To celebrate national Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, ARRM is excited to announce the winners of the 2019 ARRM Cares Award all throughout this week! We are presenting awards at different times throughout the week, and are announcing winners as we go.
Today, we are honored to share that Amber Lobdell and Madie Uglem of CCRI, Inc. are two of the six winners of the 2019 ARRM Cares Award. Congratulations to you both!
Amber and Madie have incredible stories, which you can check out in full on the ARRM Cares webpage. Below is the press release announcing their selection.
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ARRM, a statewide association representing more than 200 direct care providers and supporting service providers for people with disabilities in Minnesota, announced today that two Moorhead Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) have been chosen for the ARRM Cares Award, given to the top six DSPs in the state each year.
Amber Lobdell and Madison Uglem, both employees of CCRI (Creative Care for Reaching Independence, Inc.), were identified for the exemplary care and support they provide to local Moorhead residents living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through their work, many individuals are leading higher quality lives because they have more opportunities to live and participate in their community based on their personal interests and passions.
“This is such a well-deserved honor for Amber and Madie,” said Shannon Bock, Executive Director of CCRI. “The skill and passion with which they approach their work has changed the lives of many, but I think also contributed to a stronger community here in Moorhead overall.”
More than 20,000 DSPs across Minnesota are eligible to be nominated for the ARRM Cares Award, given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding talent and success in supporting people with disabilities to choose and achieve their life goals and be included in their community. Less than 100 are selected for nomination and Lobdell and Uglem were ultimately selected by a review panel of leaders from more than 50 provider organizations.
“Because of the population they work with and the intensity of their responsibilities, a DSP requires a high level of professionalism, skill, training, and compassion,” said Sue Schettle, CEO of ARRM. “The care and support they provide is a critical public service for meeting the state’s obligation to ensure people with disabilities have the opportunities to lead self-directed lives as part of their communities. We’re honored to recognize Amber and Madie for their tremendous talent, dedication and impact.”
Lobdell has worked as a DSP for nearly seven years and has spent much of the last few years supporting a group of men the Moorhead community has come to know as “The Guys.” These four gentlemen, who are unrelated but have formed a strong brotherhood, were living in a home that could not meet their needs or desired quality of life. They were at risk of being separated, but Amber played a leading role in giving their story a voice, helping to introduce them to the broader community and advocate for the importance and impact of creating a new home that would support their family. The effort was successful, garnering strong community support and fundraising dollars to build their new home.
Uglem has a strong bond with a young woman she supports who loves getting out and experiencing the world but at times experiences extreme anxiety which can lead to outbursts, making public activities a challenge. However, Uglem developed such a close relationship with this individual that she not only has devised several strategies for assisting her to calm down, but Uglem can also identify when anxiety attacks are coming on and act so subtly that no one around them would know something out of the ordinary was happening. This preserves this young woman’s safety and dignity while ensuring she is able to participate in the things she loves.
“There’s so much more you could say about these two outstanding professionals, so many other ways they support people to live their best lives,” said Bock. “We’re so proud to have them on our team.”
ARRM is touring the state recognizing each of the six ARRM Cares Award winners during Direct Support Professional Recognition Week. Learn more about the ARRM Cares Award and past winners at www.ARRM.org/ARRM-Cares.
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