Recognizing Excellence May 2015 •
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Recognizing Excellence May 2015 • www.ancor.org ANCOR 2015_RecognizingExcellence_44pg.indd 1 4/20/15 11:12 AM CEO Perspective Join The Campaign! By Barbara Merrill, Esq. ANCOR’s 2014 National Direct resources necessary to attract and retain ANCOR CEO Support Professional of the Year; professionals like this year’s award recipients. Joe MacBeth, Executive Director All too often we hear about previous awardees xcellence. Passion. of the National Alliance of Direct – DSPs that personifi ed the best of the best – ECommitment. These words Support Professionals; Renee Pi- that with great reluctance left for a better only begin to capture the etrangelo, former ANCOR CEO; paying job, not a profession. Turnover rates extraordinary people profi led in and our ANCOR staff and and across the country are unacceptably high. these pages – ANCOR’s 2015 consultants – Esme Grant, As we celebrate the accomplishments Barbara Merrill, Esq. Direct Support Professional Katherine Berland, Melanie Byas of these dedicated professionals, join our Recognition Award Recipients. and Diane McComb. And a special thanks to campaign. Help us spread the word, help us to On behalf of the entire ANCOR community, Debra Langseth, whose dedication to the DSP educate your state and federal elected offi cials thank you! ANCOR’s National Advocacy workforce and organizational skill ensured a that quality supports for people with disabilities Campaign is all about you – recognizing that smooth judging process for all. require a stable, professional workforce! each and every day you support people to Recognition of excellence is important realize the promise of the Americans with – deeply important. But we cannot and will Barbara Merrill, Esq., is CEO of ANCOR. Disabilities Act. As we prepare to celebrate the not stop there! It is the mission of ANCOR’s She can be reached at [email protected] ADA’s 25th Anniversary this July, your stories National Advocacy Campaign to obtain the – and the stories of your colleagues across the nation – show us why your work matters. You are truly our heroes. The judging process is always incredibly diffi cult – this year’s National Recipient and State Recipients were chosen from a large, deeply impressive group of nominations. I want to thank everyone who submitted a nomination, and the people who stepped up to serve on the judging panel: Stephanie Boyle, Contents: ANCOR STAFF Inside this Issue The American Network of Cindy Allen de Ramos Debra Langseth Community Options and Resources Director, Finance Director, Education and Foundation (ANCOR) was founded in 1970 to 703.535.7850, ext. 102 703.535.7850, ext. 115 3 CEO Perspecti ve provide national advocacy, resources, [email protected] [email protected] services and networking opportunities to providers of private supports and Melanie Byas Jerri McCandless 4 President’s Corner services. Communications and Director, Member Relations Social Media Manager and Board Development 5 Legacy Leaders Circle National Offi ce Staff 703.535.7850, ext. 106 703.535.7850, ext. 107 Barbara Merrill [email protected] [email protected] Chief Executive Offi cer 8 2015 Direct Support 703.535.7850, ext. 103 Esme Grant Marsha Patrick [email protected] Senior Director, Government Director, Resource and Professional of the Relations Revenue Development Gabrielle Sedor 703.535.7850, ext. 105 703.535.7850, ext. 110 Year Recipient Chief Operations Offi cer [email protected] [email protected] 703.535.7850, ext. 111 10 2015 DSP of the Year [email protected] Katherine Berland Tony Yu Director, Public Policy Director, Web and State Recipients 703.535.7850, ext. 104 Information Technology [email protected] 703.535.7850, ext. 109 [email protected] 3 President’s Corner Honoring Our Best Direct Support Professionals By Chris Sparks people had a great time and it remains one of visionary group of ANCOR leaders created ANCOR President my enduringly positive memories. That’s what the National Advocacy Campaign (NAC). DSPs do: facilitate interesting, enriching, and Through the NAC, ANCOR holds up the “ his work is novel experiences for the people they support. vital work of DSPs by working with Tdifficult, The work of DSPs has changed much since Congress, Administrative Agencies, and the hours are I was in that role. It grows ever more complex the Executive Branch, as well as creates inconvenient, and as people with disabilities strive to create lives opportunities for recognition. it doesn’t pay very of their choosing and participate more fully in Once a year, ANCOR sponsors the well, other than that Chris Sparks their communities. “DSP of the Year” awards, where we honor it’s a great job.” This is Today, DSPs are called upon to be outstanding DSPs from coast to coast. often my intentionally provocative introduction accomplished teachers, to be a social guide, and Hundreds of nominations were submitted. to talking with others about the critical