NY makes $10 million available to boost opportunities for direct support staff
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities has entered into a $10 million partnership with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals to expand opportunities for professional credentialing for direct support professionals in the developmental disabilities field throughout New York State.
The three-year agreement will help professionalize the direct support professional workforce and address worker shortages.
“Workforce shortages are putting a tremendous strain on our dedicated direct service professionals, and in response New York is taking action to provide career advancement and growth opportunities in this crucial field,” Hochul said. “This $10 million partnership to expand credentialing will prove critical in providing support for training, education and expanded recruitment and retention efforts – an important step in meeting the needs of New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.”
OPWDD’s partnership with the National Alliance will provide access to three levels of direct support professionals credentialing and its frontline supervisor certification through participation in its E-Badge Academy. The project is supported by federal funds OPWDD is receiving through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The National Alliance credential is competency-based and modeled on the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services’ Direct Service Workforce Core Competencies and the National Alliance Code of Ethics.
Founded in 1996, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals’ mission is to enhance the quality of support provided to people with disabilities through the provision of products, services and certifications which elevate the status of direct support workers. The organization strongly promotes recognition and identity of direct support professionals to spur meaningful public policy investments, while also advancing the knowledge, skills, and values of this occupation.
In the coming weeks, the National Alliance will release a request for proposals for eligible home and community-based service provider organizations to participate in the grant and claim seats in the E-badge Academy for staff. The National Alliance will provide credentialing or certification for about 2,442 direct service professionals and frontline supervisors over the length of the three-year contract.
The project will provide bonuses for participating direct service professionals. In addition, the project will reimburse employers for training hours undertaken by their staff.
OPWDD’s plans for all of its ARPA funds can be found by clicking here.
“Expanding access to this industry-recognized credential will improve the competence and skills of our workforce and ultimately increase retention rates,” said Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kerri Neifeld. “It will provide our dedicated frontline staff who have been working tirelessly to meet the needs of New Yorkers with developmental disabilities under tremendous pressure the professional advancement and career opportunities they so well deserve. And, most importantly, it will help to ensure that thousands of New Yorkers those who need caring, expert direct service professionals to show up every day ready to meet their needs will receive the services they need to pursue their personal best and live their most fulfilling lives.”
