Please help recognize DSPs for their hard work
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Editor,
Sept. 10 –16 is National Direct Support Professionals (DSP) Appreciation Week. Mission Mountain Enterprises (MME) employs 150 DSPs and cannot stress enough just how important their work is, not only to our organization, but to all of Lake County. For anyone unfamiliar with MME, we provide community-based services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. DSPs assist these individuals with all aspects of their daily lives, including recreational and vocational activities. You may often see these staff, along with the people they support, around town, shopping at the store, or attending local events. They work aroundthe- clock to make sure the individuals they support are included in the community and able to take advantage of the same opportunities anyone else living here would. As a non-profit provider with fixed funding, MME faces difficulty paying DSPs a wage reflective of the level of their responsibilities. This year, we are facing a 3.5 percent rate cut, which will only make that goal more difficult to achieve. If you see any DSP staff this week, please take a moment to thank them for all of their hard work. Also reach out to your legislators and ask them to fight rate cuts to critical services for people with disabilities.
Whitney Cantlon
CEO, Mission Mountain Enterprises
Ronan