Our mission is to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities to achieve their potential based on personal choices, abilities and interests...

Westchester Arc
The Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center
265 Saw Mill River Road
Hawthorne, NY 10532
914.949.9300
info@westchesterarc.org

24-hour
Crisis Intervention:
914.949.8200

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Best Practice Awards Highlight Staff Excellence

The agency’s Best Practices Awards, presented twice a year, recognize outstanding delivery on our promise to be “caring, innovative and professional.”

The latest winners are:

First prize

Melissa Surace, Employment Services
Melissa is a job coach in Westchester Arc’s career services department. She provides on-site support to individuals with developmental disabilities who are employed in community jobs. Recently, one of Melissa’s consumers had trouble focusing at work, due to anxiety associated with his disability. He found it difficult to complete his daily tasks of stocking the company’s refrigerator and replenishing office supplies. Melissa cleverly designed a “playbook” so that he could keep track of what items he stocked throughout the day. She laminated the pages and used dry-erase markers, enabling the consumer to start fresh each day. Melissa created the book on her own time and paid for everything herself. The book has helped the consumer overcome his anxiety and enhance his job performance, while also drawing attention to the dedication of Westchester Arc’s supported employment staff.

Melissa Surace and Anne Majsak, Westchester Arc president.

Second prize

Jody Campbell, Beverly Williams, Pauline Dickens, Respite Services
Westchester Arc’s Respite House in Thornwood provides planned overnight visits for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Recently, staff at the house went out of their way to ensure that one guest, who has a severe medical condition, receive all of the comforts of home. Although staff at Respite House don’t typically accompany guests on medical appointments, Beverly, Jody and Pauline rearranged their work schedules to be there for the consumer in her time of need. They also ensured that the guest attend the agency’s Spring Ball, so she could spend time with her boyfriend, which helped lift her spirits.

Beverly Williams, Pauline Dickens and Anne Majsak. (Jody Campbell not shown)

Third prize

Celeste Boykin & Luis Aguirre, Day Habilitation Services
As instructors in Westchester Arc’s Yonkers day habilitation program, Celeste and Luis are constantly searching for ways to teach consumers about their community and the world at large. A little over a year ago, Celeste and Luis organized an activity in which the group sponsored a child through the “Save the Children” program. After selecting a ten-year-old boy from Haiti, the group researched the country’s culture which taught consumers about different language, food, and day-to-day-live. Celeste and Luis’ efforts in sponsoring Ramon have had a significant impact on the consumers’ knowledge and sensitivity for others. They are now not only aware of the conditions in Haiti, but understand how their help is making a difference in this young boy’s life.

Anne Majsak, Celeste Boykin and Luis Aquirre.

Fourth prize

Roberta Nickelsen, Guardianship Services
Westchester Arc’s guardianship services provides family-like care to individuals with developmental disabilities. Guardianship advocates, such as Roberta Nickelsen, use a person-centered approach to help an individual in all aspects of his or her life. Last year, Roberta helped a consumer, who was notoriously difficult, get needed medical care. Despite constant challenges from the consumer, Roberta remained a strong and nurturing advocate. She made tough decisions to protect him while at the same time fostering his interests. While he was in the hospital, Roberta cared for his personal belongings, and went so far as to clean his apartment. Roberta was successful in getting the individual placed in a supervised facility, then securing a Day Program. He is now on medication, in counseling, and for the first time since he has entered guardianship--he is truly being cared for in a way that will help him to lead a more fulfilling life.

Roberta Nickelsen and Anne Majsak.

Fifth prize

Tween Mwakabinga, Residential Services
Tween, a residence manager, recently got a phone call that one of his residents had difficulty seeing while at an agency day program. Tween immediately took the resident to the doctor and got a prescription for the necessary medication. There was just one problem—the medication was a rare mix and there were only two pharmacies in Westchester that could provide it. Tween rushed to a local pharmacy, where he learned the medication would come with a fee. Tween didn’t want to take any chances, so he paid for the medication himself. His efforts, which went above and beyond typical job duties, saved his resident from further vision impairments.

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