LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim the week beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2009, as Direct
Support Professionals Recognition Week in the State of New York

WHEREAS, Direct support workers, direct care workers, personal assist-
ants, personal attendants, in-home support workers, and paraprofession-
als (referred to in this preamble as 'direct support professionals') are
the primary providers of publicly funded long term support and services
for millions of individuals; and
WHEREAS, A direct support professional must build a close, trusted
relationship with an individual with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, A direct support professional assists an individual with
disabilities with the most intimate needs, on a daily basis; and
WHEREAS, Direct support professionals provide a broad range of
support, including: preparation of meals; helping with medications;
bathing; dressing; mobility; getting to school, work, religious, and
recreational activities; and general daily affairs; and
WHEREAS, A direct support professional provides essential support to
help keep an individual with disabilities connected to the family and
community of the individual; and
WHEREAS, Direct support professionals enable individuals with disabil-
ities to live meaningful, productive lives; and
WHEREAS, Direct support professionals are the key to allowing an indi-
vidual with disabilities to live successfully in the community of the
individual, and to avoid more costly institutional care; and
WHEREAS, The majority of direct support professionals are female, and
many are the sole breadwinners of their families; and
WHEREAS, Direct support professionals work and pay taxes, but many
remain impoverished and are eligible for the same Federal and State
public assistance programs on which the individuals with disabilities
served by the direct support professionals must depend; and
WHEREAS, Federal and State policies, as well as the Supreme Court, in
Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), assert the right of an individual
to live in the home and community of the individual; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, the majority of direct support professionals are
employed in home and community-based settings and this trend is project-
ed to increase over the next decade; and
WHEREAS, There is a documented critical and growing shortage of direct
support professionals in every community throughout the United States;
and
WHEREAS, Many direct support professionals are forced to leave jobs
due to inadequate wages and benefits, creating high turnover and vacancy
rates that research demonstrates adversely affects the quality of
support to individuals with disabilities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim the week beginning
Tuesday, September 8, 2009, as Direct Support Professionals Recognition
Week in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York.