What does it really take to build services that last—not just through the next budget cycle, but for the next decade?

In this conversation, host Nate Beers sits down with Tim Sohosky from RCPA to talk about the long game in disability services: how change actually happens, why efficiency alone isn’t enough, and what leaders need to pay attention to now if they want their organizations—and their people—to thrive long-term. This is Part 2 of their conversation.

They explore:

• How advocacy moves from frustration to real system change
• Why outcomes matter more than ever (and what we’re measuring wrong)
• The hidden strain leaders feel when innovation collides with regulation
• What sustainable leadership looks like five to ten years out
• How building a bench of future leaders protects everything you’re working toward

This episode isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about perspective, patience, and making decisions today that future leaders—and the people you support—will thank you for.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Why leadership isolation is a real challenge in this field
01:03 – Why hearing what other providers face actually matters
02:36 – How RCPA collaborates with other associations
06:34 – How a single provider concern becomes an advocacy priority
09:32 – Why advocacy takes time—and why it still matters
10:23 – The constant tension between efficiency and regulation
14:59 – Why outcomes matter more than incident-free care
20:32 – Innovations that are actually helping providers right now
26:07 – Building future leaders before you need them
32:24 – Looking 5–10 years ahead: risks, opportunities, and the long game
36:34 – Final reflections on leadership and sustainability

Learn more about RCPA:
👉 https://www.rcpa.org

Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff turnover? I know how it feels... Most supervisors were never trained to lead. Get The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams and learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast. https://iddleader.com/burnout

In today’s episode, podcast host, Nate Beers, sits down with Tim Sohosky, IDD Director at RCPA (Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association), to uncover one of the most overlooked advantages available to leaders in the IDD field: your provider association.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re leading in isolation, drowning in vacancies, or constantly reacting to new regulations—you’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep going solo. Tim shares insider insights on how high-performing leaders stay ahead of staffing challenges, influence policy before it hits their agencies, and tap into resources that make their jobs easier (and their teams stronger).

This is part one of a two-part conversation loaded with practical wisdom and real-world leadership moves you can use immediately.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:
RCPA Website: https://www.rcpa.org

“7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams” (Free PDF): https://iddleader.com/burnout

00:00 – The surprising truth: some agencies are winning the staffing battle
01:10 – Nate’s “doorstop” story and the theme of overlooked resources
03:09 – If you became CEO today: Tim’s first 3 moves to stabilize staffing
07:22 – Tim’s background from DSP to COO to statewide association leader
11:04 – What provider associations actually do (and why leaders need them)
15:27 – Managed care, performance-based contracting, and how leaders can stay ahead
18:54 – Biggest lessons learned from PA’s rollout—and what leaders in other states should do now
23:37 – Why some organizations thrive while others drown (and the leadership behaviors that set them apart)
30:05 – Game-changing recruitment strategies and the power of authentic communication
34:48 – Why formal DSP recognition matters (and how legislation could reshape the field)
35:55 – Nate’s Action Move: Why leaders must ask for help (and where to start)

Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff turnover? I know how it feels... Most supervisors were never trained to lead. Get The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams and learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast. https://iddleader.com/burnout

Supervisors rarely intend to burn out their teams—but the early warning signs are easy to miss until turnover, drama, and exhaustion take over. In today’s episode, Nate breaks down The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams and what agency leaders can do to stop the cycle.

These subtle patterns show up long before resignations do—and once you see them, you can’t unsee them. Most importantly: they are fixable with better coaching, clearer expectations, and healthier leadership habits.

If your teams feel stretched thin, inconsistent, or stuck in “burn-over,” this episode will help you quickly diagnose what’s happening underneath the surface.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Why burnout isn’t an individual weakness
01:08 – Holiday story & how unclear norms fuel staff burnout
08:18 – Danger Sign #1: Staff learn expectations through gossip
10:13 – Danger Sign #2: Supervisors go days without 1:1 connection
12:37 – Danger Sign #3: New staff hardly see their supervisor in the first 72 hours
14:03 – Danger Sign #4: Supervisors say they’re “too busy” to coach
16:27 – Danger Sign #5: Supervisors avoid conflict until it explodes
20:16 – Danger Sign #6: Supervisors celebrate completion, not progress
23:22 – Danger Sign #7: Supervisors assume burnout is personal resilience—not workload or leadership
27:02 – Action moves & free resource: The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Tool

Download the free tool: https://iddleader.com/burnout
Learn about the Leadership Lab: https://iddleader.com/leadership

Referenced Episode
Episode 35 – "The 3-Sentence Script for Any Tough Employee Conversation"

Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff turnover? I know how it feels... Most supervisors were never trained to lead. Get The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams and learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast. https://iddleader.com/burnout

If you’ve ever felt trapped in the cycle of high vacancy and high turnover, this episode will feel like oxygen.

In Part 2 of my interview with Joe Macbeth and Dan Hermreck of NADSP, we dig into the data, the myths, and the practical steps that are actually helping agencies go from 40% turnover to 10% turnover — with DSP credentialed staff.

If you lead an IDD provider agency, this is essential listening.
If you care about building a more stable, skilled, and respected DSP workforce… even more so.


