Issue:
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are essential workers who provide daily care, services and supports to people with intellectual and developmentally disabilities (I/DD) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Caring for people with complex needs is a rewarding yet challenging job, which requires ongoing training, high-level of responsibility, and skill.
This workforce shows exemplary strength through good times and bad, and demonstrates their ardent commitment to the people they support every day. These are not just jobs; they are careers and must be treated as such.
Nonprofit provider agencies funded by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) employ nearly 100,000 DSPs, and deliver 85 percent of the needed services to approximately 140,000 people with I/DD in New York State. Almost all funding for these agencies comes from the government.
Statewide reimbursement for voluntary sector DSP salaries has increased only very modestly over the past decade, but still puts starting wages at or barely over minimum wage. By contrast, DSPs in state-operated programs receive consistent step increases year after year, with the current wage nearly 35% higher than the voluntary sector. Many of our most knowledgeable DSPs are being lost to higher-paying entry-level job sectors, which continue to increase their hourly wages.
Compared to other New York employers, average annual nonprofit wages were nearly 24% lower than in the private sector and nearly 14% lower than the public sector in 2022.1 Moreover, nonprofit providers supporting people with I/DD are tracking far worse compared to the average state nonprofit wages. The contributions, ingenuity, and dedication of our workforce are immeasurable. We cannot afford to lose their skills and insight. However, the federal government and New York state struggle to acknowledge their contributions.
Without adequate funding, I/DD providers cannot offer competitive wages to recruit and retain the skilled direct support staff that provide the foundation of care for New Yorkers with I/DD. Without immediate action, this crisis will continue to force service reductions, program closures, and loss of supports for people with I/DD throughout the state. With approximately 5,000 to 7,000 people on waitlists for supports and services, resolving the workforce crisis is pivotal in order to fully address the needs of New Yorkers with I/DD.
It is absolutely critical that we secure the funding necessary to pay our DSPs a wage commensurate with their ability, experience, and performance. We have already seen valuable DSPs leave the field due to the hardship they face. If we do not act, many years of progress toward community integration, choice, and deinstitutionalization for people with I/DD will be lost. DSPs are our front-line essential workers and deserve more.
Cost increases related to mandated fringe benefits, repairs and maintenance, utilities, food, supplies, transportation, and insurance have resulted in significant financial pressures. Non-Profit provider agencies are solely funded through Medicaid and are thus unable to increase reimbursement for services to compensate for increased costs of operations.
In addition to the program closures, a survey conducted by New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) during 2024 found that:
- Average statewide non-profit provider workforce turnover rate is 31%
- Turnover costs for non-profit providers have risen to more than $100 million annually
- Average statewide staff vacancies for voluntary, non-profit providers totals nearly 20,000 unfilled positions
- Average statewide starting wage for DSPs on average is $16.74, only 7% above minimum wage, compared to DSPs employed by NYS, who earn $23.75 on average – that is a 47% difference in starting wages for the same exact position
- All of the above exacerbates an already long waitlist for people that need services
We are no longer talking about a future crisis, the crisis is now!
Call to Action: Address the Critical Workforce Shortage
We call on the governor and legislature to support people with I/DD in the FY26 NYS budget by:
Increasing Medicaid rates
- We need our legislators’ support for a 7.8% Medicaid rate increase that truly reflects thecost of care.
- Medicaid rates go beyond just addressing wages. Rates for programs and services areall-inclusive and support the whole person. This means that every aspect of care, including direct support providers, housing, food, transportation, and more, receives necessary resources.
Provide Adequate/Necessary Wages for Human Services Workers
- Legislators should call on the Governor to convene a Commission to study andaddress wage inadequacy for human service workers, including direct support professionals.
- The creation of a Human Services Wage Commission is essential for our industry becausewe are struggling with high turnover rates and staffing shortages, making it difficult to operate effectively and meet the needs of those we support.
Provide Capital Funding to Ensure Quality Care
- Provider agencies supporting the intellectual and developmental disabilities community canbe part of the state’s solution to meeting its ambitious climate goals but are in desperate need of upkeep and modernization.
- The best way to achieve this is to incentivize projects that support the state’s climate goalsand ensure adequate funding. We can create energy-efficient facilities that ensure long-term cost savingsIn addition, we propose the state and federal government to:
- Create a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC): Direct Support Professionals are not designated with their own SOC by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as a result, DSP wage and occupation data is not accurately captured. This diminishes the true impact of the workforce crisis, hinders opportunities for professional advancement, certifications, and the pursuit of a life-long career. We must acknowledge that DSPs deserve a path forward and people with I/DD deserve a passionate advocate at their side daily.
-
- We support (S. 1332/H.R. 2941) Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act, to accomplish this goal
- Create and Fund a Permanent Joint Credential and Career Ladder Program for DSPs: The state must implement a multi-tiered credential program for DSPs with a hybrid model of on-line, classroom and work-based learning tied to increased pay for people completing each tier of the credential. By doing so, the state will be able to increase DSP tenure, job satisfaction and provide a clear career path for DSPs in the voluntary sector. In addition, the state must implement a statewide Career Ladder Program, which will provide a pathway to an associate’s degree in the human services field for those DSPs who have participated in the credentialing program and offer it at no cost to the participants. The program must provide job-specific higher education and career development to frontline workers in health, education, and human service occupations.
The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