work of a skilled recorder to make sure that required The nominations were then de-identified Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). documentation meets increasingly stringent and passed on to a group of experts who Thirty years ago, I got my start in the field Medicaid standards. Not to mention ancillary had the very difficult job of narrowing the of disability services working in Missouri as a job requirements of being unfailingly upbeat, nominations to one award recipient per state DSP (actually called a “houseparent” then) in a social chairman and activities organizer, and one national recipient. residential program that served six people. At confidante, provider of encouragement and The DSP of the Year awards ceremony is some point my houseparent partner (my wife) hope, and conduit of information for family a joyous celebration where phenomenal and I became aware that many of the people members and others. Whew! stories are told and many deserving people with whom we worked had never been on a Because of my previous work experience, are recognized. vacation. Somehow the idea was hatched that and the impact of DSPs that I see here at EPI I express my appreciation to all the state we would go camping, tent camping because every day, I have a deep respect and appreciation recipients, the national DSP of the Year that was the equipment we had access to. for those who choose to work as DSPs. recipient, and every single individual working It probably should have occurred to us that That’s why I am proud to be a part of in this role. Your work is important and you tent camping with six inexperienced campers, ANCOR – an organization committed to are making a difference – thank you! two of whom depended upon wheelchairs for assuring DSPs have needed training, are fairly mobility, with bathrooms a ways down the compensated, receive critical employment Chris Sparks is Executive Director of trail (and not accessible), might present some benefits, and are recognized for their Exceptional Persons Inc. He can be challenges. The experience was challenging contributions. reached at [email protected] in many ways, and physically exhausting, but To further elevate the role of DSPs, a 4 Recognizing Excellence ANCOR Foundation Awards Program he The ANCOR Founda- and innovation that strengthens ANCOR Foundation expresses up as national role models of tion’s awards program that a national culture of communities both its gratitude and high esteem distinction the leaders and Trecognizes, validates and of choice for people with for the individuals, organizations organizations upon whom it showcases excellence, leadership disabilities. In so doing, the and work accomplished, and hold confers distinction. Recognizing Excellence: The Legacy Leaders Circle ANCOR congratulates the following 2015 Legacy Leaders he ANCOR Foundation communities a reality for the The 2015 class of inductees into introduced at the ANCOR Legacy Leaders Circle countless Americans with the Legacy Leaders Circle – Conference: Ignite! – are: Tcelebrates the accom- disabilities. plishments of the men and women who have paved the he ANCOR Foundation way to life in community set- Legacy Leaders Circle Ron Cohen Regis Obijiski tings for people with disabilities. honors our fi nest and most Rabbi Erwin H. Bill Tapp T Freidman, Ph.D. These visionary leaders have not infl uential leaders while creating Dave Toeniskoetter only helped shape and guide and funding opportunities for the Kathy Meath Shirley Walker ANCOR over the past 45 years development of future leaders in Diane McComb but made meaningful inclusive our fi eld. 5 6 Recognizing Excellence ANCOR’S 2015 NATIONAL DSP of the Year Alex Andrews by Tom King “Technology Architect” is the title Alex Andrews wears at Imagine! He does far more than build and implement technol- ogy solutions for the people who Imag- ine! supports. He builds hope. He builds independence. He builds lives. He tears down barriers. He builds assessments and screening tools. He builds success. Alex’s career as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) began 17 years ago. He has worked in the day program, as a residential and home host provider and, for the past nine years, in Information Technology (IT) at this proud ANCOR member agency in Lafayette, CO that sup- ports approximately 3,000 people. Many around the country already know of his work; now more will know with 2015 DSP of the Year Alex Andrews of Imagine! his selection from an impressive pool of nominations as the national recipient of the 2015 ANCOR DSP Recognition Award. of assistive technology devices and pairing it with a person who has the skills Alex is still trying to get comfortable systems used throughout the company. to use the technology and who needs it, and with this honor. “There are many DSPs Alex works with consumers to make sure loving the relationships that develop during out there doing wonderful work who they have the technology they need and the process.