After two long years of connecting virtually, the ANCOR community met in-person at the 2022 Annual Conference. From agency owners to direct support professionals (DSPs), ANCOR brought together the industry’s brightest to celebrate the community’s accomplishments, and to elevate the shared vision of a more inclusive future for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) community. Sandata is proud to be a Gold Partner of ANCOR and was thrilled to be in attendance with such a committed group of individuals to tackle national themes.
Collective Voice
In addition to the energy of highly anticipated in-person connection, there was a focus on the power of community voice. “The ANCOR community is so passionate and committed to their work,” remarked Carey Sowle, SVP of Professional Services. “Over my more than 15 years’ experience within this community, I continue to be in awe of agencies’ passion, energy, and ability to collectively solve challenges!”
Through shared stories and experiences, ANCOR members and leaders were able to discuss and work through some challenging issues around legislation and budget that will affect all members of the I/DD community.
Resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging for I/DD providers. On top of access to care for the individuals served, a severe workforce shortage is plaguing the industry. Many agencies have dealt with the challenges of their workforce leaving due to being underpaid, because of limited government funding.
“We heard stories of agency owners stepping in as a DSP for the day to ensure the individuals they serve would get the care they needed,” said Sammy Keating, Director of Marketing. “It was amazing to hear all the sacrifices made throughout the pandemic to ensure proper care was still received.”
Data-Informed Decisions
Using data for insights was a strong theme throughout the week. While data analytics most often is used for baselining, setting goals, measuring progress, and making informed decisions, a less talked about outcome was covered: celebrating. When a staff member or individual being served meets their goals, celebrate. Small wins are important for agency staff and individuals served and celebrating them is paramount to the success of their programs.
Better Together
In speaking with ANCOR’s senior leaders, it became clear that although they’ve done a fantastic job convening the ANCOR community virtually over the past two years, they are committed to creating opportunities for members, partners, and friends to connect and collaborate face-to-face. “Reconvening in Miami was not only an incredible opportunity to celebrate all we’ve accomplished these past two years, but in many ways also marked the start of our next chapter,” said Barbara Merrill, ANCOR’s chief executive officer. “And I would remiss if I didn’t emphasize that our ability to look ahead to a brighter future simply would not be possible without valued partners like Sandata. [The company’s] commitment to ANCOR—from sponsoring our virtual Policy Summit last fall to supporting our first in-person Annual Conference in three years this spring—empowers us to empower providers.”
Supporting a population in need of care takes the talents and commitment of many. Sandata is honored to add to the charge through its work in transforming healthcare with the most trusted technology and unmatched experience. Through opportunities to meet and collaborate with others serving the same population, we know that we can do better together.