Page 3 - Work Force July-August 2024

#MoreThanWork: OPWDD looking to recruit people for careers in direct support
Are you or someone you know .looking to build a rewarding career that not only greatly impacts the lives of those with developmental disabilities but is also an opportunity to learn and refine a diverse
skillset in a dynamic,
hands-on environment? If so, you have a
chance to make a difference through a career in direct support.
The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has launched a campaign called #MoreThanWork, aimed at recruiting DSPs to work at the state agency and
private-sector care providers. OPWDD has launched a campaign website, directsupportcareers.com,
that includes links to job opportunities and
testimonials from DSA’s. The campaign also includes advertising on widely-seen community venues, including
subways, buses, TV, radio and digital media. OPWDD launched
an extensive #MoreThanWork awarness campaign on social media.
CSEA represents thousands of direct support professionals at OPWDD and private sector providers across the state.
“The effort highlights how rewarding a career in direct support can be and is intended to promote recruitment by offering easy accessibility to apply for jobs in the field,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan.
DSAs and others employed in direct support provide the needed support to those with developmental disabilities while working to empower them to lead fulfilling and independent lives. This includes helping them engage in activities ranging from enjoying time with friends or at the park to helping them learn work skills and providing hands-on support at home.
In helping with these various activities, a direct support career opens doors to diverse work settings as you foster nurturing environments and support people to succeed.
By working in direct support, you can help build deeper, meaningful connections through support and interaction; fuel your passion for helping others and your community; grow your skills and advance your career.
More importantly, you can improve lives and make a difference. It’s #MoreThanWork.
— Claire Peretta
See more stories on Page 9.
various managerial positions.
All of the workers credit Jamison
for encouraging them to push forward and surpass whatever professional goals they have for themselves.
“There is no such thing as ‘I can’t’” said Jamison. “If you have the passion to do the job, you might as well move up.”
Some people have asked Jamison why she has not chosen to ascend through the professional ranks. She tells them, “It’s not where God wants me to be.”
“I love what I do and I’m happy where I am,” said Jamison. “We have to figure out what He wants us to do and then commit to that.”
Jamison encourages anyone who loves people to work for OPWDD.
“When you see that an individual is able to complete a task that you taught them to do, it feels so good,” said Jamison. “Some people think of our job as being hard, but every job is hard until you learn how to do it.”
— Wendi Bowie
Annette Jamison: “LIDC colleagues and individuals are like family”
COMMACK — CSEA Long Island Developmental Center and Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center Local Executive
Vice President
Annette
Jamison was
a high school
girl when she
first “fell in
love” with working with individuals with developmental disabilities while working for Nassau BOCES’ Rosemary Kennedy School.
Sometime later, Jamison heard
a few people in her neighborhood talking about working for the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). After asking them how they got their jobs, Jamison took a New York State Civil Service exam and she was hired.
More than 40 years later, Jamison
is still working with the individuals who have become like family to her. “The most rewarding thing about
my job is the love my individuals and their families have for me,” said Jamison. “I’m going to retire within the next year, and the families and administrators keep telling me they don’t want me to leave.”
Jamison also cites the medical benefits the state provides as one of the more appealing things about the job.
“I don’t know of a lot of jobs out there that provide the kind of medical insurance we have for the workers and their families,” said Jamison.
The CSEA-negotiated benefits were especially important when Jamison discovered she could put her niece and her nephew on her medical insurance because she lived with them and was helping to care for the children.
“All I had to do was provide legal proof that I was one of the guardians,” said Jamison. “It’s good insurance, too. I can go to any
specialist that I need to go to. I love that.”
Jamison has also become an unofficial recruiter for Long Island DDSO and other OPWDD facilities.
Ever a people person, Jamison often strikes up conversations with strangers who are seeking a stable career with good medical benefits. Jamison tells them where they need to go to fill out an application, as well as how to apply for a state Civil Service exam. She has gone as far
as to hand-deliver applications to potential workers and call them with updates about open positions.
“I love it when I find out that people I have helped have been hired,” said Jamison. “They aren’t just co-workers to me. They are family.”
Jamison’s kindness and willingness to help others is why she was recognized as one of OPWDD’s Employees of the Year for 2023.
At the event, Jamison saw one of her mentees, who has moved up the ranks and become a deputy director. Other mentees have also achieved
July-August 2024
The Work Force 3
Jamison