September 10-16 marks National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week! On any given day, direct support professionals are asked to serve in a variety of roles: coach, clinician, family liaison, employment navigator, and chef, to name a few. They work hard to meet the needs of those in their care, and too often this work is underappreciated and undervalued. This week and every week, The Guild is committed to recognizing the skill, creativity, and work ethic of the amazing direct support professionals who are such a vital part of our community.

The Guild has been awarded a $17,000 grant from the Sudbury Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase a new emergency generator in case of power outages or emergencies at its Sudbury House residence. The grant is part of The Sudbury Foundation’s Sudbury Program, which invests in quality of life issues for underserved citizens.

Individuals with serious intellectual and developmental disabilities often require support from adult service programs when they turn 22. This process can be challenging and filled with anxiety for their loved ones. Every parent wants the best for their child as they become adults, but they may not know where to start.

Individuals with serious intellectual and developmental disabilities often require support from adult service programs when they turn 22. This process can be challenging and filled with anxiety for their loved ones. Every parent wants the best for their child as they become adults, but they may not know where to start.

The Guild is excited to announce that Isaac Mukwaya, Residential Assistant with Sudbury House, was honored with the Direct Support Professional of the Year Award for Massachusetts by the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). ANCOR is a national association of community-based service providers that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Guild for Human Services, which educates, encourages, and empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities, is opening a new residence for adults in Wilmington in May. 

Trauma-informed care is a framework for human service providers created to recognize trauma's prevalence and widespread impact. Given that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) disproportionately experience traumatic events, taking a trauma-informed approach is crucial for human service providers.

When Richard Asztalos graduated from Boston University with a liberal arts degree in 1975, he had his sights set on applying to law school. In need of a job in the interim, he responded to an ad and landed a gig as a special education teacher. It didn’t take long for him to fall in love with the human services field. It’s been nearly five decades since then, and he hasn’t looked back.

Earlier this month, Guild CEO Amy C. Sousa wrote an op-ed in Commonwealth Magazine, What’s causing the boarding crisis in hospitals? The article looks at the crisis of psychiatric boarding and its direct connection to the dire need for residential services for people with complex developmental and behavioral health needs.

Bob Renois, a Residential Assistant with Walnut House, was honored with an Award of Excellence at the Providers’ Council’s annual convention and expo on Monday, October 3rd. Bob has worked at The Guild for over 23 years in both Residential Assistant and Assistant Residential Manager capacities.