Letters

Letters to the Editor: Lynbrook, East Rockaway

Posted

The forgotten educators

As the parent of a child with autism, I write in support of the #bFair2DirectCare Coalition, a state-wide coalition of family members, administrators, teachers and care providers to the developmentally disabled community who are advocating for state funding of the $15 minimum wage mandate for direct care providers.

Currently, not-for-profits are under an unfunded mandate to pay higher wages, but some state officials, including Governor Cuomo, don’t support legislation that would fund the mandate.

Families affected by autism and other developmental disabilities rely on direct-support professionals who work in day programs, transportation, job coaching, residential and medical support. They are staffed by dedicated, caring direct support professionals who treat people like my son as if they were a part of their family.

DSP’s working for nonprofits are a part of the fabric that holds families together. They help kids like my son achieve his best and be a part of the community. Increasingly, we are losing these vital workers to less demanding jobs, like fast food restaurants and big box stores that suddenly pay as much as, if not more, than these jobs. Flat state funding and new wage mandates created this growing worker shortage. We are now facing a crisis that will get worse unless the state supports its mandates by funding a living wage for DSP salaries.

Our state elected officials must support fair pay for these people who help support tens of thousands of New Yorkers.

Steven D. Wangel

Lynbrook