All NYS DDSO’s are in a staffing crisis. This staffing crisis started before the Covid pandemic and has gotten much worse since 2020. Employment rates are at an all time low right now, and recruitment efforts are not providing adequate numbers to fill the void. New hires and senior staff are leaving their position in droves. Direct care staff currently working are being subjected to multiple mandates every single week, sometimes going into triple (24 hours) and quadruple (36 hours) shifts. This is not only unsafe for the staff members, but equally unsafe for the individuals we are required to care for. This is creating hazardous working conditions and potential health and safety issues for all involved. The only way to solve the staffing issue is to recruit and retain skilled workers. The only way to retain skilled workers is to provide adequate compensation and a sustainable work/life balance. NYS is not providing DSP’s with a livable wage much less adequate pay that represents the responsibility we have for our most vulnerable population, the people we serve. The more vacancies there are the more hours the remaining DSP’s are required to work. New staff coming in are introduced immediately to that which senior staff have come to know; being mandated, still required to provide all personal cares and manage difficult behaviors at possibly unfamiliar homes, all after working a 16 hour shift with no rest, and expected to perform at a consistent level. This happens on a regular basis, several times a week, every week. Staff are subjected to the same requirements on triple and quad shifts. These mandates take staff away from their homes, their spouses, their children. This is not sustainable. Due to the staffing crisis NYS adjusted new hires pay rate to grade 9/step 4. That took senior staff 5 years to obtain. NYS did nothing to compensate senior staff, or anyone above a grade 9/step 4. Our recent contract only provided DSPs a 2% cost of living wage when for 2022 the actual COLA was 5.9%. Due to the staffing crisis, NYS provided DSPs with 2.5% overtime rate to encourage voluntary OT and as a incentive to staff. As of 10:59 pm on 12/31/2022 that incentive was taken away, although the staffing crisis has not improved possibly even gotten worse. The 2.5% was a bandaid to cover a gaping wound that in no way is healed and has been ripped away with no further additional supports. We implore NYS to re-examine and correct the number one issue at hand and provide direct support staff adequate compensation for the job they are required to do; provide a safe and caring home.

So far this has only addressed the disproportionate pay rate. The organization is further disrespecting senior staff by moving is to less desirable shifts, not running open positions so we can bid on them, instead putting new hires in positions senior staff would prefer, not following union rules stating that it is “management rights” due to the staffing crisis, piling more and more work on direct support staff. New administrative positions are regularly being created when the whole administration has to be broken down and reevaluated. When is NYS going to finally see the administration is what is failing this organization and not the direct support staff? The administration who worked from the safety of their homes all during Covid while us DSA’s came to work, took care of the individuals, putting our own families on the back burner and at times at risk because we love our folks and it was the only right thing to do.

I could go on and on and on.

We are charged with providing a safe and caring environment for our individuals who become family to us. Without help the organization is going to implode. Houses have been closing and combining, moving individuals around and interfering with that mission for 3 years. Without adequate compensation it is impossible to hire and retain enough staff to fill the current vacancies much less cover new vacancies from senior staff leaving. NYS changed the pay grade for new hires to come in with salaries close to that of staff working for 10+ years. Senior staff, who have been giving their blood, sweat and tears to the people we serve, received no consideration. Please fight to keep OPWDD strong and available to those who need us.