Some SUNY schools now offering free college courses to become a Direct Support Professional

A state funding boost will expand the reach of a free college credential program for direct support professionals, who provide assistance to people with disabilities, in the hopes of building that workforce in New York.

The program, a DSP microcredential, is already offered at Dutchess Community College, and will be offered at Orange County Community College this summer.

Flexible scheduling for classes, no cost and support provided throughout the process are facets of the short-term credential, designed to open the door to college experience for those who may have limited accessibility.

Lacie Reilly, project coordinator for the Direct Support Professional program, instructor and chair of the Human Services Program at Dutchess Community College, says this program is knocking down barriers to education.

Background on the DSP program: How can you go to college for free?

The Direct Support Professional program was formed through the partnership of SUNY, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, along with a $5 million boost in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

In an effort to help the Direct Support Professional workforce crisis in New York, the goal of this microcredential program is to upskill and retain personnel already in the field and encourage new Direct Support Professionals.

Reilly also said this partnership allows for further professionalization of the career path, aims to help an underrepresented workforce, allows an opportunity for upward mobility in the field and creates a better standard of care for clients.

The connection to the NADSP gives students a path to national certification, along with 27 college credits — about half of an associate degree — through the three-tiered microcredential. College credits may also be applied to a degree program if the student wishes to further their education in human services, psychology, sociology or addiction studies.

Upon acceptance into the program, the student's spot is held to complete all three tiers of the microcredential, although you can stop at tier one and tier two. Along with this, $2,300 is available for each student as student support funds, and a $750 incentive is awarded to students upon completion of each microcredential tier with a minimum 2.0 GPA.

The $2,300 in funding offered can be allocated for use from anything from technology to childcare to transportation to household costs. "It's designed to help break down barriers for success and participation," Reilly said.

"OPWDD wanted to make sure that not only are we providing an opportunity, but it's a reachable attainable goal for this particular cohort," Reilly said.

What does the DSP program entail?

The microcredential is split into three levels: DSP I, DSP II and DSP III. "Each of those levels contains three classes, so it's nine credits per microcredential," Reilly said. With each completed level, the student also fulfills a national certification through the NADSP.

They offer spring, summer and fall courses, in person or online. Applications for the summer term are open now. Students can choose what schedule works best for them, and don't have to take three classes all at once. They can break it down to one or two classes at a time if necessary.

Along with the coursework, for those who are not already a part of the DSP field or an agency such as the Cardinal Hayes Home for Children, The Arc Mid-Hudson or Greystone, students will engage in a work-based opportunity, as it is required for the NADSP national certification.

"This is a theory-to-practice experiential program," Reilly said. "They're learning all the theories, skills and practices in their classes, and then they're applying them at their agencies."

Reilly also notes the experience those already in the field bring to the classes is invaluable. She said when she's teaching concepts, being able to have a DSP share their real-world experience adds a third dimension to what they're talking about in the coursework.

Expansion to the Direct Support Professional Program

At Dutchess Community College on Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an expansion to the DSP microcredential program, through a $32 million investment.

The funding will allow the program to grow on campuses where it already exists and reach six new campuses, grow the Direct Support Professional workforce in New York, and in the process, support those in the state with developmental disabilities. The program will now be offered at Orange County Community College, SUNY Canton, Farmingdale State College, Jamestown Community College, North Country Community College and SUNY Oneonta.

The colleges that already offer the program include Niagara County Community College, SUNY Corning, Dutchess Community College, Empire State University, Finger Lakes Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Jefferson Community College, Mohawk Valley Community College, SUNY Morrisville, Onondaga Community College, SUNY Schenectady and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

According to a statement, SUNY anticipates to support 6,000 students by 2030 with the investment.

“Every day, direct support professionals help New Yorkers with developmental disabilities thrive in their day-to-day lives,” Hochul said in a statement. “Through this $32 million expansion, we are helping to grow this crucial field and ensure students have the training they need to pursue this vital career path and care for their fellow New Yorkers.”

Wednesday's event at DCC also hosted a recognition ceremony of the college's first cohort of 14 students, who completed the microcredential in the fall 2023 semester. SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. and OPWDD Commissioner Kerri E. Neifeld joined President Peter Grant Jordan at the celebration.

As of the spring 2024 semester, the college has 173 students participating in the program.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: NY offers free college courses to become direct support professional