Moving Mountains
Award Presented to Mid-Hudson Coalition
-
Amy
Hewitt of the University of Minnesota is shown
in the photo above with Board Member Regis
Obijiski who accepted the award on behalf
of the MHC.
The Moving
Mountains Awards are presented to organizations and agencies that have
demonstrated best practice in direct support workforce development. They are
awarded by the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL) at
the University of Minnesota in partnership with the National Alliance
for Direct
Support Professionals (NADSP). Nominations are solicited through NADSP
member organizations and submissions are reviewed by a panel of NADSP
members. Selection criteria are based on the mission and five goals of the
NADSP:
Mission:
To
promote the development of a highly competent human services workforce which
supports individuals in achieving their life goals.
Goals:
1. Enhance the
status of direct support professionals.
2. Provide
better access for all direct support professionals to high quality
educational experiences (e.g., in-service training, continuing and higher
education) and lifelong learning which enhances competency.
3. Strengthening
the working relationships and partnerships between direct support
professionals, self advocates, and other consumer groups and families.
4. Promote
systems reform which provides incentives for educational experiences,
increased compensation, and access to career pathways for direct support
professionals through the promotion of policy initiatives (e.g.,
legislation, funding, practices). Support the development and implementation
of a national volunteer credentialing process for direct support
professionals.
According to the
award committee, the MHC was specifically selected because “this
organization has proven that through commitment, collaboration and a common
mission, direct support professionals can and will become better educated
and more committed to the field of community human services work.
“Organizational
members within the Mid-Hudson Coalition have remarkably low annual turnover
rates of direct support staff when compared to other organizations in the
region and state. Their leaders are committed to improving the working
conditions and public image of direct support employees. Most have found
ways to build career paths within their organizations and to pay competitive
wages to their employees.”
