Jamison
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 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
