ANCOR, the Institute on Community Integration (ICI), and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), announced today that they will present the 2025 Moving Mountains Award to Life Unlimited, Inc. during the ANCOR Connect ’25 conference on April 8 in San Diego, California.
Responding to high turnover rates among staff who support people with disabilities, particularly in the first 90 days of employment, the North Kansas City, Missouri-based service provider implemented tiered pay incentives tied to completion of training levels and developed a curriculum for staff training that is rooted in principles of self-determination, person-centered practices, and informed choice.
“Solutions to the direct support workforce challenges require action at many levels, and employers taking responsibility for professional skill development is a great way to increase staff retention,” said ICI Director Amy Hewitt. “Life Unlimited, Inc. has made this commitment and achieved positive workforce outcomes, creating models that can be replicated by other employers.”
The award will be presented during a pre-lunch plenary in the Pacific Jewel ballroom of the Sheraton San Diego Resort. The winners will present details about their initiatives in a morning breakout session on April 9.
“We’re very honored to have been selected from among all the organizations that applied,” said Julie Edlund, chief executive officer of Life Unlimited. “This award is a testament to our training team’s unwavering commitment to preparing a highly qualified workforce to support those we serve. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and staffing shortages, we maintained the integrity of our training programs, refusing to cut corners. We believe every staff member must be fully equipped to provide the highest quality possible—because the people we support deserve nothing less, and our team deserves the opportunity to excel.”
Committing to the cost and waiting times for getting staff properly trained, along with taking the risk of mandating vaccinations and instituting administrative leave policies if staff members fail to complete ongoing training, took temerity in a field with such high turnover, Edlund said.
“We kept hearing from people that they needed more support,” said Vincent Bustamante, vice president of training. “An interview only gives us a brief glimpse of a candidate, but during our two- to four-week orientation, we see how they perform independently and adapt to the role. We view orientation as an extension of the screening process, ensuring we bring in individuals with the right skills and work ethic to succeed. About 85% of our new hires graduate from orientation. If that number were 100%, I’d be concerned. The process is designed to identify those truly prepared for the work ahead.”
And while the service provider invests in multiple online training opportunities for staff, another important component is the human side of those experiences, noted Cassie Harrity, senior training specialist.
“Having new staff together for up to a month also means they leave orientation with professional relationships with each other,” she said. “So, it’s less about coming in and getting some information and being told to figure out the rest on your own, and more about developing workplace friends who you can trust and who have your back. I think that’s been really helpful.”