New York will provide more than $ 1.5 billion in funding to support recruitment efforts, retention incentives, and vaccination bonuses for direct support professionals serving people with developmental disabilities in an effort to address handicap shortages. of work in this field, said Governor Kathy Hochul last Thursday.
Direct Support Professionals who provide support for people with developmental disabilities are the definition of the word essential.
This funding paves the way for bonuses, incentives, and one-time pay raises for this hardworking and dedicated workforce. https://t.co/cQXsac4ZFI
— NYS Department of Labor (@NYSLabor) November 21, 2021
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The funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act and are managed by the New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
As approved, the OPWDD plan earmarked most of the funds for workforce initiatives, including payments to provide bonuses to DSPs and family care providers. OPWDD plans to invest ARPA’s one-time funding in workforce enhancements and incentives, including:
- A “Heroes Fund” that will provide incentive payments to those DSPs who worked during the unprecedented pandemic with additional payments for those who received the COVID vaccine.
- Retention and longevity bonuses will mean additional investments in the workforce by rewarding longevity and providing additional bonuses to staff who remain in the DSP workforce.
- Long-term recruitment and retention strategies to be developed and tested with funding for projects that address long-term workforce stability. The funds will be available to incentivize accreditation and other strategies that develop the skills and competence of the DSP workforce and front-line supervisors.
New York State presented his initial draft of the plan spending to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to obtain the enhanced federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on July 8, 2021. CMS has provided partial plan approval regarding the workforce.
At this time, these disbursements are only available to family care providers and direct support workers who are employed by volunteer service providers, including staff providing services under the self-directed program. Discussions continue about state-employed direct support workers.
“Direct support professionals provided essential support to people with developmental disabilities during the pandemic when we needed it most, despite the risk to them and their own families,” said Gov. Hochul. “We owe these workers a debt of gratitude and funding the plan paves the way for one-time bonuses, incentives and pay increases to help these loyal and dedicated workers continue to do what they love most, supporting people with disabilities in the world. developing”.
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