Social Worker & Community Volunteer Awarded Annual Dr. Alexander Nesbitt Commitment to Caring Award
The 10th annual Dr. Alexander Nesbitt Commitment to Caring Award was presented to Fran Decker, a social worker and longtime volunteer of the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Association. The presentation was made prior to Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak's annual educational seminar held in conjunction with National Healthcare Decisions Day on hospice and end-of-life care, on Tuesday, April 11.
A Geriatric Social Worker by trade, Fran, earned her master’s degree from West Virginia University. For more than 40 years, she has worked in the community in a variety of social service and health care settings including the Area Agency on Aging, Community Nursing Service, the American Cancer Society, Albright LIFE, and an elder law firm prior to retiring. She remains an active volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Cancer Society, and her church.
Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak Garners Top 100 Organization Recognition for Fifth Straight Year
Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, an elder law firm with locations in State College, Williamsport, Wyalusing and Wysox, has been named a Top 100 Organization by Pennsylvania Business Central in its annual list of Top 100 organizations. This list by the business publication recognizes leading organizations in their chosen fields, "bringing new ideas, technology and services to their counties and spheres of influence." Nominees from PA Business Central's 23-county readership are submitted and the Top 100 are selected by an editorial committee due to their positive impacts in the business community of Central Pennsylvania.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak has been named in the Top 100 Organizations list. It has also been included on this list several other times in the past, including in 2017.This latest honor adds to a string of recent honors for the firm and several of its associates. This list of recognition includes being named to U.S. News & World Report's "Best Law Firms" in Pennsylvania in 2018, and being awarded the Business Partnership of the Year by the PA Future Business Leaders of America in 2020. The firm was also named a Top 50 Woman Owned Business by PA Business Central in each of the last two years. Individually, Attorney Julie Steinbacher, the firm's founding shareholder, was named a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel in 2020, and to PA Business Central's list of "Women Making a Difference" for the third consecutive year in 2022. Attorney Jenna Franks also joined that list for the first time last year. Attorney Amos Goodall was presented with a 2021 Achieva Award of Excellence, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Legal Intelligencer in 2020. Additionally, five of the firm's attorneys — Julie Steinbacher, Amos Goodall, Landon Hodges, Jenna Franks and Megan Ingram — were named 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, marking the third consecutive year that at least five firm attorneys were on that annual rating service as compiled by Thomson Reuters.
Four Staff Members Earn or Renew Certified Dementia Practitioner® Credential; 18 Team Members Now CDPs®
Four staff members from the elder law firm of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak earned or renewed professional certification as as a Certified Dementia Practitioner® (CDP®) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) at an all day training held in State College on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. This brings the total of SGY team members that have earned the CDP® designation to 18. A full list of those staff members that earned it yesterday and already have it is below.
Attorney Jenna Franks, a partner of the firm, and Long-Term Planner Kristin Daugherty led the training, which was also attended by other area professionals that work in the long-term care field. Both Jenna and Kristin are Certified Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Care Trainers®, which allows them to train others to become CDPs®.
The CDP® designation represents individuals that have received comprehensive knowledge in the area of dementia care and achievement in completing the Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care course/seminar. The CDP® also commits to ongoing professional development through NCCDP Staff Education Week or other educational opportunities and re-certification every two years. The NCCDP remarks that the "CDP® certification reflects a deep personal commitment on the part of the front line staff, health care professional and the organization’s sense of accountability by abiding by the NCCDP ethics statement, inspiring confidence and dedication in an individual's professional knowledge through quality of life and quality of care provided by the CDP® to the dementia patient." The goal of the NCCDP is to develop and encourage comprehensive standards of excellence in direct-care skills, education, and sensitivity in the area of dementia care.
Visit PlanningandProtecting.com to find an elder law attorney in your area!
Get the answers you need
Question or CommentDo you need assistance finding the information you need? Have a comment about our website or services? Click the button below to send us an email! We're always happy to help.