MEMORANDUM

DATE: December 30, 2025
TO: Staff and stakeholders
FROM: Jeff Paterson, President and CEO
RE: Use of 2025 TII dollars

The 2025/2026 New York State Budget included a 2.6% Targeted Inflationary Increase (TII) for programs funded by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), effective April 1, 2025. Earlier in 2025, we received rate increases based on OPWDD’s rebasing of rates retroactive to July 1, 2024. OPWDD has directed all providers – including sasi – to report to stakeholders on how these dollars have been used.

Due to these funding increases, in March 2025 we increased our starting wage for Direct Support Professionals from $17.50 per hour to $20 per hour – a 14.2% increase from 2024, and a 33.3% increase since 2022. Also, we raised the starting rate for Substitute DSPs from $19 to $20, recognizing the vital role that substitutes play in filling shifts.

At the same time that we raised our starting rates, we also provided large increase to existing employees: Direct Care — 200 Codes (14.4% increase); Support – 100 Codes (9.6% increase); Clinical – 300 Codes (9.1% increase); Program Administration – 500 Codes (10% increase); Agency Administration – Codes 601-604 (5% increase); and Agency Administration – Codes 605-690 (8.3% increase).

This past year, we invested in our workforce in other ways as well: (1) increased paid time off benefits for new hires; (2) increased DSP pay for five holidays from 1.5 time to double time; (3) upgraded certain residential DSP positions to Medical Support Professional at a higher hourly rate; (4) established a mentorship program whereby seasoned DSPs are paid a stipend to mentor newly hired DSPs; (5) absorbed a disproportionate share of our March 2025 health insurance premium increase to reduce the impact on employees; and (6) at year end, offered an opportunity for employees to trade some of their accrued paid time off in exchange for a cash payment.

These investments have made a difference. In 2025, we saw a net gain of 24 people working in frontline roles. We saw an additional net gain of 13 people moving from substitute positions to regular frontline positions. In addition, we reduced turnover of new hires by 29% in 2025.

To make these investments possible, we adopted a deficit budget for 2025, with the hope that a TII would be provided in the 2025/2026 state budget to close the gap. That is what happened – the April TII paid for the remainder of these investments and put our 2025 budget back into balance.

While we have been increasing wages and benefits, we have also dealt with the effects of inflation. Costs such as supplies, utilities, health insurance, liability insurance, food and transportation all increased in 2025, absorbing a share of TII dollars.

sasi is a stronger organization due to these investments from the State of New York. We look ahead with caution as the State deals with federal Medicaid cuts. After a decade of disinvestment under the previous governor, we urge elected officials to continue reinvesting in the OPWDD system.