ADVOCACY GOAL 3

United with NYDA: Championing Equitable Pay for Those Who Support our IDD Community

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are essential to dignity, safety, and independence—but low pay and rising costs make it hard to hire and keep them. We stand with NYDA to invest in fair wages, housing, childcare, and agency infrastructure—so people with IDD get the consistent support they deserve.

The Current Situation:

From 2020–2025, IDD non‑profit agencies received only a 15.8% inflationary increase while overall costs surged.
4 out of 5 DSPs earn under $20/hour, below a living wage in many communities.
Half of DSPs face food and housing insecurity.
High vacancies leave many people with IDD unserved or under‑served.
Agencies struggle to maintain housing, vocational, therapeutic, and community programs due to underfunding and rising costs.

Our Proposal – Workforce Investments

A comprehensive package to make DSP roles competitive and sustainable—and to shore up the provider system people rely on.

Key elements:

Targeted 2.7% inflationary increase to core services.
CareForce Affordability Initiatives to reduce cost burdens for workers.
Affordable housing preference and employer‑assisted housing matching grants for DSPs.
SONYMA CareForce down‑payment assistance and interest‑rate reductions.
Infrastructure & Care System Investment, including expanding Prior Property Approval (PPA) and a capital demonstration program for innovative service models.
Increase Residential Reserve for Replacement (RRR) to $2,500 per resident upstate and $3,000 in NYC/Long Island to maintain safe homes.

Fair pay and practical supports keep DSPs in the field—so people with IDD have dependable care.

How it Works

Housing Support: Grants and down‑payment assistance help DSPs secure stable housing.
Childcare Expansion: Capital for childcare centers and an expanded NYS Child Tax Credit to ease family costs.
Healthcare Support: $2,500 per employee allocation to offset rising health care costs.
Capital Investments: Maintain and upgrade housing and service infrastructure to ensure continuity of care.

Expected Results

Fair, competitive wages for DSPs.
Improved access to housing and childcare for the workforce.
Stronger agency infrastructure to deliver quality services.
Better quality of care for people with IDD.
Reduced turnover and burnout.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why focus on DSP pay and supports now?

Vacancies are high and many DSPs earn under $20/hour, with about half facing food or housing insecurity, driving turnover that harms continuity of care.

How do housing and childcare investments help?

They reduce cost pressures and make it feasible to stay in this career, improving retention and service stability.

What is the Residential Reserve for Replacement (RRR)?

A set‑aside to maintain homes for people with IDD; the proposal increases RRR to $2,500 per resident upstate and $3,000 in NYC/Long Island to keep residences safe and sound.