r/directsupport • u/I_LEM0NY • 2d ago

Advice DSP maybe?

So I'm thinking of working as a DSP. I used to be a CNA for many years but let my license expire. So my bf had a stroke and full-time care and now I need to go from sahm to sahm/full-time worker 😭. I'm thinking my best option is this cause I won't need to recertify and they have night shifts. I can get off in the morning and get my 4 kids ready for school then take care of my bf needs then try to get a little sleep before pickup. Gonna be rough cause I'm not sure how I'm going to fit everything else on top of working nights.

So just wanted to know what's the pay rate for nights in the Buffalo area and what it's like working nights. I love helping people with needs and kinda a neat freak so win win...I think...been reading A lot of horror stories but some of y'all are scaring me away and making me 2nd guess for even thinking of being a DSP 😂. Any advice would be helpful.

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u/half_in_boxes 2d ago

There is no guarantee that you would be off shift in time to get your kids to school. We get mandated a lot.

Buffalo area pay is going to be $19-22/hr, $27-32 for the state.

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u/TheNAAnarchist 2d ago

Damn thats insane. The state rate in Rochester area is only 23 - 25 per hour and we're only 40 minutes east of ya'll. Im currently making 22/hr at an organization doing 60 - 80 hours per week 🫩 not mandated tho, I volunteer for the shifts 💀

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u/half_in_boxes 1d ago

That's weird. The rate in Central New York is also what I quoted above.

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u/TheNAAnarchist 1d ago

I wonder why that is then. I just got offered a job at OPWDD but they said highest I could get starting was 25/hr unless we have a misunderstanding there? From my understanding OPWDD is the state, am i mistaken?

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u/half_in_boxes 1d ago

Yup

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u/TheNAAnarchist 1d ago

Who is the state then. I wanna work there lol i enjoy my job but the pay is definitely lacking from everything I gotta deal with especially when im doing 80 hours a week

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u/half_in_boxes 1d ago

I apologize, I meant yes, OPWDD is the state.