Dear Staff,
Last week we celebrated Clinician's Appreciation Week, where we had an opportunity to say thank you to our dedicated group of nurses, behavior intervention specialists, nutritionists and psychologists. It was so wonderful to see the staff in person and thank them personally for their efforts over the course of the last year. You can read more about this celebration in this edition of Limelight.
By now, you should have heard about the new Employee Referral Program where you can earn up to $6,750 when you refer 5 friends to work at ACLD. Learn more about this new program here. We also continue to encourage employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and to contact Joel Santana, Director of Regulatory Affairs at x134 about vaccine availability.
Once again, ACLD is seeking the honor as a Newsday Top Work Place, after receiving the award in October of 2020. In addition, our agency is in the running for Best Not-For-Profit by the Long Island Business News Reader Rankings. Please take both surveys and help ACLD get recognized for the amazing work we do for our employees and the people we support.
In this edition of the Limelight, you will find articles about the celebration of Administrative Professionals Day last month and a special spotlight on a caring member of our staff who is doing amazing things. In addition, you will find information about discounts at local and national businesses for ACLD employees, webinars for Mental Health Awareness Month, and a brand new section highlighting employees who are celebrating ACLD Anniversary Milestones!
Sincerely,
Rob, Gerard, Anne Marie and Kim
Robert Ciatto, Executive Director
Gerard DiMuro, Assistant Executive Director
Anne Marie Sime, Assistant Executive Director
Kim Leonard, Chief Financial Officer
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Say hello to Jarlande Pierre, Direct Support Professional in ACLD's Residential Services.
After beginning her career at ACLD in the Blake Avenue community residence four years ago, Jarlande worked in the Rainbow 923 community residence until it closed in March of last year, and is now currently working in the Great Neck IRA. As an outstanding provider of direct care, earlier this year she was selected as one of only seven Direct Support Staff in the agency to attend ACLD's Direct Care Professional Learning Academy.
Throughout the past four years, Jarlande has been known for how committed she is to the men and women we support and ACLD's mission. She expresses how grateful she is to have received, and to continue to receive, all of the excellent training provided to staff by the ACLD Center for Learning, her managers and other colleagues.
We thank Jarlande for her dedication to the adults in Residential Services, and especially all of her work over the past year, including handling the shopping for her home in the early months of the pandemic. She also applauds her fellow staff for their work every day, and she is proud to work alongside everyone in the Great Neck IRA
Jarlande's passion for helping people with learning and developmental disabilities does not stop when she clocks out each day. Originally from Haiti, Jarlande knows in many cases I/DD staff in her home country do not receive the same quality of training and are not taught the same standards of supports and services that we have in New York. She took it upon herself to start an organization, and she regularly visits Haiti to share her knowledge and training in the field with fellow Direct Support Professionals in the country. She knows that by educating other DSPs, they will in turn provide better care to the people they support, and also share their training with others.
In addition, Jarlande's organization collects food, clothes and other goods for I/DD professionals and other people who are in need in the country. We are truly blown away by how much she cares for others, and we thank Jarlande for being on our team!
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Clinician's Appreciation Week |
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This past week ACLD celebrated Clinician's Appreciation Week, thanking all of our Nurses, Behavior Intervention Specialists, Nutritionists and Psychologists for the extraordinary work they perform every day.
While the celebrations have been scaled back, Faith Mazzone, Director of Nursing and Dr. Abra Walters, Director of Psychology Services held a Clinician's Appreciation Day lunch last week at the Bethpage campus. Clinician's from across the agency were able to come by during lunch time and get a grab-and-go lunch and their annual gift, a new ACLD jacket. Please enjoy the video below highlighting our clinicians.
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Administrative Professionals Day |
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Last month we celebrated the amazing administrative staff here at ACLD for Administrative Professionals Day! A breakfast was held in the morning for everyone to enjoy, and to thank our administrative staff for the crucial work they execute on a daily basis to keep our organization functioning at a high level.
See below for pictures of the breakfast and of the cards that men and women supported in the Bethpage day program made for their staff.
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Donation to Residential Staff |
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A shout out goes to the One Special World Club and National Honor Society at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore for collecting and donating gifts to the Direct Support Staff at our East Meadow and Nichols Road community residences.
The One Special World Club is dedicated to special needs advocacy, and the National Honor Society encourages students to participate in community service activities. Some of the items donated include snacks, DVDs, video games and gift cards, all to show their appreciation for our staff’s hard work and dedication in taking care of the men and women we support.
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Employee Referral Program |
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The Human Resources Department is excited to announce the new EMPLOYEE REFERRAL PROGRAM! You can now earn up to $6,750 when you refer 5 friends or family members to work at ACLD. See the flyer below for details.
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Congratulations to Jennifer Davis, Direct Support Professional in the Oceanside community residence, who is graduating from Nassau Community College this month with her Associates degree and certificate in Disability Studies. Jennifer began her journey towards her degree and certificate by enrolling in the Alliance Program at ACLD in 2014, followed by completing the Direct Service Support Credit Program in 2017.
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Congratulations to Karen Russo Administrative Assistant in the Development and Community Relations Department, for celebrating her 20 Year Anniversary of working at ACLD last month.
