As reported by AM NY, Direct Support Professionals, (DSPs) who provide hands-on support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, only stay in the field for about one to two years before leaving. The disparity between the pay and work, many say, is enough to keep them quitting.
DSPs provide assistance with personal care, skills development, job coaching, and sometimes even fighting for the rights of those with disabilities. But the salaries in New York are not as rewarding as the work itself—at least not for those who work for non-profit organizations rather than state-run residences.
“We’re having issues with retention right now. It’s a big issue.” said Tarina Webb, a residential coordinator for AHRC NYC who works in several group homes in Gramercy Park, the East Village, and the West Village, knows about this salary disparity all too well. The homes she works in have nine to twenty residents. The largest program is designed to have 12 staffers, but it does not always work out that way.
