An occupation is what you are PAID to do. A calling is what you are MADE to do. When it comes to the role of UCP Direct Support Professionals, or DSPs, it’s actually a mix of both. Throughout the month of September, and especially during Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, we highlight the dedicated, innovative…
The best DSPs care for the health and welfare of individuals as a whole. Often times, that means getting creative in finding ways to support them and help them grow. A recent example of that creativity was on display at the latest “Dance Club” session for residential staff and participants. That’s when former DSP and…
In the world of Human Services, there is a lot of talk about “person-centered” planning, what that means, and what it looks like. At UCP Central PA, no matter what division you work for or the nature of your position, the end goal of ALL UCP employees is that every person we support will experience…
Your gifts of time, energy and resources are essential to our ability to continue to evolve and grow in ways that benefit the individuals and families we support. We encourage you to take a look at the opportunities that lie ahead, see what draws your interest, and consider how you might include UCP in your…
OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR, this column has highlighted the many ways UCP has evolved since 1953… in terms of the varying diagnoses of the individuals we support, the range of services we offer, and the many ways in which those services are delivered. Rapid, ever-changing advances in technology—coupled with the fact that…
The 2023 Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of UCP Central PA was one for the history books, literally. UCP leadership and staff, Board and Committee members, and extended family and friends gathered together at the West Shore Country Club on December 7 to recognize and celebrate UCP’s 70 years of service to the…
Each year UCP welcomes the opportunity to join the disability services provider community in recognizing and celebrating the tireless efforts of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) throughout our region, our state, and across the nation. In preparation for Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, which was celebrated Sept 10-16 this year, we asked our DSPs to tell…
Brandon, the subject of our lead story, is just one of countless individuals across Central PA who got the best possible start in life thanks to UCP services and supports, particularly our Early Intervention (EI) therapies. But it wasn’t just the children who benefited from their early years with UCP. Enduring friendships—often lifelong—developed among the…
“UCP Central PA. Good afternoon. This is Brandon. How can I direct your call?” That’s how Brandon Fisher, the Receptionist at UCP’s administrative headquarters in Camp Hill, answers the phone any given time it rings. And it rings a LOT. Brandon responds to, on average, upwards of 100 incoming phone calls a day. That says…
The months of May and June are widely recognized as key times of transition, beginning with toddlers moving on from preschool to kindergarten, then from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and from high school to whatever comes next in life. Is it postsecondary education at a college, university or trade school? Is…
