This m
onth for our Staff Spotlight, we are featuring our very own Office Manager Kayla Fisher.
Kayla has been with AUCP for going on ten years. She lives in Somerset County and her boys attend Conemaugh Township. She graduated from Penn Highlands Community College with a degree in Social Science. Kayla has been happily married to David for almost 8 years. They have two sons Cameron and Hunter. They also have two ferrets and 18 chickens. Kayla’s hobbies include, anything outdoors, and with the family. Watching the boys participate in football, basketball and wrestling. They also are into Riding quads, dirt bikes, rock climbing, hunting, fishing and running. Some of Kayla’s personal goals are to get back into running more, complete a woods race on her dirt bike and to just be the best mom and wife that she can be.
What is the most challenging part of your job at AUCP?
Kayla’s biggest challenge is just trying to keep everyone happy.
What is the most rewarding part of your job at AUCP?
Just being able to help the participants, even if its just talking to them or providing the Service Co-ordinator’s number and for staff, helping make their day a little better with positive notes or jokes. Social work can be very hard and tiring at times.
Just know this, whatever it is you need at AUCP or Connexus, Kayla should be your first call, If she doesn’t know the answer to your question. I promise you, she knows who does. Thank you Kayla for everything you do for everyone here at AUCP.
Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy (AUCP) has a goal of supporting the participants they serve as well as the community at large to celebrate a joyful holiday season. In order to achieve this goal AUCP has created Holiday Blessings. Holiday Blessings is an agency-wide program which provides the selected applicants with the gifts and food needed to have a joyful holiday season.
We are pleased to announce the promotion of Caitlin Yorio to the position, Supervisor for Team Amerihealth Caitlin joined Connexus Human Services Network/ AUCP 11/30/2020 and has served in the role of a Lead Service Coordinator for the past seven months and always willing to step-in when needed, assist anyone, or just give some good advice.
Caitlin has excelled in every aspect of the position. Her passion and work ethic are great qualities that she continues to demonstrate each and every day.
We are also pleased to announce the promotion of Autumn Nichol to the position, UPMC Hub 1 Supervisor. Autumn joined Connexus Human Services Network in February, 2021 and has served in the role of a Service Coordinator for UPMC SW.
We are also delighted to announce the promotion of Cara Smith to the position of UPMC SW Lead – Hub 1. Cara joined Connexus Human Services Network/AUCP in August of this year and has served in the role of a Service Coordinator. In this very little time frame, Cara has excelled in every aspect of the position. Her passion and work ethic does not go unrecognized.
Last but not least… Caitlin McCoy a Service Coordinator for AmeriHealth Joined Connexus Human Services Network/AUCP in October 0f 2021 also had a promotion in October of 2022 to Lead Service Coordinator.
These promotions recognize the contributions that these staff members have made to Connexus Human Services Network & AUCP during their tenure with the organization and were all effective on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. We look forward to their continued success! Congratulations!!!
Recently, our agency had the opportunity to donate to a great cause, providing a small token of appreciation to the doctors and nurses who work tirelessly in the ICU at Conemaugh Hospital. With our assistance and members of the community, 75 gift bags were provided in just three days.
Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy (AUCP) has once again been awarded accreditation of Case Management for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) by the National Committee for Quality Accreditation (NCQA). This accreditation is a comprehensive, evidence-based program that is awarded to programs that meet NCQA’s Standards and Guidelines. It addresses how the organization delivers efficient, effective person-centered care that meets each participant’s needs, measures the quality improvement to support people living in their preferred setting, and meets the state’s Managed Care requirements.
This is the second consecutive time that AUCP has been awarded this accreditation, this time with a perfect score. We owe our success to our hardworking staff and their dedication to our participants and the quality of services provided.
For more information on the Accreditation of Case Management for Long-Term Services and Supports, please visit NCQA’s website.
AUCP’s 2020 Annual Report: New Opportunities is LIVE! For your convenience, you are able to view the report on your desktop or on your mobile device via Issuu.
In the report, you’ll find a full list of AUCP’s programs and services, a quick look at survey results from our participants, our accomplishments and challenges, a snapshot of our 2018-2019 finances, fundraising initiatives and stories, & so much more!
Click here to read now. Please contact us at info@scalucp.org to leave your feedback, we look forward to hearing from you.
Ingredients:- 1 pound white candy coating, coarsely chopped
- 24 cups popped popcorn
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy (4 to 6 candy canes)
- Red nonpareils, optional
DIRECTIONS:
In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the popcorn and crushed candy. Pour candy coating over top; toss to coat. Pour onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils. When hardened, break apart. Store in an airtight container.
In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the popcorn and crushed candy. Pour candy coating over top; toss to coat. Pour onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils. When hardened, break apart. Store in an airtight container.
Throughout the month of September, we held a donation drive for the Foster Love Project in Pittsburgh. The Foster Love Project is a donation center that doubles as a “store” for foster kids and parents. Since 2014, they have provided 12,000 placement bags that are used to ensuring that kids are able to take a bag of new belongings with them when they change homes. Additionally, they have had around 2,000 kids come through the center where they are able to shop for clothing, toiletries, toys, and other necessities!
AUCP staff participated in the donation drive by purchasing items off of an Amazon wishlist. The agency agreed to double their donations, plus $100. We ended up donating over $800 worth of items (shoes, toys, and toiletries, etc.)
On October 15th, we made the trip to their facility in Pittsburgh to drop off the donations. While there, they gave us a tour of their facility and allowed us to take a few videos to take all of you on a little virtual tour. We invite you to watch the video here on Facebook.
If you would like to learn more about the Foster Love Project, volunteer, or make a donation, visit their website. They are always looking for support in order to continue providing love in action to foster youth.
Many of the symptoms of breast cancer are invisible and not noticeable without a professional screening like a mammogram or ultrasound. But some symptoms can be caught early just by looking out for certain changes in your breasts and being proactive about your breast health.
In honor of National Breast Cancer Month, we’d like to share the National Breast Cancer Foundation LLC’s Know the Symptoms guide. It provides a checklist of symptoms that will help you know what to look for in your breasts during a self-exam and take note of the important information to provide your doctor to guide them in their professional evaluation of your health. Know what to look for when checking your breasts by getting this free guide.