Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities

National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week – 2024 Let’s Discuss Long-Term Solutions - NADSP National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week – 2024 Let’s Discuss Long-Term Solutions by Joseph Macbeth | Sep 11, 2024 | News National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week – 2024 Let’s Discuss Long-Term Solutions Joseph M. Macbeth, President and CEO As another National Direc...

❣This week is Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week!❣
During this DSP Recognition Week, we would like everyone to join us in thanking and uplifting all AID DSPs for their commitment to and positive impacts they have made on the clients they work with. The work our DSPs do is so incredibly important, and are right at the core of what we do. ♥
Thank you to our DSPs for changing the world for the better, one life at a time! 🌎🤗
The Arc of Illinois Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities ANCOR American Network of Community Options and Resources Relias

Happy DSP Week Jennifer! Jennifer is one of our longest standing DSP's with 18 years of dedicated service! Jennifer states that taking the individuals out in the community to experience new things is one of the things she enjoys most. When she is not at work, she enjoys going for drives in the country listening to music, spending time with family and friends, and reading. She is the second youngest of 6 kids. Her family is very close and talks everyday. Her favorite words to live by are "family is everything and without family, you have nothing"! We couldn't agree more!

Thank you Jennifer for your unwavering dedication to the people you support and for continuing to help all of them achieve their goals and dreams!

In appreciation of all DSPs, thank you for everything you do for the individuals here at Kreider Services.

We recently attended the 2024 IARF Educational Conference & Expo and came home with lots of information and ideas--thank you for a productive experience, Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities

Thanks to the hard work of REV UP Illinois, Disability Voters Rights Week has begun. Governor JB Pritzker has proclaimed this week as Disability Voters Rights Week in Illinois.

REV UP Illinois REV UP Illinois focuses on ensuring that every person with a disability has the opportunity to vote and that their vote is counted. Accessibility to voting remains a critical issue, with many polling places and voting procedures still presenting barriers for people with disabilities.

This week is Direct Support Professional Recognition Week! We are proud to take this opportunity to recognize the DSP’s from our Residential and Community Day Services programs – the heart and soul of supports for people with disabilities.

Celebrating National DSP Week: We’re excited to kick off National DSP Week and show appreciation for our amazing team of Direct Support Professionals. Your dedication, care, and hard work make a world of difference in the lives of the individuals we support, and we couldn’t be more thankful for all that you do.

Throughout this week, we’ll be sharing some special stories from our DSP team to showcase the incredible impact they make every day. Thank you for being such a vital part of The Arc family. Here’s to celebrating you all week long!

This week, we honor our incredible Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who are at the heart of everything we do. Our DSPs embody the values that guide our mission—community, courage, and resilience—each and every day.

Community: Our DSPs create a sense of belonging, offering unwavering support to those we serve. They foster connections, build relationships, and ensure that everyone feels valued and included.

Courage: It takes immense bravery to be on the front lines of care, especially in challenging times. Our DSPs face every situation with compassion, creativity, and strength, always advocating for the individuals they support.

Resilience: The road is not always easy, but our DSPs rise to every challenge. Through their dedication and perseverance, they help individuals overcome obstacles, celebrate progress, and live meaningful, fulfilling lives.

To our DSPs, thank you for your commitment, your compassion, and your tireless work. You truly make our community stronger every day!

Today marks the exciting start of DSP Appreciation Week! As we gear up to celebrate our incredible DSPs all week long, we want to begin with a heartfelt THANK YOU! 💙 Your dedication and hard work are the backbone of our mission, making it possible to support the amazing individuals we serve. You are our true superheroes! 🦸

It's DSP Week! Little City is proud to celebrate Direct Support Professional (DSP) Week, a time dedicated to recognizing the incredible contributions of our DSPs. These compassionate and dedicated individuals are the heart and soul of our organization, providing essential support and care to individuals and families every day. Today, we're celebrating Gwen Moss!

When Little City needs someone who can do it all, Gwen Moss is there. From working in the homes, to helping with day programming or guiding participants through vocational skill building and employment opportunities, Gwen has done it all in her years at Little City.

