officials, service providers, program participants and
others the implementation, outcomes and challenges of each state’s Medicaid Home and Community-
Based Services (HCBS) “waiver” program. The six states were chosen based on an array of statistical
data on state HCBS programs to reflect the full range of “development.” (2000)
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 | Frontline Initiative - Newsletter for the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP).| • | Premier Issue (PDF) - Volume 1, Number 1 (1996); File Size: 133 KB |
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| • | Minnesota Waiver Report - An independent evaluation of the quality of services and system performance of Minnesota's Medicaid home and community based services for persons with mental retardation and related conditions. (2000)
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| • | National Validation Study of Competencies For Frontline Supervisors and Direct Support Professionals - This study examined organizational workforce outcomes; characteristics of and differences between managers, Frontline Supervisors (FLS) and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs); and workplace competencies, training needs, and timing of training for FLS and DSPs. Using survey methodologies, the study validated nationally the results of two comprehensive Minnesota analyses of competencies needed by DSPs and FLS, extending the existing analyses by sampling direct support professionals (DSPs), first-line supervisors (FLS) and managers in 77 agencies in five states. (2007)
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| • | Final Report: National Training Institute For Frontline Supervisors and Technical Assistance Project (PDF) - This project was designed to refine, test and deliver a National Training Institute for Frontline Supervisors using a "Train-the-Trainer" model and a distributed learning, technical assistance and consulting model to assist community human service employers, families and consumers from across the country to recruit, retain, and train direct support professionals and Frontline Supervisors. (2007); File Size: 97 KB
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| • | Evaluation Of Case Management Model Hennepin County Developmental Disabilities Program (PDF) - This report is an evaluation of the newly implemented model for case management services for persons with developmental disabilities. It addresses the following issues, and includes a comparison of the newly implemented model with previous practices and best or alternative practice from literature reviews: 1. How does the new case management model support and encourage client choice and control? 2. How does the new model address county responsibilities? 3. Does the county have any exposures or vulnerabilities under the new model? 4. How does the new model address responsiveness to clients? 5. Will the new model allow the county to meet the needs of growing numbers of clients with fixed case management resources? 6. Will the new model be effective in assuring client health and safety considerations? The report is based in part on information gathered through focus groups with all case managers and supervisors, a survey of all case managers and supervisors, and interviews with a selected number of consumers. (2005); File Size: 361 KB
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| • | Recommendations for Minnesota’s Personal Care Assistance Program - In 2008, the Minnesota Department of Human Services hired The Lewin Group, and its subcontractor the University of
Minnesota’s Research and Training Center on Community Living, to conduct a study of its
Personal Care Assistance program under its Medical Assistance State Plan, and to offer
recommendations to DHS to strengthen the infrastructure and improve the integrity of PCA
program services in Minnesota. The following are a series of reports produced by this project. (2009)
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| • | Find, Choose and Keep Great Direct Support Professionals - The Illinois Direct Support Professional Workforce Initiative has created two versions (family and individual) of a toolkit designed to provide easy-to-use tips and strategies to help people to find, choose and keep high quality Direct Support Professionals. Anyone can download a copy of either or both versions of "Find, Choose, and Keep Great Direct Support Professionals FREE using the links below: (2007)
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| • | Agency Plan Hints and Sample (PDF) - Agency Plan Hints and Sample is a tool to use when completing your agency plans. We have also included a sample plan in this docment for review. It will help you think about many of the things you need to include or at least think about when preparing your specific agency plan.; File Size: 40 KB
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 | The Minnesota Frontline Supervisor Competencies and Performance Indicators (PDF) - The purpose of the Frontline Supervisor Competencies and Performance
Indicators project was to identify those competencies required of frontline
supervisors providing community support services to people with developmental
disabilities in order to foster the development and implementation of excellence
in service provision. (1998); File Size: 328 KB
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| • | Realistic Job Preview Overview (PDF) - Realistic Job Previews (RJP) are any method an agency or business uses to help prospective employees get a balanced picture of the positive and negative aspects of the work they will be doing and the organizational climate, prior to the offer of a position. This overview compares various RJP methods.; File Size: 28 KB
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| • | Removing the Revolving Door: Strategies to Address Recruitment and Retention Challenges - A curriculum targeting frontline supervisors and managers regarding the use of effective recruitment, retention, and training strategies. (2001)
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| • | The Peer Empowerment Program (PEP): A Complete Toolkit for Planning and Implementing Mentoring Programs Within Community-Based Human Services Organizations - A curriculum designed to create a mentoring program in community-based human service organizations. (2001)
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| • | The Power of Diversity: Supporting the Immigrant Workforce - A curriculum to assist supervisors and other agency staff find, support, and retain immigrant workers which includes a Facilitator Guide and a Learner Guide. (2001)
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| • | Quality Mall - Quality Mall is a web site that gathers and disseminates information related to or useful in promoting the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. It especially focuses on promising person-centered practices and innovations.
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| • | College of Frontline Supervision and Management - The College of Frontline Supervision (CFS) is an online multimedia training resource focusing on the topics of how to recruit, train, and retain high quality direct support professionals.
