HELP Program - Job Title Details
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Title Information
Direct Support Assistant, G-09
Occupation Group
Health and Human Services - Direct Care
Salary Information
Salary Range
NYC Metro - From $54,392 to $58,492
Rest of State - From $49,305 to $53,405
(Salary may differ from what is listed for an agency and/or location. See HELP job postings for specific salary.)
Career Ladder Information
Below is a listing of titles that are most commonly used as steps for upward mobility for this title series.
| Title | Grade |
|---|---|
| Direct Support Assnt | 09 |
Job Description
Full performance level; under general supervision of clinical or higher level staff, provide direct care to individuals with developmental disabilities in a residential and/or program setting; assist and inspire individuals in their care to attend to their personal daily living needs and to further develop those vocational, nutritional, social, and personal skills necessary to maintain or achieve the highest possible level of independence in the least restrictive environment.
Agencies with this Title
Minimum Qualifications
You must meet the requirements below to qualify for this title.
You must have:
Either 1. graduated from high school or have earned a high school equivalency diploma (such as a GED) or higher;**
Or 2. a Direct Support Professional (DSP) Certificate from an accredited public or private organization.***
**You must include the name and location of the high school or governmental authority that granted the diploma in the Education Section of your application.
***You must include the name and location of the organization that granted the DSP Certificate in the Education Section of your application and you MUST supply a copy of the Certificate with your application.
Additional Requirements for Appointment
- License Requirement: You must possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter.
- Physical/Medical Requirements: Your physical and medical condition will be evaluated to ensure that you are able to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. A complete statement of the physical and medical standards is available at http://www.cs.ny.gov/ehs/forms.cfm. A medical examination will be required prior to appointment, and you are responsible for payment of the clinical laboratory test fee. Please note that the medical examination includes psychological and drug screening. Appointees to this position may be required to undergo periodic medical examinations to reassess their ability to perform the essential duties of the position.
- Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: The names of all prospective employees will be:
- Checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
- Investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws;
- Screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.
- Medicaid and Medicare: In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.
- Fingerprinting is required at the time of appointment. You will be required to pay the processing fee.
- Your high school diploma or equivalency diploma must have been awarded by a high school or educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your high school diploma was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the NYS Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.
- Facilities of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This includes all holidays. These positions may require working on various shifts during the week and on weekends. Candidates' preferences would be considered, but shifts will be assigned at management's discretion.