"What’s the difference between a direct service worker, a direct care worker, a direct support worker, and a direct support professional?"
All those terms (and more) are used by various groups to describe individuals who provide direct care and personal assistance to individuals with disabilities and older adults.
The "direct service workforce" is a broad and inclusive phrase that encompasses all the individuals who provide hands-on supports and services to individuals with different types of disabilities of all ages. Our website includes materials that use a variety of terms that describe individuals in this workforce, including direct service worker, direct support professional, frontline worker, personal care attendant, personal assistance provider, home care aide, direct care worker, and individual provider. The mission of the DSW Resource Center is to assist in improving and strengthening all segments of the home and community-based workforce, regardless of the title they use or the populations they serve.