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Why the industry treats 40% turnover as “normal”
03:07 - The hidden cost of relying on intuition instead of competency
07:22 - What agencies with 10% DSP turnover do differently
11:48 - Why credentialing changes culture — not just résumés
15:09 - What states are finally recognizing about DSP skills
18:41 - The fight for fair DSP classification (and why it matters)
22:14 - How frontline supervisor credentialing could change everything
26:55 - What leaders must challenge if they want real retention

Links & Resources

Learn more about NADSP’s E-Badge Academy:
https://nadsp.org/services/the-nadsp-e-badge-academy/

Get “The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams”
Learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast.
https://iddleader.com/burnout

Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff turnover? I know how it feels... Most supervisors were never trained to lead. Get The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams and learn how high-retention agencies spot — and fix — these issues fast. https://iddleader.com/burnout

“Born” in the Oval Office? Yes—NADSP’s origin story is wilder than you think.
In this episode, Joe Macbeth and Dan Hermrick from the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals join Nate to unpack the surprising beginnings of NADSP, the national movement they’ve sparked, and why DSP credentialing is becoming one of the most effective tools for solving turnover and elevating the profession.

We talk about the Pope, policy, real outcomes, and what provider leaders need to know right now to build a more stable, high-quality workforce.

SHOW NOTES
00:00 - Intro
02:43 - The Pope story — and what it reveals about DSP competence
08:27 - Introductions: Joe & Dan and NADSP’s mission
10:32 - “Born in the Oval Office”: The surprising founding story
17:16 - What the e-Badge Academy actually is and how it works
27:41 - What changes when DSPs become credentialed

🔗 Helpful Links

Learn more about the NADSP E-Badge Academy:
https://nadsp.org/services/the-nadsp-e-badge-academy/

Ready to level up your team's leadership? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/supervisor

Wages up. Turnover down. Still not enough.

In Part 1, we looked at the progress: DSP wages are rising, and turnover is finally trending down. But in this episode, we explore what’s driving the next wave of change—and the new rules that could reshape DSP pay, policy, and funding for years to come.

I’m joined again by Laura Vegas (NASDDDS) and Dorothy Hiersteiner (HSRI), who oversee the National Core Indicators State of the Workforce Survey—the nation’s most comprehensive data set on DSP wages and stability. Together, we dig into the major shifts happening right now at the federal and state levels—and what they mean for provider agencies and state leaders on the ground.

In this episode, we cover:
• What the new CMS “80% rule” means for DSP wages and rate setting
• How states are using workforce data to push for funding and reform
• The growing link between training, credentialing, and pay
• Why provider participation in data collection is more important than ever
• Real examples of states turning data into lasting workforce change

Whether you’re a provider leader, a policy director, or anyone who cares about the future of this workforce, this episode helps you connect the dots between policy, funding, and the people who make services possible.

Explore the data and organizations mentioned:
➡️ NASDDDS → https://www.nasddds.org/
➡️ HSRI → https://www.hsri.org/
➡️ NCI Staff Stability Survey → https://idd.nationalcoreindicators.org/staff-providers/

Show Notes / Timestamps

00:00 – How lawmakers are using NCI workforce data to shape bills
00:56 – Episode setup: why this conversation matters for providers
02:30 – What the new CMS “Access Rule” really means
06:18 – What providers should be tracking now to prepare
06:48 – Linking funding to training, credentialing, and outcomes
10:30 – Statewide training platforms and portability for DSPs
13:33 – How states are using workforce data to drive advocacy
17:21 – What’s keeping state DD leaders up at night
21:44 – Why better pay and career paths could change everything
23:12 – How provider participation in surveys influences federal policy
27:12 – Why small and mid-sized providers need to be represented in data
28:10 – Finding and learning from positive outlier agencies
32:05 – How NCI data sparks innovation across states
32:36 – Where to find the data and connect with NASDDDS and HSRI
34:34 – Closing reflections and next steps

Ready to level up your team's leadership? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/supervisor

Are DSP wages finally improving—or are we still far from solving the workforce crisis?

In this episode, Laura Vegas (NASDDDS) and Dorothy Hiersteiner (HSRI) unpack what the National Core Indicators State of the Workforce Survey reveals about turnover, tenure, and wages across the country—and what that means for your organization.

Explore more:
NASDDDS → nasddds.org

NCI Staff Stability Survey → idd.nationalcoreindicators.org/staff-providers

Ready to level up your team's leadership? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/supervisor

What really keeps people in disability services?

In this episode, the leadership team from CHI Friendship shares how they’ve reimagined staff retention—not through higher pay or perks, but through purpose, inclusion, and genuine connection.

They talk about the culture shifts that made the biggest difference: listening to staff, inviting people supported into the process, and leading with consistent positivity. The result? A stronger, more stable workforce—and a culture people actually want to be part of.

If you’re a leader trying to reduce turnover and reignite purpose on your team, this episode is for you.

Learn more:
https://chifriendship.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CHIFriendship/

Ready to level up your team's leadership? I've got a free playbook for you: The Turnover Fix Playbook: 4 Simple Supervisor Habits that Reduce DSP Turnover Fast. Get your free copy at www.iddleader.com/supervisor