One of the most essential aspects as an employee working at CP Unlimited, is receiving the training needed to work in partnership with people supported and staying current in best practices. The early history of CP set the foundation for today’s training. Mini teams were created to bring training to staff working in the Willowbrook State School on quality of life issues in caring for and supporting people. Our training programs are designed in a person-centered planning framework and philosophy.
For the CP family, the online Litmos platform provides on-demand training while tracking employee progress and expanding available learning options. Small group, in-person training continues to be a central aspect of New Hire Orientation, American Heart Association CPR/AED, Medication Administration for Direct Support Staff, as well as specialty medical trainings including Insulin, Tube Feeding, and Colostomy Care.
In addition to standard state and federal requirements, the organizational vision is to maintain a consistent engagement with our team to enhance professional and personal skills. To that end, CP Unlimited is a partner agency in The Training Collaborative for Innovative Leadership, an accredited program through the National Associations of Direct Support Professionals. The Collaborative provides the opportunity for emerging leaders from the partner agencies to come together for a semester as a cohort to share ideas and experiences as they develop their leadership skills and talents. CP also recently integrated Ukeru training for direct support professionals to better equip our team for crisis and trauma response.
In 2023, CP Unlimited was one of 17 provider organizations selected by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals to be part of a national credentialing project for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors. The pilot project was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act that allowed for a small number of New York provider organizations to participate in the project.
Lawrence Johnson, Director of Residential Services in the Hudson Valley, on CP’s Training Department:
“The effectiveness of our training programs is not just measured by learner outcomes but by the demonstrated competencies of staff in their partnership with the people they support.” -Virginia Zelhof, Director of Training
Lynn Lakner came to CP Unlimited 24 years ago as a Training Coordinator. After training many thousands of CP team members in essential knowledge to help people with I/DD, she shares her story on what it means to transition to online learning, managing an immense volume of available trainings, and the support she receives to get it all done!
