Serving Our People and Community Highlight / April 16, 2019
BrightSpring Health Services is proud to acknowledge seven employees from its family of brands who have been recognized for their work in support of people with disabilities.
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) named seven employees from ResCare Community Living, ResCare HomeCare and Rehab Without Walls as 2019 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) of the Year in six states and Canada. DSPs from Alaska, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Canada will be honored on May 8 at ANCOR’s national conference in Portland, Oregon.
“I often describe DSPs as ‘community navigators.’ Far more than just caregivers, DSPs do it all,” said ANCOR Chief Executive Officer Barbara Merrill.” From navigating civic life, to supporting individuals, to creating a sense of community around them, DSPs make magic in their communities every single day. These awards represent just a fraction of the recognition that these individuals deserve.”
DSPs – also called caregivers, personal assistants and direct care or homecare aides – provide daily support services for people with disabilities. These individuals create optimal environments for people in need of assistance, through attentive and quality service principles.
“We’re so happy for the national recognition that our DSPs are receiving,” said BrightSpring Chief Compliance Officer Rachael Kurzer Givens. “These amazing individuals are living out our mission and we are extremely proud of them for demonstrating our quality standards every day and helping people live their best life.”
ANCOR received hundreds of nominations highlighting DSPs from across the nation. Nominees were judged on the work they’ve accomplished to build social networks, substantive community participation and advocating for the people they serve. ANCOR then honors the exceptional DSPs with the Recognition Award for exemplary work in furthering community inclusion and full participation for individuals living with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. The BrightSpring family of brands employees who earned state DSP of the Year recognition are: Jacquelyn Evans (ResCare HomeCare, Alaska), Phillip Kibbat (ResCare Community Living, Florida), Tanya Scherer (ResCare Community Living, Michigan), Shane Whitaker (ResCare Community Living, North Carolina), Lafawndra Allen (ResCare HomeCare, Texas) and Danielle Hay (Rehab Without Walls, Canada). Click here to read more about these winners.
“I started my career in the field of disability supports as a DSP, and so I know just how critical DSPs are to supporting individuals in their quest to live their best and most fulfilling lives,” said Robert Budd, President of ANCOR.
The American Network of Community Options and Resources is a national trade association representing more than 1,200 private providers of community living and employment supports and services to more than 800,000 individuals with disabilities with a workforce that’s over half a million strong. ANCOR advocates for the crucial role private providers play in enhancing and supporting the lives of people with disabilities and their families.
Through its national advocacy campaign, ANCOR seeks to obtain the resources to recruit, train and retain a sustainable direct support workforce. ANCOR provides organization, professional, leadership development and networking opportunities and services and is continually working toward partnerships and collaborations that support our mission, which is to advance the ability of our members in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to fully participate in their communities. For more information, visit www.ANCOR.org
BrightSpring Health Services is the parent company of a family of brands and services that provides clinical, nonclinical and pharmacy and other ancillary care services for people of all ages, health and skill levels across home and community settings. BrightSpring is one of the largest providers of diversified home and community-based health services to complex, high-cost populations. Its primary businesses include: behavioral health (including autism services), home health care (including personal care, home health, and hospice), neuro therapy, and job placement and vocational training, supported by pharmacy and telecare ancillary technologies and services. These businesses employ over 45,000 dedicated team members in more than 45 states and provide services to over 300,000 people every day.
BrightSpring Health Services is focused on providing quality and lower-cost outcomes to challenging and high-cost populations, through best-in-class services and technology innovation. Its Connected Home care model is becoming an industry-leading approach to the future of health care services to achieve strong quality and compliance while also driving efficiency and cutting waste. The company’s care professionals work in thousands of communities across the United States providing critically needed daily support services, as well as clinical and pharmacy health services, in community settings. Founded and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, BrightSpring has been making a difference in people’s lives and communities since 1974 – helping people live their best life.
Filed under: Serving Our People and Community Highlight