As reported by Crain’s New York Business, a report commissioned by New York Disability Advocates, which surveyed about 4,500 DSPs across New York State, found that about half of respondents experience food insecurity and half experience housing insecurity. The report’s findings underscore providers’ argument that the state must address years of chronic underfunding.
The report also shows that 85% of respondents are satisfied with their work, but only a quarter are satisfied with their pay. This gap leads to a workforce that is less productive than it could be, said Marco Damiani, the chief executive officer of AHRC New York City which serves more than 15,000 people annually. According to the survey, more than half of DSPs often experience psychological distress.
“It’s not optimizing the benefit of those people that do the work,” he said. “Think about what they could do. Think of how much better the work could be. Think about how much longer they would stay with us.”
