Thanks to a scholarship from The Educational Foundation of OHCA (EFOHCA), one of our very own Direct Support Professionals will be continuing her education to become a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) or manager for an ICF.

Chrissy Nelson knows what it means to work hard and to be dedicated. She is a mother of 3, married to her husband, Bobby, works full time at ViaQuest Healthcare Central at our Walden Home, and goes to school full-time at Kent State! Chrissy has been a Direct Support Professional (DSP) for over 14 years and enjoys being a part of the family environment, knowing all the individuals she serves on a personal level. “I especially love the ability to work one on one with individuals creating relationships and helping them learn and develop skills,” Chrissy said.

The ViaQuest leadership is so proud of Chrissy for going after her dream and working hard to win this scholarship. “She is a wonderful employee. She is one of our core DSPs for Walden Home in Geneva, Ohio, an 8-bed coed ICF. She is our go-to employee for training. Her managers speak very highly of her care and skill set. She truly is an amazing person,” Andrew Austin, Northeast Ohio ICF Regional Director.

Chrissy’s advice to DSPs is to believe in yourself. When you believe, you have self-confidence, and it allows you to do amazing things. If you have a goal, don’t be afraid; go for it! You never know what you can accomplish if you don’t try. No matter what you do, always give 110%. By giving it your all, you allow yourself to be the best person you can be. Finally, don’t give up when you have a bad day. There is another day waiting for you to be your best.

Thank you, Chrissy, for all your hard work and commitment to those we serve.  We are proud to have you as part of the ViaQuest Family, and congratulations on winning the EFOHCA scholarship!

If you would like to be a DSP at ViaQuest, or would like to refer someone to work for ViaQuest, please visit Careers at ViaQuest.