FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 2, 2019
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                                 Recognized for Enriching the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities

WASHINGTON, DC – A CAHF Developmental Services Conference member is among the winners of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) national awards program, which honors volunteers and individuals who provide care in long term and post-acute care centers and residences for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.
 

Barbara A. Smith, Director of Residential Programs at Valley Village is the recipient of the AHCA 2019 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Hero of the Year award. She has been employed by the non-profit San Fernando Valley program in Winnetka for more than 25 years.  
 

“Barbara has spent her entire career as a selfless advocate for the rights and interests of people with developmental disabilities,” said Craig Cornett, California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) CEO/President. “Along the way, she has developed some innovative programs while working collaboratively with state agencies and community partners.”  Valley Village is a member of CAHF.
 

Valley Village was founded by a small group of parents in 1971 and serves more than 400 men and women with intellectual and developmental challenges through semi-independent living environments including condos, small homes and adult day health care centers and well as homes staffed by full time and part time licensed nurses. 

Barbara was responsible for the design and opening of a new five-bed adult residential facility for persons with special health care needs to accommodate individuals who were transitioned following the closure of several large state-run developmental centers.  She also monitored the initial pilot waiver program for medically fragile developmentally disabled adults to a 24-hour continuous nursing community program. 

She will be honored at the AHCA annual convention in Orlando on Oct. 16, 2019.