On September 9, YAI and Westchester County held the first-ever DSP Recognition Breakfast, honoring the direct support professionals who make up the backbone of the county's I/DD service system. The event drew about 140 attendees, including roughly 100 DSPs from 26 agencies across Westchester.
Elected officials turned out in force, including County Executive Ken Jenkins, State Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblymembers Chris Burdick and Mary Jane Shimsky, and County Legislators Jewel Williams-Johnson and Erica Pierce. Representatives from the offices of Congressman Mike Lawler, Congressman George Latimer, and Assemblymember Dana Levenberg also attended.
Kathy Schiavi, Regional Director of Hudson Valley, had been pushing for an event like this for years. The idea took root before the pandemic, when she and Michelle Aramisto, chair of the Westchester County Developmental Disabilities Council, first talked about creating a dedicated way to recognize DSPs. Last year, the two decided to finally make it happen.
"We worked together, met with people from the county, and the county fully got behind it," Schiavi said.
Joe Macbeth, CEO of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), delivered the keynote on the importance of the DSP role. Elected officials followed with remarks thanking DSPs for their work, and the county presented proclamations to all 26 participating agencies.
For Schiavi, the morning was about more than a single event. "It was truly just to show appreciation to our DSPs," she said. "Having Westchester County do that felt very impactful." She also sees it as part of a broader push for higher wages and greater professional recognition.
Among the YAI staff honored that morning was Christopher Ryan, a DSP with the Peekskill WOW program. "It is always a great feeling when the work that you are doing gets recognized," Ryan said. "It was great to meet other people in the profession and discuss the collective things that gravitated each and every one of us towards this line of work."
Ryan said what keeps him in the field is the unpredictability of the work. "I have yet to experience a boring day," he said. "There’s always a new challenge or place or lesson."
He recalled a hike with the people he supports, when a participant grew nervous crossing a small bridge. "Their peers rallied around them and supported them to overcome and get over the bridge, with one person holding their hand," Ryan said. "Those are the best moments with this job, when you can just stand to the side and let the people we support shine."
YAI held its own Hudson Valley DSP recognition event earlier this month, drawing more than 80 staff to celebrate milestone and merit service anniversaries.