#aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#accb  ,,an ,,act  ,to require the      
,office of ,management and ,budget to   
consider revising the ,standard         
,occupational ,classification system to 
establish a separate code for direct    
support professionals1 and for other    
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,recognizing the    
,role of ,direct ,support ,professionals
 ,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds   
the following3 7#a7 ,direct support     
professionals play a critical role in   
the care provided to individuals with   
intellectual and developmental          
disabilities by providing a wide range  
of supportive services on a day-to-day  
basis to promote independence1          
including-- 7,a7 enhancing independence 
and community inclusion of these        
individuals1 including through travel   
and recreation1 visiting friends and    
family1 shopping1 or socializing2  7,b7 
coaching and supporting individuals in  
communicating needs1 achieving          

self-expression1 pursuing personal      
goals1 living independently1 and        
participating actively in employment or 
voluntary roles in the community2  7,c7 
providing assistance with activities of 
independent daily living 7such as       
feeding1 bathing1 toileting1 and        
ambulation7 and with tasks such as meal 
preparation1 shopping1 light            
housekeeping1 laundry1 and home         
management2 or  7,d7 supporting         
individuals at home1 work1 school1 or   
any other community setting4  7#b7      
,through the support of direct support  
professionals1 individuals are able to  
lead self-directed lives within their   
own communities4  7#c7 ,providers of    
home- and community-based services are  
experiencing difficulty hiring and      
retaining direct support professionals1 
with a national turnover rate of #dc    
percent1 as identified in a #bjba study 
by the ,national ,core ,indicators1 and 
full-time vacancy rates increasing by   
#id percent between #bjai and #bjba4    

7#d7 ,high turnover rates can lead to   
instability for individuals receiving   
services1 and this may result in        
individuals not receiving enough        
personalized care to help them reach    
their goals for independent living4     
7#e7 ,a discrete occupational category  
for direct support professionals will   
help ,states and the ,federal           
,government-- 7,a7 better interpret the 
shortage in the labor market of direct  
support professionals2 and  7,b7 collect
 data on the high turnover rate of      
direct support professionals4  7#f7 ,the
 ,standard ,occupational ,classification
 system is designed and maintained      
solely for statistical purposes1 and is 
used by ,federal statistical agencies to
 classify workers and jobs into         
occupational categories for the purpose 
of collecting1 calculating1 analyzing1  
or disseminating data4  7#g7            
,occupations in the ,standard           
,occupational ,classification system are
 classified based on work performed and1

 in some cases1 on the skills1          
education1 or training needed to perform
 the work4  7#h7 ,establishing a        
discrete occupational category for      
direct support professionals will-- 7,a7
 correct an inaccurate representation in
 the ,standard ,occupational            
,classification system2  7,b7 recognize 
these professionals for the critical and
 often overlooked work that they perform
 for the disabled community1 which work 
is different than the work of a home    
health aide or a personal care aide2 and
  7,c7 better align the ,standard       
,occupational ,classification system    
with related classification systems4    
#c4 ,revision of standard occupational  
classification system ,the ,director of 
the ,office of ,management and ,budget  
shall1 as part of the first revision of 
the ,standard ,occupational             
,classification system occurring after  
the date of enactment of this ,act1     
consider revising the ,standard         
,occupational ,classification system to 

establish a separate code for direct    
support professionals as a healthcare   
support occupation4  #d4 ,report to     
,congress ,if1 after carrying out       
section #c1 the ,director of the ,office
 of ,management and ,budget decides not 
to establish a separate code for direct 
support professionals in the ,standard  
,occupational ,classification system1   
the ,director shall1 by not later than  
#cj days after the first revision of the
 ,standard ,occupational ,classification
 system occurring after the date of     
enactment of this ,act1 submit a report 
to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security
 and ,governmental ,affairs of the      
,senate and the ,committee on ,education
 and the ,workforce of the ,house of    
,representatives explaining the ,office 
of ,management and ,budget's decision4  
#e4 ,no new funds ,no additional funds  
are authorized to be appropriated to    
carry out this ,act4  ,passed the       
,senate ,march #bj1 #bjbd4,secretary