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All ACLD employees have been assigned new online courses for 2021. Please login to Litmos and complete the following:
- Prohibition of Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment and Discrimination policy – 2021
- 2021 Annual NYS Justice Center “Code of Conduct” Training
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Help ACLD earn the recognition as a Newsday Top Work Place once again, after receiving it in 2020.
Please click the button below to fill out the online survey before it closes on May 19th. Last year, the response from our staff was so great that we were recognized nationally as an industry leader in the non-profit sector. Let's make that happen again!
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Long Island Business News Reader Rankings
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ACLD is also in the running for Best Not-For-Profit on Long Island by the Long Island Business News Reader Rankings. The online survey for this voting opens next week on May 17th.
Please vote for ACLD and help us get recognized for the amazing work we do for our employees and the people we support.
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Discounts for ACLD Employees |
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Did you know that by being an employee of ACLD, you can take advantage of exclusive discounts at different businesses such as Verizon, P.C. Richard, Six Flags and a lot more?
You can also register as an ACLD employee on PlumBenefits.com to get discounts on vacations, entertainment, online shopping and other services. Use company code ac0825520 to register.
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Mental Health Awareness Month Webinars |
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The National EAP's series of Thrive Programming has two new webinars for May, Mental Health Awareness Month.
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Tuesday May 18th
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Keeping Yourself Grounded:
Mindfulness Meditation Session
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Thursday May 20th
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Breaking the Stigma on Mental Health: Addressing Your Personal Wellness Needs So You Can Continue to Thrive
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Also check out the library of recordings of past Thrive Webinars here! To login, the username and password are both acld.
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Temporary Employee Procedures |
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Please review the Temporary Employee Procedures for COVID-19 Period. There were revisions in the sections called:
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Revised quarantine guidelines by DOH for people who were either vaccinated or previously had COVID-19 (page 1)
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ACLD Anniversary Milestones - May 2021 |
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5 years
Michael Hornung Sorter, RewearAble
Casetha Lawrence Direct Support Professional, East Meadow
Tasia Meeks-James Direct Support Professional, Seaford
Bria Woodberry Direct Support Professional, Sayville
10 years
Christie Basile Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Jovanie Durosier Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
15 years
Karla Clouden Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Nadine Delienne Direct Support Professional, Seaford
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Welcome ACLD New Hires - April 2021 |
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Alexander Ventura Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Alexandra Polizzotto Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Astride Asmus Direct Support Professional, Great Neck
Ayobami Bakare Teacher Aide, Kramer Learning Center
Bryanna Tersigni Teacher Aide, Kramer Learning Center
Elijah Logan Direct Support Professional, Louis Kossuth
Eneysshia Smith Direct Support Professional, Wildwood
Huma Amir Behavior Support Specialist, Kramer Learning Center
Jodie Robinson Direct Support Professional, West Hempstead
Julio Moran Teacher Aide, Kramer Learning Center
Kashianna Wynter Teacher Aide, Kramer Learning Center
Kendall Reed Respite Counselor, Bethpage 807
Michel Laguerre Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Morsal Rasuly Registered Nurse, Bethpage 857
Nathan Nyantakyi Direct Support Professional, Spur Drive
Nuvisha Grosvenor Direct Support Professional, Russell Gardens
Randell Pierre-Lys Direct Support Professional, Bethpage 857
Stefanie Bishop Clerk, Bethpage 807
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ACLD’s RewearAble program now has two bins located on the Bethpage campus in front of the 807 building - so you can drop off your clothing donation any time, day or night.
RewearAble, now in its 5th year of operation, has continued to accept contactless donations of clothing, shoes and other accessories throughout the pandemic.
Every donation received helps provide jobs for adults of different abilities in the RewearAble program, increases their independence and gives them opportunities to foster supportive relationships in the community.
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Don't forget to give a SHOUT OUT to recognize someone at your location for something special they did for you, your department or a person we support. |
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The Organizational Care Committee is always looking for new ideas and suggestions from all of YOU to continue to make ACLD one of the best places to work, and for children and adults to receive supports and services.
Please share your ideas and suggestions anytime at brightideabox@acld.org or by using the "Bright Idea Box" at one of the following ACLD locations.
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807 Building
837 Building
857 Building
Program Without Walls
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Kramer Learning Center
Spiegel Children's Center
Hauppauge Day Program
Levittown Day Program
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Glen Cove Day Program
Westbury Day Program
Farmingdale Day Program
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Submit YOUR stories for the "Limelight" |
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Each month we include stories in this newsletter about YOU and all of the amazing staff here at ACLD!
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP to find out about these stories. Please send us anything to include such as:
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A story about how you or someone else went above and beyond to help the people we support, organized any fun or educational activity, or did anything to further our mission in any way
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Information or news useful for staff across the agency. Anything important or fun.
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Proud moments for you or your family (Personal or professional milestones, awards, weddings, educational degrees or works in the community).
Don't be shy about submitting stories - we need new ones every month!
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"the limelight" is an initiative of the
Communications Committee
and is produced by the
Development and Community Relations Department.
Jonathan Dolan, Editor. For questions, comments or suggestions, please email dolanj2@acld.org
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Thank you to all who have submitted information
and photos. Keep them coming!
We welcome your comments and suggestions.
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