National Disability Provider Association Names Lifescape DSP Recipient Of 2023 Direct Support Professional Of The Year Award
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) has announced that Rebecca Lange, a Direct Support Professional at LifeScape, has been named the recipient of the 2023 DSP of the Year award. Lange joins 53 other recipients of ANCOR’s 2023 Direct Support Professional of the Year Awards, chosen from a record-breaking pool of more than 350 outstanding nominees.
“LifeScape is overwhelmingly proud of Rebecca, for her award recognition of course, but more importantly for her dedication and commitment to true community inclusion for the people we support” said Ben Jacobs, Director of Adult Residential. “We cannot think of anyone who more clearly demonstrates the transformative power of community-based supports, and we’re so grateful that ANCOR has recognized Rebecca with this high-profile honor.”
Since 2007, ANCOR’s annual DSP of the Year awards recognize outstanding direct support professionals (DSPs) who deliver long-term services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The awards celebrate the important role DSPs play in ensuring people with I/DD have what they need to thrive and be included in the community. These awards also seek to raise awareness about a direct support workforce in crisis. Inadequate investments in this essential workforce have led to a decades-long severe shortage of DSPs, which has only been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and has accelerated into a crisis that threatens access to critically needed services.
“From voter education and self-advocacy initiatives to supporting people to pursue their career aspirations and so much more, direct support professionals like Rebecca make clear the crucial role this workforce plays in communities across the country,” said Diane Beastrom, President of ANCOR’s Board of Directors and President & Chief Executive Officer of Koinonia, a disability service provider based in Independence, Ohio. “ANCOR is proud to celebrate Rebecca and the 53 other professionals who comprise the 2023 class of outstanding honorees.”
Barbara Merrill, Chief Executive Officer for ANCOR, added: “For 17 years now, ANCOR has presented the Direct Support Professional of the Year Awards to recognize the outstanding professionals who power community inclusion for people with [intellectual and developmental disabilities]. The outstanding DSPs being honored this year deliver life-enhancing supports amid significant challenges, not the least of which is a long-standing crisis in the ability of providers to recruit and retain qualified DSPs. Through it all, these professionals demonstrate an unwavering commitment to community inclusion and to the people they support. That’s why we feel honored to celebrate LifeScape DSP Rebecca Lange, who exemplifies excellence in our field.”
The 2023 DSP of the Year awards will be presented in a ceremony at ANCOR’s 2023 Annual Conference in Chicago next Wednesday, April 26 at 2:30 pm CDT.