Become a Direct Support Professional

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide assistance to people with all of their personal needs and help them participate in programs that strengthen their life skills and ensure a safe and comfortable environment. There are several titles at OPWDD that make up our team of Direct Support Professionals. They are described as follows:

As a DSA for OPWDD you will help people by assisting them to learn and develop daily living skills and habits; you will help them take care of their own personal needs; you will advocate for, encourage, guide and teach people to express personal choice. DSAs ensure community integration, health and safety and a comfortable home environment. The supports and services you will provide depend on the specific abilities of the person being served, and the nature of the setting where the activities are taking place.

Minimum Qualifications:

• You must have a high school diploma or an equivalency, such as a GED.
• You must have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State. You will be required to maintain a valid driver's license throughout your employment as a DSA.
• You must meet physical and agility standards.
• You will be required to have a medical examination before you are appointed and you are responsible for the payment of the clinical laboratory fee. Please note: The medical exam includes psychological and drug screening.
• You must be cleared through the New York State Child Abuse Registry, the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs and the Medicaid Fraud Prevention and Detection database.
• A criminal background check and fingerprinting will be conducted. You will be responsible for the processing fee.
• Contact Your Local OPWDD Human Resource Office.

An OPWDD DDSCTA treats and cares for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in intensive treatment units in Valley Ridge in Central New York and at the Sunmount Developmental Disabilities State Operations Office (DDSOO) in Tupper Lake.

As a DDSCTA, you provide a safe, secure and stable environment where people can receive the therapeutic care needed for stabilization and treatment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• You must have a high school diploma, or an equivalency, such as a GED, or a Direct Support Professional (DSP) Certificate from an accredited organization; and successfully complete a DDSCTA traineeship or have 1 year of full-time direct care experience working with individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
• You must have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State. You will be required to maintain a valid driver's license throughout your employment as a DDSCTA.
• You must meet physical and agility standards.
• You will be required to have a medical examination before you are appointed and you are responsible for the payment of the clinical laboratory fee. Please note: The medical exam includes psychological and drug screening.
• You must be cleared through the New York State Child Abuse Registry, the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs and the Medicaid Fraud Prevention and Detection data base.
• A criminal background check and fingerprinting will be conducted. You will be responsible for the processing fee.
• Contact Your Local OPWDD Human Resource Office.

The starting salary for DSAs is currently $49,457 per year and DSAs are eligible for annual salary increases as they advance to the current Job Rate of $53,405. New York State also provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan and generous leave benefits. DDSCTAs start at a current annual salary of $60,623  and are also eligible for annual salary increases as they advance to the current Job Rate of $68,693.

Positions located in Dutchess, Putnam and Orange Counties are also eligible for the Mid-Hudson Adjustment of $1,543 annually, while positions in Westchester, Rockland, Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), Richmond (Staten Island), Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties are also eligible for the Downstate Adjustment of $3,087 annually. Additionally, positions in these 11 counties receive an additional Geographic Pay Differential of $2,000 annually.

When you begin a career with OPWDD, you may come for the job, but you will stay for the people. Don't take our word for it; listen to what other Direct Support Professionals have to say about a career that makes a positive daily impact in the life of someone else.