QCP and similar nonprofit agencies across New York State continue to take part in the advocacy campaign that is pushing for measures that increase wages for direct support professionals and other workers who support individuals with disabilities.

QCP has ramped-up their efforts with the participation of individuals at a rally in Times Square underneath a Billboard that was displayed for three weeks. QCP also had state Assemblyman David Weprin visit the Bellerose Campus for a fall festivity in October.

While at the Center, Assemblyman Weprin championed the #bFair2DirectCare campaign, a call to action to remind state leaders that direct care not-for-profit agency workers are agents of the state who need a fair rate of pay that is commensurate with their vital support responsibilities.

It has been eight years since developmental disability organizations have received a real raise for their direct care workers, and they are now facing wage mandates and new labor rules without having the adequate funding to sustain them. The #bFair2DirectCare coalition has launched the #300DaystoBetterPay Campaign to call on Albany to address this issue before the next state budget is adopted on April 1, 2017.