Y

Yai

Special education school with integrated therapies

Direct Support Professional 1

Full-Time
$16.50 - $18/hr
Mid
Queens, NY, USA
In Person

About the job

Requirements
  • A valid New York State driver's license may be required depending on the position.
  • A tuberculosis test is mandatory for most positions.
  • Mandatory training may include AMAP, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid, SCIP-R, and defensive driving.
Responsibilities
  • Provide direct care services as needed, including counseling, training in activities of daily living, assistance with personal care, medical, dietary, social, sexual, recreational, financial, habilitative, and other program-related needs.
  • Ensure the health, safety, and wellness of the people supported.
  • Provide support with intimate care functions.
  • Build and maintain positive relationships.
  • Participate in the development of treatment plans.
  • Provide crisis intervention and management.
  • Complete mandatory training based on the program and position and apply the skills learned.
  • Meet, demonstrate, and model OPWDD Core Competencies.
  • Assist people supported in maximizing their strengths, interests, and abilities through teaching, self-advocacy, and emotional support.
  • Facilitate community integration, recreational activities, and socialization.
  • Complete documentation to ensure compliance and billing.
  • Provide training and presentations to a team.
  • Take on additional tasks outside basic Direct Support Professional work and complete job-related tasks as needed.
Desired Qualifications
  • A high school diploma or General Educational Development credential is preferred.
  • Work or life experience in the intellectual and developmental disabilities field is a plus for Direct Support Professional 1 positions.

About the company

Yai's Manhattan Star Academy (MSA) is a private, non-profit day school within the YAI Network that serves students aged 3 to 21 with developmental disabilities. It combines academics with therapies (occupational, physical, speech, counseling) in a Montessori-inspired, developmentally based curriculum, using small classes and sensory-friendly facilities with technology to track progress. The school includes a transition and vocational program to prepare students for life after graduation. Its differentiators are the integrated therapeutic model, a specialized environment for neuro-developmental needs, and a continuous education path from early years through post-secondary readiness.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$330K

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

2023

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • STAR generated new adult-transition demand after its July 2025 launch.
  • YAI's FY2025 filings show educational revenue reaching $51.7 million.
  • MSA still advertises rolling admissions, signaling continued parent demand in Manhattan.

What critics are saying

  • MSA depends on YAI for $1.05 million annual management support and operations.
  • YAI's FY2025 educational revenue concentration rises if New York tuition reimbursement weakens.
  • Special-education staffing remains tight; MSA is hiring teachers, therapists, and social workers now.

What makes Yai unique

  • MSA's 8:1 classes pair academics with OT, PT, speech, and counseling.
  • YAI's STAR program, launched July 2025, extends transition services through age 21.
  • YAI management supports MSA with finance, HR, IT, training, and fundraising.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

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