Page 9 - Work Force July-August 2024

Direct support gives feeling of accomplishment
MIDDLETOWN — For people considering a job in direct support, there’s no better source of information than someone who has made a career of it.
Yvonne Cox recently wrapped up a 30-year career as a direct support assistant (DSA)
working in Orange
County-based group
homes for Hudson
Valley DDSO.
With many job
postings in the
Hudson Valley lacking
decent wages and
benefits, Cox said
direct care gives workers the chance to earn steady income and do
work that has meaning. In an area where warehouse and retail jobs are regularly recruiting, Cox said choosing a career in direct support
can give workers a greater feeling of accomplishment.
“To me, the draw was having a job that I knew was going to be there and that I could depend on,” said Cox. “I never saw myself doing this work. I truly kind of fell into it, but I realized
it was work I needed to do.”
A steady work schedule, along with
a union contract and benefits, were among the benefits that drew in Cox. The bonus was the unexpected moments when the individuals
in her care made developmental strides.
“Knowing that I was able to help people was definitely a plus,” said Cox, recalling the heartwarming feeling that came when an individual
in her care, who had limited verbal skills, surprised her.
“Even though we spent a lot of time together, I didn’t think he knew my name because I’d never heard it,” said Cox. “One day, I heard him clearly say my name and it was just such a nice surprise.”
Now that her days of full-time employment are behind her (though she plans to work part-time to stay busy), Cox said that even with the job’s challenging moments, her career has left her in a good place. Having a job with a pension was a smart choice, she said.
“This job meant I can still support myself in retirement,” said Cox.
“I always said to my co-workers, especially the young ones, that they should get more involved in our union because that’s why we have what we have. When you look at
Cox
other jobs out there hiring right now, they don’t have the stability we have and they definitely don’t have the pensions.”
— Jessica Ladlee
Direct support
‘makes you a
better person’
Editor’s note: Tonya Miller, a developmental assistant 3 (DA3) and CSEA Hudson Valley DDSO Local 1st Vice President, told The Work Force’s Jessica Ladlee about how a career in direct support is rewarding.
“There’s great satisfaction in our jobs
because you’re impacting people’s lives. You’re
learning from the individuals and the individuals
are learning from you. I could be having a bad
day, but when I walk into one of our homes and an individual remembers who I am, that feels good. That is what I love about this job.
I’ve worked in retail and there wasn’t that same sense of accomplishment. In this line of work, we’re the individuals’ family. For some of them, we’re the only family they have. In the long run, the things we learn on the job impact our lives and they make you a better person at the end of the day.
When I got here, I realized that the longevity and benefits of this job will help me. I’m a DA3, so I have different houses I supervise. I bring information back to our union members working in the homes to try to get them more involved. I’m always talking about how CSEA fights for us, not just within our local but on a region and statewide level.”
To learn more and to find jobs near you visit, directsupportcareers.com
July-August 2024
The Work Force 9
“It was work I needed to do. Knowing that
I was able to
help people was definitely a plus.”
Miller (photo provided)