Darlene Ricco is ANCOR DSP of 2009
Awards program honors those who support people with disabilities
(March 24, 2009) The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) today honored Darlene Ricco of Dungarvin Nevada, LLC in Carson City as the 2009 Direct Support Professional of the Year.
Read About the 2009 Winners!
2009 Direct Support Professional of the Year
 Darlene Ricco
Carson City, Nevada
Dungarvin Nevada, LLC
2009 DSP Award of Honor (Posthumous)
 Pansy Wilson
Gainesville, Florida
Salem Villages MRDD, Inc.
Special Awards
ANCOR Advocacy Award
Direct Support Professionals Alliance of New York State
Workforce Bill Reintroduced in the House
Contact Your Representative Today!
Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE) have introduced H.R.868, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act of 2009, known in the previous Congress as H.R.1279. Like the previous bill, H.R.868 helps address the workforce crisis by giving states a much-needed option to secure additional federal dollars for the direct support workforce.
Now that the wage bill has been re-introduced, we need to get members of the House of Representatives to demonstrate their support by co-sponsoring the bill. To do this, ANCOR needs you to write your Representative and urge his or her support of H.R.868.
Click here to contact your Representative TODAY!
2008 Direct Support Professional Wage Study
(3/3/09) ANCOR has released a study comparing national average and entry-level wages among state-employed and private provider DSPs. The 2008 Direct Support Professional Wage Study identifies several staggering statistics that highlight the growing disparity in pay between the public and private DSP workforce. The study was conducted by the Mosaic Collaborative for Disabilities Public Policy and Practice.
Click here to download a PDF of the report, and click here to read the press release.
Get Involved in the NAC!
Change. It doesn’t happen overnight. But with the energy and excitement we experienced during the recent presidential election, change appears close.
The National Advocacy Campaign (NAC) seeks to make change to help our direct support workforce. Now more than ever we need to stand up for the DSP’s and raise awareness in Washington of the invaluable service DSP’s provide in communities across the country. We need to share our stories of how DSP’s make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities. And, we need to speak loudly in a unified voice that carries our message of a fair and livable wage for Direct Support Professionals.
Get involved today! Make a difference and evoke change to address the growing direct support workforce crisis. Here are a four things you can do today…
- Sign up to receive updates from the NAC.
- Invite 5 friends to join the NAC.
- Contact your congressional representative and show your support for DSPs.
- Join the “You Need To Know Me” group on facebook.
DSP to DC 2008
Capitol Hill Rally – September 9, 2008
U.S. Representative Lois Capps (D-CA)
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In conjunction with National Direct Support Recognition Week designated by the U.S. Senate
(S. Res. 613), the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) assembled hundreds of Direct Support Professionals (DSP), individuals with disabilities and their families from across the country to rally Capitol Hill this week. At issue, is the alarming shortage of DSP workers in this country and their inability to earn a living wage. Click here to see footage from the rally.
U.S. Representative Lee Terry (R-NE)
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U.S. Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) addressed the crowd of more than 200, offering appreciation for the supports and services offered by DSPs, and words of encouragement for pending legislation to address the workforce wage crisis. “Not only do you make a difference every day, you’re going to make a difference here on the Hill today,” said Representative Terry.
Click here to see Representative Terry’s remarks at the rally.
Renee Pietrangelo, ANCOR CEO |
“If we don’t do a better job of improving the wages of dedicated individuals… we cannot ensure the long-term viability of our current workforce,” said Representative Capps.
Click here to see Representative Capps’ remarks at the rally.
Representatives Capps and Terry introduced the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act (H.R. 1279) into the 110th Congress, a measure that has received considerable attention on Capitol Hill and currently has 127 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. H.R. 1279 amends the Medicaid program (Title XIX of the Social Security Act) to provide federal funds that will enable states to increase wages to targeted direct support professionals providing supports to people with disabilities.
 “Low DSP wages coupled with emotionally and sometimes physically difficult work often leads to high turnover and disruption of services for a particularly fragile group of Americans,” said Renee Pietrangelo, ANCOR CEO. “Millions of elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive personal and very intimate supports from DSPs every day become victims of this workforce shortage.” Pietrangelo stated further that DSPs deserve, “respect and fair compensation for valued work.
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