FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 7, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Queens group homes cope with staff shortages
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e COVID-19 pandemic proved two
things when it comes to essential workers
in Queens: Not all heroes wear capes,
and there aren’t enough of them, especially
when it comes to staffi ng group homes
for people with developmental disabilities.
Organizations that provide supports and
services to this vulnerable population in
residences across the borough have been
plagued with a chronic shortage of Direct
Support Professionals (DSPs) since the
onset of the public health emergency more
than 19 months ago, and still, these providers
are having diffi culty fi lling positions.
“I’ve worked at the agency for more than
25 years and in all that time it was never this
bad,” Queens Centers for Progress Director
of Adult Services Ed Weiss said. “All of our
programs are struggling but the staffi ng of
our residences remains problematic. You
need people who can work with our clients
within the six feet of social distancing while
wearing a mask and PPE to take care of
individuals. Our staff are paid at minimum
wage which certainly makes it challenging
especially when they can get a job in a fastfood
establishment with less responsibility.”
Intellectual and developmental disability
service providers are funded by the state
and wages for DSPs have been stagnant
for years. Budget restraints make it diffi -
cult to attract and retain staff during normal
times, and the pandemic exacerbated
the problem.
Queens Centers for Progress has
participated in the borough president’s
offi ce monthly virtual job fair to fi ll
positions at its residences in Jackson
Heights, Jamaica Estates and its Bellerose
campus, where there are fi ve homes.
“When you’re already working with a
skeleton crew you have a hard time bringing
in new people,” Weiss said. “We’re
hoping Governor Kathy Hochul sees
things diff erently than Cuomo did.”
YAI, previously known as Young Adult
Institute, is an organization serving people
with intellectual and developmental
disabilities in New York City since
1957 and runs homes in Ozone Park and
Jamaica. Residence supervisor Jamie Stein
said the ongoing workforce crisis damages
morale and staff mental health.
“Th e industry has always had a high
turnover rate, but during COVID-19 it
has gotten especially bad,” Stein said.
“Wages are a top concern among staff .
We’re doing a lot more than just taking
care of people we support. We’re working
very closely with them, very hands-on,
and if everybody could see what we do to
support people, they would understand
we’re underpaid.”
According to the Human Services
Research Center, 41.5 percent of DSPs are
people of color. Th is makes the low wages
a racial justice issue, with many advocates
asking the state why a job where almost
half of the workers are people of color is
set at such a low wage. Turnover, shortages,
and pressure to perform among staff
hurt the people they support, too, Stein
explained.
“We form bonds with the people we support
and earn their trust. When staff leaves,
the people ask us, ‘Why did they leave? I
really liked them, and I would like them
back,’” Stein said.
YAI has mobilized to engage federal
legislators including Senate Majority
Leader Charles Schumer, who hopes to
pass President Joe Biden’s massive infrastructure
bill by late October. Th e legislation
would provide $400 billion for
services for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities.
“Whatever happens, it is crucial the federal
government hears from staff themselves,”
Stein said. “My staff work extremely
hard and take a lot of pride in our work. If
only everybody could see that and what we
do to support people.”
Meanwhile, AHRC NYC, which operates
several residences in Queens will continue
its series of job fairs to fi ll DSP positions
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Th ursday, Oct.
14, at its Bloomberg Apartments located at
89-02 162nd St. in Jamaica.
“Our DSPs are on the frontline supporting
people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities in all aspects of their
lives,” AHRC NYC CEO Marco Damiani
said. “If you are committed to enhancing
the lives of people with disabilities, we will
provide you with the training and on-thejob
support to set you up for success.”
Richmond Hill man indicted for running guns, ammo into Queens: DA
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
A Richmond Hill man was indicted by a
Queens grand jury for transporting guns
and ammunition into New York aft er a
Pennsylvania gun show purchase.
Richard McCormick, 42, of 85th
Drive, was arraigned Friday, Oct. 1,
before Queens Supreme Court Justice
Toni Cimino on a 120-count indictment
aft er he allegedly purchased a cache
of high-capacity magazines, fi rearm
components and ammunition and drove
to New York, where all are illegal to
possess, according to Queens District
Attorney Melinda Katz.
Police also allegedly recovered a stockpile
of illegal guns, high-capacity magazines,
silencers and ammo in the defendant’s
Richmond Hill home.
As alleged, on the morning of Aug.
15, McCormick was allegedly observed
in Pennsylvania attending the Oaks Gun
Show, where he allegedly purchased
numerous high-capacity magazines,
fi rearm components and ammunition,
and loaded the items into a black 2021
Cadillac Escalade.
Th e defendant then drove through New
Jersey and crossed the George Washington
Bridge into New York City where he
was pulled over by members of the Port
Authority Police Department, who were
assisting members of the New York State
Police, and seized the stockpile.
Police executed a court-ordered search
warrant and allegedly recovered $8,500 in
cash and a stockpile of illegal guns, highcapacity
magazines, silencers and nearly
10,000 bullets for various calibers of
weapons, including 9mm and .45-caliber
fi rearms in the defendant’s Richmond
Hill home on 85th Drive, according to the
charges.
“Th e proliferation of shootings in our
city has caused grief and heartache,”
Katz said. “Th is indictment sends a
clear message that those who purchase
and transport weapons illegally into
our communities will be held accountable.
We can not allow weapons and
gun violence to become the norm here
in Queens County.”
Justice Cimino ordered McCormick to
return to court on Oct. 29. If convicted,
McCormick faces up to 20 years in prison.
Photo courtesy of Queens DA’s offi ce
A Richmond Hill man is facing up to 20 years in prison for running guns and ammunition into Queens
after a Pennsylvania gun show purchase, prosecutors said.
Photo courtesy of QCP
Queens Centers for Progress, which celebrated their frontline workers with a car parade last spring, continues to deal with staffi ng shortages at its group
homes across the borough.
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