Matt Green is not your usual DSP.  In fact, he’s a behavior analyst who usually is supporting DSPs to help individuals learn new communication and social skills to replace behaviors that aren’t serving them well.  All that changed during the pandemic when one of our most challenging individuals was about to become homeless. 

This individual had lived with a paid family member for two years while we tried to find a well matched and trained home provider who could take over on a permanent basis.  While we had some good prospects, each time the arrangement fell through.  The situation became more and more difficult, and the family member finally left, exhausted.  

We were arranging for 24-hour emergency staffing, when Matt stepped forward and said he would be willing to move in with him for a couple of months if we provided some relief staffing and continued the 2:1 day supports.  The individual didn’t have a home, and Matt’s home was not suitable.  Matt then leased a home on his own and changed his legal address.  They moved in together and began a two-month journey that had a great ending.

Because the pandemic was raging, Matt increased his personal risk substantially by choosing to live in a staffed situation where multiple people were coming and going.  He could have chosen to continue working remotely as a behavior analyst, had he wanted to.

While we relieved Matt of his other responsibilities, he continued to touch base about others in difficulty and remained an active team member.  He went well beyond anything we would have asked him to do.