This quarter, instead of choosing one DSP to spotlight, we have selected two DSPs from Harbor House of Louisville who work together in supported employment.  Bill Carrico and Kaye Dalton have worked together for the past year and a half and have helped dozens of people with developmental disabilities find challenging, rewarding, fulfilling work in the community.  We hope that you will enjoy hearing their stories and their passions.

Q:  What initially attracted you to become a DSP?
Bill:  I spent 15 years in the insurance business and found myself burnt out, wanting life to go in a different direction.  I saw an ad for a position at HH in the Record and began working as a DSP in our mailroom.  After working here for about 20 minutes, I was hooked.
Kaye:  Prior to working at HH, I had jobs in Sales, Dental Healthcare, and Interior Design, non of which were fulfilling for me.  I wanted to work in a place that really made a difference in peoples lives, and saw an ad to work here. I applied and then I fell in love with the work and the people at day one.
Q:  What do you enjoy most about your work?
Bill:  No one day is ever alike. The work itself is challenging, but it’s worth it. One of the biggest joys to me is actually finding appropriate placements for individuals to work.  The occasional phone call of the client thanking me for finding him a job that he really likes makes all my effort worth it.
Kaye:  Watching someone who thinks they can’t get a good job, or they can’t be successful not only get a good job, but then succeed in it is awesome.  I love seeing a person succeed, grow, and flourish.
Q:  What is the biggest challenge you face in your job?
Bill:   Elevating expectations. Sometimes clients feel like they can’t do much, but they have so much potential. We have to creatively discover how to motivate and help each individual reach his/her full potential.
Kaye:  The toughest thing I deal with is employers who are either closed-minded or just don’t get it. It’s difficult when the job is a good fit for a person, but the employer is not willing to make small adjustments to make it work.
Q:  How do you measure your success? 
Bill:  Finding a placement for someone is one small way. Keeping a person employed long-term is a higher measure of success because it means that we found the right person for the right job.
Kaye:  Well, some people just want to see numbers, like how many people we place in positions.  To me, I want to see both numbers and long-term success. I want to not only find a placement, but a good placement that pays a good salary and offers a person opportunities for advancement. These placements mark our real successes.
Q:  Have your family/friends been supportive of you working in this field?

Bill:  My wife and my friends can’t believe how happy I am in this field.  They’ve never seen me this happy.
Kaye:   My husband hasn’t seen me this happy in years. 
Q:  How has working in this field affected/changed your life?
Bill:  You learn a lot about yourself in this field. Life sometimes puts you in a bad mood. I come in here and it puts my little struggles into perspective. I’ve grown to be more patient and I’m learning how to be more genuine. The people I support are the most genuine people you could ever meet.
Kaye:  Working here has made me realize that in the blink of an eye, I could be in their shoes. It really makes you thankful for all of the blessings in life. This job has been a huge blessing.
Q:  What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now
Bill:  I hope I’m doing exactly what I’m doing now, and with the same people I’m working beside.
Kaye:  Well, I hope I’ll be getting close to retiring, but if not, I hope to be right here.
Q:  What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Bill:  Rocky Road & Vanilla
Kaye:  Butter Pecan & Mint Chocolate Chip
Q:  What is the last CD you purchased? 
Bill:  Soundtrack to Ray– great music.
Kaye:  A Reiki disc— very relaxing.
Q:  What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Bill:  I read a lot, watch movies and sports, and I’m a UofL fan and a huge baseball fan!
Kaye:  Playing with my grand babies. UofL basketball & football.

Kaye describes what it’s like to work alongside Bill:
After chuckling at the question, Kaye stated, “Regarding Bill’s work, he is excellent at what he does.  He really loves the people that he supports.  On a personal note, Bill is a great guy to work with.  He has a great sense of humor.  If I’m having a bad day, Bill can almost always pull me out of it.  He is a delight to work with.

Bill describes what it’s like to work alongside Kaye:
Kaye is relentless—in the most complimentary way.  She is thorough and she never gives up on folks. She would run through brick walls to help someone. I’ve never worked with anyone else that I’ve respected more than Kaye.  I enjoy coming into work and she is a big part of that joy.  She makes you want to be a better person.
What the Directors at Harbor House say about Bill & Kaye:
When trying to help individuals find appropriate employment, these two take extra time to find out exactly what the individual really enjoys doing.  They put forth the extra effort because to them, what they do is not a job, it is a calling to which they are very committed.  They receive great satisfaction from being able to help these individuals as demonstrated by their practice of  going up and down the hall at Harbor House ringing a bell to let all of us share in their happiness  when they find out an individual has been given a job. ~Maria Smith & Phil Kremer