Senator Mannion Advances Bipartisan Legislation To Provide $4,000 Wage Enhancement For Employees That Provide Direct Care Support To Individuals With Developmental Disabilities

ALBANY, NY –Senator John W. Mannion, Chair of the Disabilities Committee, today advanced through committee his bipartisan legislation (S4127A) to provide a $4,000 wage enhancement to employees that provide direct care support to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Senator John W. Mannion said, “The staffing shortage is widespread, longstanding, and well documented. We must recruit more people into the direct care workforce and that starts by paying living wages. I’m very proud of the three consecutive cost of living adjustments I’ve delivered for this workforce, but decades of disinvestment across the system require additional commitments. I’m grateful for the bipartisan support for providing a $4,000 wage enhancement and I’m strongly advocating for this language to be included in the state budget.”

Recruiting and retaining staff is one of the biggest challenges for service providers. Direct Support Professionals and other care professionals provide vital and intimate supports that help people with disabilities succeed at home and in the community. DSPs are tasked with providing practical and personal support such as first aid and CPR, administering medication, meal preparation, or transport facilitation, as well as attending to the unique social, emotional, and psychological needs of those they care for. They are the essential pillars of the I/DD community, yet they are paid an hourly rate just above the state minimum wage. 

Without state funding to offer more competitive wages against other labor markets like food service or the retail industry, nonprofit provider agencies cannot effectively recruit and retain staff or maintain services. 

Addressing the workforce crisis has been a priority for Senator Mannion.  Senator Mannion has helped deliver COLA’s for the last three years and has introduced or passed legislation to provide tax credits, training, tuition assistance, pilot programs and other enhancements to bolster the workforce and preserve or expand services. 

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