Each year, LSI commemorates National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week (DSP) to honor and celebrate the essential roles that Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) play in the lives of individuals with disabilities. Our devoted DSPs workers across the state, help Iowans with disabilities to safely reside in their homes instead of hospitals or institutions. They make sure our clients’ voices are valued and their choices honored, enabling them to pursue the lives they wish to lead, free from outside control.
This year’s theme is “Grow Through What You Go Through.”
As a team, we dedicate time each month to nominate a staff member who exemplifies outstanding assistance to our clients. At the end of the year, we compile the total nominations for each team member. This year, we are thrilled to announce that the title of Direct Support Professional of the Year goes to Brenda Stalbaum Martin! Read on to discover the reasons behind Brenda receiving this prestigious honor from our LSI staff.
Brenda is an active Direct Support Professional (DSP) at LSI, demonstrating exceptional commitment to her clients’ well-being and empowerment over the past 9 years. She consistently builds lasting rapport, with an average caseload retention of seven years. Brenda’s why is “to empower people to be the best they can be to the glory of God.” Brenda’s best tip is to “listen deeply (as) your clients’ voices need to be heard.” Brenda’s favorite thing about her job is “(the opportunity) to serve clients over time through the joys and challenges of their lives.” Brenda truly puts her whole heart into her sessions. She often stays strong for them by leaning on her faith and prayer so that she can continue to show up for them.
Brenda has recently won DSP of the month, for always having a listening ear, unwavering patience, a kind heart, innovation in goal setting, and prioritization of clients’ essential needs. This recognition, determined by supervisor feedback and peer review, highlights Brenda’s consistent excellence in service delivery.
One of Brenda’s newer clients came on at a very difficult time for him as his mother had just passed away and he did not open up or talk much with others. Brenda used her best tip to listen deeply and started asking those open-ended questions to get him to really speak. Due to this, Brenda and her client developed a meaningful connection and trust between them. This approach exemplifies Brenda’s commitment to person-centered care, ensuring each client receives tailored support.
During Brenda’s nine-year tenure at LSI, there are so many stories that could be told to demonstrate the impact Brenda has made with those she works with.
Brenda recently was providing services with client in the car and had a flat tire while driving down the interstate in Des Moines. Brenda pulled over to a safe area on the side of the interstate and made sure to check on the client. After she calmly talked to the client and made sure she was okay, Brenda took the appropriate steps and called the supervisory team for assistance. Brenda continued to keep the client calm while a supervisor came out to pick up the client. The client talked with the supervisor about how well Brenda handled the situation and how she used such a soft calming voice to help make her feel safe even though she was scared.
Her proactive efforts also extend to preventing a client from facing homelessness. Brenda worked tirelessly to help ensure this client would not end up on the streets. Brenda made the appropriate phone calls and spent countless hours trying to find new resources to assist the client in the situation. Brenda kept in constant contact with the landlord, supervisory team, and members of executive leadership. She also helped the client stay in contact with Iowa Legal Aid, a contact for homelessness at Primary Health Care, and a storage facility to store the client’s items until a permanent place was located. Brenda set up transportation to help the client get to court, made sure the client had an appropriate outfit for court, and made sure the client understood details about the eviction. Brenda, being self-aware, knew when this situation was affecting her mental health, so she reached out for assistance from the supervisory team to help continue providing the needed care and assistance with this client while also taking care of herself. This client now has her own apartment, was able to keep her cat, did not end up on the streets, and obtained some rent assistance.
In response to COVID -19 challenges, Brenda went above and beyond by physically assisting an extremely immunosuppressed client with grocery shopping while maintaining their independence, showcasing her adaptability and compassion. Brenda took the client’s grocery list and physically shopped for the client while the client was on the phone with her doing what he could to complete the task as independently as possible. Brenda did this with his medications and other necessary items that he needed as well. To date the client has not contracted COVID-19 as a result of community-based supports to protect him.
Brenda’s impact extends beyond individual cases. Much of her caseload is in the older population, and many have had several hospital visits due to factors like falls, cancer, and sickness. Brenda makes sure to check in with these clients, deeply listen to their concerns, see them during evening hours, and reassure them that everything is going to be okay.
Brenda is a strong advocate for person-centered planning. This includes finding creative ways to make sessions and goal work fun and meaningful while still working on goals. For example, one of her clients loves to dance and sing along to music and requested adding that into their sessions while still getting goal work done. Each session, if able, Brenda puts music on and dances along with the client. Another example is a client whose spiritual life is important to him and has requested Brenda pray at the end of each session with him. Brenda, feeling comfortable with this request, has been able to take a moment at the end of sessions with the client to pray with them.
Brenda has always tried her hardest to complete necessary job duties and find answers on her own as able. Brenda is also always willing to have new staff shadow her and learn from her. If Brenda shares a client with another staff member, she works to stay in touch with that staff member about that client to help provide the best continuous care for the client. Brenda is open with sharing her client knowledge with other coworkers as needed, such as in staff meetings, so others can increase in their knowledge about certain situations she has spent countless hours researching and she can connect with/support others who may be going through similar situations.
Our supervisory team often hears from Brenda’s clients that they never want to lose her as a staff because she is so kind and dependable, has a great sense of humor, and goes the extra mile. She has used extreme caution to not only protect herself but also to protect those she serves while making sure that their needs are being met. Brenda has had her own challenges within her personal life but during those challenges continued to work to make sure her clients still receive the services and support they need.
An enormous thank you to Brenda for choosing to work with us. Because of her, others are living healthier and safer lives.
During the pandemic, you kept Iowa kids safe by supporting LSI. When families were at heightened risk of child abuse or neglect, LSI social workers were able to continue walking alongside them, safely visiting parents in their homes and providing any resources to keep children happy and healthy. But this critical work won’t stop once we move into a “new normal.” Your support will ensure LSI social workers can continue toward our goal of preventing child abuse.
As we look ahead to life after COVID-19, LSI will also be growing and expanding our services to former refugee and immigrant community members. Over the past year, COVID-19 created even more barriers for new Iowans; whether they were facing isolation in their home, trying to build a career while the world shut down, or navigating health and vaccine information in an unfamiliar language. But they rose to the challenge and LSI stood alongside them, providing virtual classes and programming and offering a COVID-19 hotline that provided important information in 15 languages. Thank you for standing with us and empowering our communities across Iowa.