2022 Outstanding DSP Award
Direct Support Professionals are at the heart of all we do. It has never been more abundantly clear how much DSPs sacrifice to ensure the individuals they support can live their best lives – especially during a severe workforce crisis.
2022 Winners
Asia Goode
One of the individuals Asia supports was extremely resistant to wearing a mask, at the beginning of Covid. Asia had worked with him and his mother continually in coming up with ways for him to accept this. HOME Incorporated could not give him on site services, due to his refusal to comply, and he would lash out angrily with staff and his mother. As a result of her patience, caring and consistency with the individual, he is not only back at program receiving services, but he has been able to keep his mask on at program, and even when he was recently hospitalized. His verbal abuse and acting out against his mother has stopped as well! Asia is the most loving, caring person to everyone she meets.
Micaela Thompson
Over the years, the family of the individual that Micaela now supports went through several support professionals, none of which were a good fit. They almost gave up on bringing anyone else in, until they met Micaela. She entered their home and not only loved the individual she supports, but the whole family, and they loved her right back. She had a firm but loving hand with the individual she supports, which is exactly what he needed. She has built a relationship with him that he had been missing, and that no one else can fill. She’s a friend, a teacher, and a mentor. To say she goes above and beyond doesn’t do her justice. She’s saved the day on many occasions, during and outside of work hours. They’ve celebrated and cried over life together, spending hours discussing plans to help the individual she supports. She’s invested in the success of the whole family. She believes in him and helps him believe in himself.
Rick Washington
Rick has a way of developing a relationship that goes beyond his job description. He can reason with the individuals he supports when no one else can. He is soft spoken, humble, kind, and gentle. He is a single father and very involved in his children’s lives, balancing his family and work while ensuring that he is on the schedule for special events at the agency.
