New York Celebrates National Direct Support Professionals Week Se...

The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals is hosting hundreds of DSPs from across the US to hear from developmental disabilities industry stakeholders and each other

New York State is leading the nation in the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals E-badge Academy credentialing designed to elevate this skilled profession and to increase recruitment and retention of the vital staff who assist people with developmental disabilities

New York's successful #MoreThanWork recruitment campaign is helping to drive thousands to consider a career in direct support

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities announced today that the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals' (NADSP) Annual 'Elevate Conference' is being held in Buffalo, New York this week, September 8-10, at the Buffalo Convention Center. The conference coincides with National Direct Support Professionals Week, September 7-13, where direct support professionals are recognized and appreciated for the life-changing work they do.

New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Willow Baer said, "The direct support professionals, who help people with developmental disabilities reach their goals every day, are truly the backbone of the entire disability service system. NADSP has been a tremendous partner in New York's efforts to professionalize the role of a DSP and to provide a true career pathway for advancement. OPWDD is proud to be a national leader, frequently asked for advice on replicating the successful E-badge Academy model by other states. I could not be prouder of our DSPs and our providers for embracing this opportunity to enhance best practices and I wish everyone a productive conference and well-deserved celebration this DSP Week."

Direct Support Professionals provide daily support for people with developmental disabilities to live successfully throughout our communities. The theme of this year's three-day conference is "Elevate," and will focus on professional development, wages and benefits, staff appreciation and more for direct support professionals.

National Direct Support Professionals Week is celebrated in the first full week of September each year, allowing developmental disabilities providers, people being supported and family members to formally recognize DSPs for all that they do to support people to reach goals and participate fully in their communities. This year the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities is honoring 26 of its Direct Support Professionals who excel in state-run group homes, day habilitation, and other programs.

New York State, like others in the nation, grapples with recruitment and retention of this highly skilled workforce. Since 2022, the state has made more than $4 billion available to non-profit providers to support investments in the direct support workforce which include: nearly $1.5 billion in one-time federally-approved bonuses, nearly $1.4 billion through four consecutive cost-of-living increases that recognize inflationary pressures to primarily enhance wages and employee-related benefits, $850 million to fund the rate rebase investment for non-profit providers retroactive to July 2024, and over $360 million in State-funded bonus initiatives.

In a continuous effort to elevate the profession, New York State is a proud national leader of NADSP's E-badge Academy with more than 3,000 DSPs statewide having earned expanded credentials via electronic badges for each skill level accomplished.

Additionally, New York's SUNY system has partnered with OPWDD to develop a microcredential program for current DSPs to receive funds for college coursework while earning national certification from the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). Students have the opportunity to earn up to three distinct microcredentials and the related national certifications (DSP-I, DSP-II, and DSP-III) offered at 21 SUNY campuses. The program's funding was extended by Governor Hochul in 2024 with $32 million to support expansion to additional SUNY campuses through 2030.

The state also invested $27 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds in a three-year marketing and recruitment campaign to attract direct support workers to the field. The advertising campaign, #MoreThanWork" which has entered its second year, has driven more than 1.5 million potential applicants to a joint state and non-profit provider website to learn about job openings in their county and more than 70,000 to seek out opportunities at participating service providers.

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