DSP Recognition Week 2019

September 17, 2019

Every year, Foothills Gateway, along with service organizations across the country, takes the second week in September to recognize and appreciate our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). These are the people who spend their days supporting individuals with disabilities. That support looks different for every program, every area, and every person.

This year, supervisors gave each DSP a gift card and personal thanks. In addition, our Management Team provided ice cream treats to end their day in the middle of the week. As an organization, we also took the opportunity to spread awareness and understanding for the work they do.

We encourage you to take a moment and read about each of our DSP teams and what they do every day! (These posts are also available on our Facebook and Twitter pages.)

	Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide *direct* care to the individuals we serve; everything from personal care to job coaching. They come to work every day for the PEOPLE, to ultimately help them gain better lives no matter what it takes 💙 Today marks the official start of DSP Recognition Week - the annual campaign when we take the opportunity to not only appreciate our amazing DSPs but further, share more with you about the important work that they do! Keep an eye out for individual posts throughout the week about all of the wonderful teams pictured - we can't wait to introduce them to you. #DSPRW19
	To kick off #DSPWeek introductions, we'd like you to meet our Transportation Team! These guys help transport over 150 adults every day and maintain our 65+ vehicle fleet to travel about 45,000 miles/month. Now, THAT is impressive!! #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Meet our wonderful Community Activities Program (CAP) team! This crew takes small groups of individuals out in the community to participate in activities that double as learning experiences. Whether they are working on social skills or personal safety, they always find a way to make it fun #DSPRW19
	We caught the Community Skills Development Program (CSDP) staff gathered around for their team meeting – 8am, coffee in hand, and they’re still smiling! These Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) take out small groups of individuals with disabilities every day to build social and vocational skills. Each week consists of a mix of leisure, volunteer, and educational activities that the staff coordinate based on their group’s interests. It’s person-centered and it’s FUN! #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Our DSPs in the Prevocational Program help prepare individuals with disabilities to work in the community. Along with making sure projects are accessible, DSPs train job skills and help people reach their individual goals including communication, problem-solving, and work place safety. Ultimately, this crew gets to encourage individuals to explore new opportunities and consider their future – it’s an exciting place to be!
	Meet the Supported Employment Team! These ladies train and support individuals with disabilities in finding and maintaining community jobs. Career Consultants focus on bridging the gap from business owners to individuals in order to create “win-win” relationships. Interested in learning more? Find our 2018 Supported Employment video and other resources here.
	Say hello to Residential!! This DSP team works night and day to support people in their homes. Sometimes that means cooking, cleaning and supporting personal care, other times it is doing activities with individuals. They really do whatever it takes, and we are so thankful for their hard work!! #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Next on the DSP Week list, we’d like to introduce you to Adult Care Services (ACS) and Children’s Extensive Supports (CES)! As you may imagine, the staff is much larger than 3 people, but this group works in the community and meets families where they are, so it’s pretty tough to get them in one place for a picture! ACS and CES provide respite in the environment that fits individuals best – including our ACS house in Old Town, community environments, or family homes. These staff work lots of odd hours and truly go above and beyond to support families when they need a break. We could not be more grateful! #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Meet the Basesite Team! These ladies work with adults who have disabilities to build communication and social skills, as well as supporting individual goals through a variety of recreational and leisure activities both on-site and out in the community! It’s truly impressive to see the new, creative ideas they come up with to support each person! #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	This awesome team supports individuals in our “Retirement” program – but don’t let the name fool you, they support adults of all ages who simply prefer a more relaxed environment. Most of the time, these DSPs facilitate activities of the individuals’ choosing, done at their pace, but every once and a while, you will walk into the room and find everyone captivated by an exciting BINGO show down ;) No matter the day, they’re always having fun, and for that, we are so thankful! #DSPRW19 #ThankYou
	This DSP crew is always on their toes and ready to roll with whatever comes their way! “Sensory Integration” supports individuals who have Sensory Processing Disorders, which show up differently for each person, so we keep the staff 1:1 to ensure each person receives the individual care they need and deserve!! We cannot express how thankful we are for the patience and genuine care these DSPs provide every single day!
	Meet the Intensive Support ladies! This team works together to provide care for people who require 24/7 supports – they help with personal care and day-to-day activity, but what’s more impressive is the way they understand individuals who are nonverbal and have their own unique ways of communicating. You will find them using sensory tools to interact with and understand each person they serve – it’s truly inspiring. #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Last but not least, we’d like to introduce you to the Direct Supported Living Services (SLS) team! These wonderful people provide supports in the community to help individuals lead independent lives, whatever that may look like for them. Some things they help with include grocery shopping and meal planning, budgeting or transportation. Like all of our DSP teams, we are grateful for their hard work, flexibility and genuine care for people with disabilities. #ThankYou #DSPRW19
	Alana here tops off our DSP Recognition Week perfectly – sharing why she loves her work <3 It is hard to express how much our DSPs mean to us, but more than that, what they mean to the people we serve. They change lives every day, whether they realize it or not. We hope you have learned something new about what we do at Foothills Gateway through this week. Please send us a message if you have questions, and find out more about career opportunities here.