Alyssa Malcolm – West Virginia Direct Support Professional of the Year
From the day Alyssa began working with ResCare, she has embraced the core responsibilities of a Direct Support Professional. Initially, she would routinely identify areas of improvement and work diligently to ensure those improvements happened. Alyssa spearheaded change within her location and established a foundation of understanding the needs of each person in her charge, translating those needs into the daily care provided within the home, and proving to be a fierce advocate for identified unmet needs.
Now, as the Lead DSP in the home, she has successfully led the team through the healing of multiple pressure areas to ensure one individual was able to remain in the home for care, as well as creating a nurturing environment for another individual, which successfully reduced frequent, intense challenging behaviors to a few incidents occurring each month. When there are new admissions, Alyssa works tirelessly to assist those supported to understand each other and foster friendships. She is active in the planning of care, offers solutions, and recommends changes to provide a more person-centered approach throughout all aspects of the home. Despite the critical staffing shortages the home has experienced, she continued to ensure programming, activity schedules, and personal goals were at the forefront for those she serves.
Alyssa operates ethically, honestly, and in the best interests of those she serves. Not only do loved ones and family members trust her, but supervisors also rely on her knowledge and input when developing new processes or when challenges arise. Her work over the years is evidence of her integrity, advocacy, and understanding of the mission.
