Abrazos Family Support Services
A History of Care & Quality in the Community
Abrazos Family Support Services has been helping families meet the special needs of their loved ones with developmental delays and disabilities in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties for over 45 years. This long history of care in the community attracts job applicants, Executive Director April Spaulding notes, sharing that employees often have received services from Abrazos or have family members who recommended the organization as a respected place to work.
Although the organization is a small non-profit with limited resources, its staff prioritize education and training by maintaining a culture of learning, sharing, and support. Services provided by Abrazos include Early Intervention services for Infants and Toddlers, Respite Care, Family Living and Autism Therapy.
While many employees already hold an advanced degree in fields such as occupational and speech language therapy, Abrazos offers extensive internal on-boarding, on-going professional development, and career exploration for all staff members. Quality is of utmost importance to the organization, which requires three months of training before staff go out on independent home visits. This represents an enormous financial investment, as it delays funds received for services until the staff members are ready for appointments with families. Abrazos finds the investment worthwhile, upholding high standards of care and support for families, community, and staff.
There are many other low- to no-cost ways Abrazos supports staff, informing staff that they qualify for public service loan-forgiveness programs and leveraging internal expertise for training. Examples of courses designed and taught by experienced Abrazos therapists to developmental specialists include:
- Supporting Feeding in Early Intervention
- Motor Development in Infants
- Making Sense of Sensory Processing
Leadership also actively seeks out grants that can be utilized for training and education, as well as offers flexibility for staff to pursue additional complimentary skills, work part-time while completing degrees, or complete supervision hours for board certifications.
Abrazos creates a positive and productive culture for staff and the families they serve through collaboration, deep listening, follow-through, and investment of time and energy. To attract and keep high-performing associates, the organization knows it must prioritize opportunities for growth, leadership, and advancement. It’s no wonder that community members highly recommend Abrazos for both family services and employment – and that they received the 2024 Family Friendly New Mexico Business Award and Education Support Special Designation!
To learn more, visit https://abrazosnm.org/