When Director of Employment Services Jenny Boland stepped into her role this past July, she said Gwen was one of the people she relies on the most and someone who is always there for not just participants, but other staff as well.

“She has been such a friend and positive figure to so many people at Little City. Gwen has worked in many different positions, most recently at the Center for Employment & Business Opportunities as a job coach providing instruction on job skills in the community and in the classroom. She’s very inspiring and gets people excited and motivated to work. She’s always been an advocate for participants to try new things and grow their social skills and she continues to take on even more. She currently runs all of our community volunteer sites and works with the participants on various hands-on job skills to get them ready for employment. And she still picks up hours on the weekends to work at residential homes. She just genuinely loves the work she does and is an amazing example of how much of a difference someone can make in the lives of the people we serve.” – Jenny Boland

Happy DSP Week!!!! ❤

This is an extra special week, DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION WEEK! We are going to celebrate and honor our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) all week. From all of us at DSC, we would like to express our utmost gratitude to all of our DSPs.

DSPs assist people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in realizing their full potential. They truly embody our mission—DSC supports people in living a rich and meaningful life—every day.

The work of DSPs is determined by the unique needs and preferences of the people they support, and they are held to high ethical and professional standards.

In other words, we couldn't do what we do without our DSPs; they are the heart and soul of everything we do here at DSC!

THANK YOU, DSPs!

Sparc would like to recognize our more than 150 Direct Support Professionals during 2024 DSP Week, This talented and dedicated group of professionals should be honored everyday throughout the year! This group chooses to do what they do because they care about the people we support. We would not be here without you.💚.

On behalf of the IARF Board of Directors and members-at-large, we thank Governor JB Pritzker for proclaiming this week - September 8 - 14 - as Illinois Direct Support Professionals Week:

"Illinoisans recognize and celebrate the contributions of direct support professionals who help strengthen our communities by fostering greater inclusion of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities."

Mark McHugh, President & CEO of Envision Unlimited and member of the IARF Board of Directors penned this important letter-to-the-editor last week:

"Envision Unlimited will continue to work tirelessly to provide even greater choice and independence to people with disabilities. Providing evolving care with empathy every time and everywhere should be a collective commitment to people with disabilities, their families and the funders investing in support services."

Keep advocating for the disabled There's still much more ongoing work needed to advance disability rights and services, writes the head of a disability advocacy group. Other readers wrote to us about Donald Trump's behavior at Arlington Cemetery, abortion rights, JD Vance and the Red Line extension.

“The whole mental health system suffers, and the whole healthcare suffers when you don't have access to psychiatrists," said Dr. Kari Wolf, Chair of Psychiatry for the SIU School of Medicine.

https://newschannel20.com/news/local/doctors-scramble-for-solutions-amid-mental-health-worker-shortage #

Doctors scramble for solutions amid mental health worker shortage September is the month to draw attention to an issue that impacts those of all ages: su***de. Many are struggling to find the long-term care they need.

On Friday, Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman denied the Administration's request to exit the Ligas Consent Decree.

While acknowledging progress, the Judge determined the Administration has not yet met "its burden to show that the consent decree should be terminated."

Federal judge rejects Illinois’ bid to end court oversight of disability programs By MOLLY PARKER & BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] [email protected] A federal judge on Friday denied Illinois' request to end court oversight of its disability services. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, with the U.S. District Court for the North...

An incredible night with Breakfast Club 80's Cover Band Chicago - Thanks to our sponsoring members that made the night happen & congratulations to our gift basket winners!!

Congratulations to the 2024 Community Care Professional of the Year Tara Morris with Pathway Services Unlimited, Inc.!

This is the most prestigious award we issue annually to a frontline staff person working at a member agency that exhibits excellence.

These are CE approved presenters. Promise!

Yesterday we honored our 2024 IARF Champions - Senator Dave Koehler, State Senator Karina Villa, State Representative Anna Moeller, 43rd District, & State Representative Sharon Chung

These Champions for I/DD and BH Services and Supports have been crucial to our shared goals of advancing investments in services and supports!