And the Nominees for Case Manager of the Year Are

The linchpin of our homeless response system is not the board chair, the executive, or the program manager; it is the case manager. To pay tribute to these professionals, MDHA will be holding its first:

 Case Manager of the Year Award Luncheon

And the nominees are...

 

Lisa Stephenson of the Housing Crisis Center! Gina Norman, who nominated Lisa, emphasizes her profound and deep sense of empathy, so central to case management. She tells us that Lisa lives by the quote, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

 

Monica McGee of Austin Street Center! Dustin Perkins, who nominated Monica, marvels at her leadership skills. He tells us that Monica, "has been so effective at developing partnerships that the word has passed beyond the walls of Austin Street, increasing awareness about the problem of homelessness in Dallas."

Tiffany Price of the  VA North Texas Health Care System! Natalie Qualls, who nominated Tiffany, is impressed by her passion and resilience. She tells us that Tiffany, "comes to work with a positive attitude and a desire to serve, which is important given that she spends most of her days outside the comfort of an office building, and in the streets and encampments," with some of the most vulnerable of our veterans.

Kayla Modesto of Hope's Door New Beginning Center! Isabel Camacho, who nominated Kayla, admires her adept deployment of the tools in her case management "toolbox". She says that Kayla, "practices active listening," "empowers her clients," and helps them, "become self-sufficient," using a, "Trauma Informed Care approach and motivational interviewing." 

 

Brandy Stockton of The Samaritan Inn! Heather Molsbee, who nominated Brandy, loves how she fights for those in need. She says that their clients, "have often given up before they meet us. Brandy is their greatest asset... Always a champion of the underdog, Brandy will push for what is right, with a smile on her face and the tenacity of a bulldog."  

David Swain of The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center! Andrew Lomax, who nominated David, emphasizes how David meets clients where they are in the physical sense, but much much more too. "He might be seen talking with a guest on the sidewalk on St. Paul St., or at an encampment... ultimately he is engaging, hat turned backward, making sure a... guest is all right... exploring who they are at that moment... to figure out the next steps."

Cindy Bailey of The Stewpot! Laura Westerlage, who nominated Cindy, tells us that, actually, it was a unanimous decision of their entire team to nominate her! Laura, who supervises Cindy, reminds us that in our work, leadership is about much more than titles, "Cindy... is the person our small team always leans on and looks to for help and advice... Cindy has been my mentor and sounding board... She is very much the silent and humble leader... who unites us."

 

Erica Pouncie of the Salvation Army Carr P. Collins Social Service Center! Michael Allen, who nominated Erica, highlights her ongoing learning, so critical tosuccessful case management. He tells us that she is currently working on her PhD, and that shares her learning with her entire team, bringing to them new ideas for training, as well as new clinical solutions to client challenges, that can benefit not only her clients, but their clients too.   

Beatriz Martinez of CitySquare! Joshua Tomko, who nominated Beatriz, talks about her powerful impact on clients, as well as team members. He tells us that multiple supervisors find themselves "tearing up," at, "the power of the impact," Beatriz can have on a client. He explains that, "she can pull someone's dreams out of them, and inspire them to pursue things they never thought possible."

Luis Moreno of Prism Health North Texas! Ben Callaway, who nominated Luis, loves how empathetic, caring and non-judgmental he is. He says that Luis' "sense of social justice, patience, compassion and empathy enable his clients to return even after they relapse, because they are confident that Luis will... help them restart their journey... focusing on their strengths, rather than their weaknesses.

Benjamin Bailey of Metrocare Services! Benjamin was nominated by a client, who speaks movingly about how much he helped her, her husband, her sixteen-year-old son and her four-year-old daughter, who lives with autism. She tells us that when she was consumed with, "fear and hopelessness," Benjamin was there to give her, "hope and courage," taking her to her appointments, making sure her son made it to school and her daughter received the assistance she needed. "I wish there were more Benjamin Baileys," she concludes. 

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