Page 5 - Work Force June 2025

June 2025 5 5
The Work Force
CSEA, OPWDD partner on direct care
certification program
CSEA is excited to announce that
our union has partnered with the
Office for People With Developmental
Disabilities (OPWDD) and the
National Alliance for Direct Support
Professionals (NADSP) to provide a
nationally recognized professional
certification opportunity known
as the CSEA/OWPDD Direct Care
Certification Program for the direct
care workforce.
Direct Support Assistants (DSAs)
at OPWDD provide assistance
to people with developmental
disabilities for their personal needs,
to help them participate in programs
that strengthen their life skills, to
prepare them to get
and keep a job and
to ensure safe and
meaningful inclusion
in their communities.
A career with
OPWDD as a DSA
includes three
levels of Direct
Support Professional
certifications as a
DSP-I, DSP-II, and
DSP-III. Through
a partnership
with the NADSP’s
E-Badge Academy,
national professional
certification is
available for participants to
complete a specified number of
hours of NADSP accredited education
and earn a series of “badges” by
submitting testimonials about their
on-the-job experiences providing
person centered supports. DSAs earn
these competency-based badges that
build across each of the three levels
of certification. These certifications
provide practical, tangible, and
demonstrable recognition of the
knowledge, skills, and practices of
direct care staff.
Additionally, OPWDD DSAs
participate in New Employee
Orientation (NEO), which NADSP
accepts for the required education
component of the certification so
employees can get credit for training
they have already completed. As part
of this partnership, DSAs receive a
bonus for earning the certification
for up to $2,250 for the following
levels of achievement:
• DSP-I: $500
• DSP-II: $750
• DSP-III: $1,000
The CSEA/OWPDD Direct Care
Certification Program began taking
applications from eligible staff in
Spring 2024 and received nearly 2,000
applicants.
Beginning in June 2024, the
program began
enrolling OPWDD DSAs
in monthly cohorts, or
classes. As part of the
certification process,
OPWDD supports
participants in the
program to assist
them in navigating
the E-Badge Academy
and earning their
certification.
We’re excited
to announce that
through February 18,
32 CSEA members
have achieved a total
of 52 professional
certifications and have earned
bonuses totaling $25,500.
“I am so proud of those DSPs who
have taken the steps to advance
their skills and knowledge to
enhance their support of people with
developmental disabilities, and we
are pleased to include a deserving
state workforce in this tremendous
opportunity,” said OPWDD
Commissioner Willow Baer. “DSAs
who have gone through the E-Badge
Academy have said that they feel
even more prepared and empowered
to help people reach their goals,
while increasing their own leadership
capabilities at the same time. Thank
”
Completing the program
was super easy and involved a
series of essays. It was a good
career choice for me to make
the move and to participate in
the program.
— Al Lazaro, direct support
assistant 3, Capital District DDSO
“
“The Direct Care Certification
Program has helped me gain
a greater understanding of the
individuals that I work with.
While our stressors are bills and
work, their stressors are why
they have dietary restrictions
and other individuals don’t.
Those necessary restrictions
are received by the individuals
as favoritism. We learn how to
communicate differences in care
in a way that the individuals can understand, which has
helped me communicate more effectively with the people
I care for.
— Shavone Danzy, direct support assistant,
Long Island DDSO
”
you to all who are participating and
to CSEA for being our valued partner
in this effort to professionalize the
work of a DSP.”
Participants in the program
share OPWDD, CSEA, and NADSP’s
enthusiasm for this professional
certification opportunity.
Here is what some participants
are saying:
“DSAs who have
gone through the
E-Badge Academy
have said that
they feel even
more prepared
and empowered to
help people reach
their goals, while
increasing their
own leadership
capabilities at the
same time.”