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 | College of Direct Support - The College of Direct Support (CDS) is a computer-assisted, competency-based, interactive multimedia training curriculum for direct support professionals in community settings.
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Offline Publications
Books and MonographsHewitt, A., & O'Nell, S. (1999). With a little help from my friends: A series on contemporary supports to people with mental retardation. Washington, DC: President's Committee on Mental Retardation.
Larson, S.A., & Hewitt, A. (in preparation). (in preparation). Staff recruitment, retention and training: Strategies for community human service agencies. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
Journal ArticlesHewitt, A. (2001). The crisis in the direct support professional workforce: Finding, keeping and training DSPs. Exceptional Parent Magazine, 31(8), 12-14, 22-24.
Hewitt, A. (2001). Educational Opportunities for Direct Support Professionals. Exceptional Parent Magazine, 31(8), 48-50.
Hewitt, A., Larson, S., Lakin, C., Sauer, J., & Sedlezky, L. (submitted). The Roles and Essential Competencies of the Frontline Supervisors of Direct Support Professionals in Community Services. Mental Retardation.
Larson, S. A., Hewitt, A., & Anderson, L. L. (1999). Staff recruitment challenges and interventions in agencies supporting people with developmental disabilities. Mental Retardation, 37, 36-46.
Test, D., Flowers, C., Hewitt, A., & Solow, J. (in press). Training Needs of Direct Support Professionals. Manuscript submitted to Mental Retardation.
Test, D., Flowers, C., Hewitt, A., & Solow, J. (in press). A Statewide survey of the direct support workforce. Mental Retardation.
Book ChaptersLakin, K. C., Hewitt, A., Bast, J., O’Nell, S., & Sajevic, P. (1998). A demonstration to test performance-based outcome measures as a foundation to a quality assurance/quality enhancement system. In J. Gardner (Ed.), Outcome-based performance measurement in disability services. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Larson, S. A., Lakin, K. C., & Hewitt, A. (2002). Embarking on a new century for direct care professionals: 1975 to 2000 and beyond. In D. Croser, P. Baker, & R. Schalock (Ed.), A century of concern (rev. ed.). Washington, DC: American association on Mental Retardation.
Larson, S. A., Lakin, K. C., & Hewitt, A. (In Press). Direct support professionals: 1975-2000. In D. Croser, P. Paker, & R. Schalock (Eds.), Embarking on a New Century. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
Larson, S. A., O’Nell, S., & Sauer, J. (Submitted). What is this job all about? Using realistic job previews in the hiring process. In S. A. Larson & A. S. Hewitt (Eds.). Staff recruitment, retention and training: Removing the revolving door. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Co.
Larson, S.A., & Hewitt, A. S. (Submitted). Recruiting direct support professionals. In S. A. Larson & A. S. Hewitt (Eds.). Staff recruitment, retention and training: Removing the revolving door. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Technical ReportsHewitt, A., & Larson, S. (2000). Recruitment, retention and training: a resource for supervisors and managers of community support agencies. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Hewitt, A., Larson, S., Sauer, J., & O'Nell, S. (1998). Values and visions for Minnesotans with disabilities. University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Hewitt, A., Larson, S., Sauer, J., & O'Nell, S. (1998). Training trainers towards excellence. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Hewitt, A., Larson, S., Sauer, J., Anderson, L., & O’Nell, S. (2001). Partnerships for Success: Retaining Incumbent Community Support Human Service Workers by Upgrading their Skills and Strengthening Partnerships among Workforce Centers, Educational Programs, and Private Businesses. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota: Research and Training Center, Institute on Community Integration.
Hewitt, A., O'Nell, S., Lei, N., Sauer, J., & Larson, S. (2000). Supporting an immigrant workforce: a resource for supervisors and managers of community support services for people with disabilities. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Hewitt, A., O'Nell, S., Smith, J., Bast, J., Larson, S., & Lakin, K. C. (1998). An evaluation of alternative methods to assure and enhance the quality of long-term care services for persons with developmental disabilities through performance based contracts. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Larson, S. A., Sauer, J., Hewitt, A., O’Nell, S., & Sedlezky, L. (1998). SOS training and technical assistance project for direct support professionals, trainers and frontline supervisors: Final Report. Minneapolis: Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota.
Larson, S., Hewitt, A., Anderson, L., Sauer, J., and O’Nell, S. (2000). Minnesota review and Analysis of Trends in Agency Maltreatment Reports. Minneapolis: Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development.
Taylor, M., Hewitt, A., Silver, J., O'Nell, S., & Sauer, J. (2000). Peer mentoring: a resource for supervisors and managers of community support agencies. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
Taylor, M., Hewitt, A., Silver, J., VanGelder, M., & Hoff, D. (1998). Career pathmaker: A toolkit for entering careers in human services and health care. Cambridge, MA: Human Services Research Institute.
Training CurriculaHewitt, A., O'Nell, S., & Scaletta, K. (2000). Friends, Neighbors and Co-workers, Version 2 (multimedia interactive CD ROM). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
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