DSP Award Recipient - Brian Wise

The Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities is proud to recognize Brian Wise as the Portage DD Direct Support Professional (DSP) Award Recipient for the month of May.

Brian is an employee of Buckeye Residential Solutions and was nominated by SSA, Sarah Dye and Chris Krister.

Here is what they had to say about Brian: 

Brian has been supporting Kyle in his day to day life for quite some time now. Brian's attendance is flawless and his ability to go above and beyond is unmatched. Brian is not only a great DSP but an even more fantastic person. Brian accepts challenging behaviors and works through them successfully without giving up. When Brian first starting working with Kyle, it wasn't always easy as Kyle really tested Brian. Brian worked hard to build a rapport with Kyle and earn his respect.
Brian always finds the positive in ANY and ALL situations, such an amazing quality when some days can be rougher than others.
Kyle will sometimes give staff a difficult time when they are tending to his hygiene needs, however, Brian perseveres and ensures that all aspects of hygiene exceed any expectations of Kyle's parents. Brian makes certain that Kyle's house is always clean while also cooking balanced meals, daily, that are not only creative but nutritious too.
Brian is always up for a challenge and his focus is always centered around what's best for Kyle. He schedules daily activities around Kyle's interests while continuing to build Kyle's trust. Having Kyle's trust has led to more opportunities for Kyle to enjoy going to restaurants and stores in the community...these situations can be stressful for Kyle but Brian has made them enjoyable. His job can be difficult, but he remains persistent, knowing that it's not personal and that the good times are worth working though any difficult moments.


The Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the Month Award is for those staff who provide direct support or direct services for individuals served throughout Portage County.

This award is an opportunity to nominate someone who has gone above and beyond to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, while also promoting independence and inclusion.

Individual award recipients will receive public recognition from Portage DD and will be promoted on our social media channels. Award recipients will also later be considered for Direct Support Professional of the Year.

All nominations will be kept on file for review and consideration for a period of 12 months after initial submission.

Timothy Torch