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<p>HERSHEY &#8212; State Sen. Lisa Baker was honored this week for her work on health and human service issues, specifically those involving the disabled.</p><p>The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association presented Baker with its 2017 Legislative Leadership Award at its annual conference in Hershey on Thursday night.</p><p>The award is presented to an individual who has shown significant leadership and commitment to legislative issues which benefit health and human service providers and the individuals who receive those services.</p><p>The group awarded Baker for her efforts to help citizens with disabilities and their families by introducing the ABLE Act (Achieving a Better Life Experience) and her involvement in the &#8220;I Want to Work&#8221; program.</p><p>Baker also led the push for changes to the laws and procedures governing the juvenile justice system in the wake of widespread corruption in Luzerne County. In addition, she championed a successful bipartisan effort to strengthen Pennsylvania&#8217;s child protection laws.</p><p>In remarks offered at the program, Baker said: &#8220;For several generations, families and advocates have struggled and strived to have us see individuals with a disability as special, rather than stigmatize them. To have us consider inclusion, rather than force exclusion. To have us look for possibilities, rather than categorize by limitations. To have us remove the attitudinal barriers that can be more discouraging and daunting than the physical barriers individuals with special needs must confront.&#8221;</p><p>She continued: &#8220;For me, the willingness to listen to people, to take up the causes that are important to families, this is what public service should be about.&#8221;</p><p>RCPA is a statewide association representing over 330 providers of health and human services, and its member organizations serve well over 1 million Pennsylvanians annually. RCPA members offer help with drug and alcohol issues, intellectual and developmental disabilities, medical rehabilitation, brain injuries, and other related services for both children and adults across all settings.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Sen. Lisa Baker received the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association Legislative Leadership Award at its annual conference in Hershey. From left: Richard Edley, president and CEO of RCPA; Dennis Nebel, president of RCPA&#8217;s board; Mike Cortez, director of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee; Pat Brier, principal of Brier Dlugolecki Strategies in Harrisburg; Baker; Jack Phillips, director of government affairs for RCPA; Jim Bobeck, president/CEO of Step by Step Inc., which has a regional office in Wilkes-Barre; and Mike Hopkins, president and CEO of Children&#8217;s Service Center in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_Baker-Honored.jpg</photo0><caption0>Sen. Lisa Baker received the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association Legislative Leadership Award at its annual conference in Hershey. From left: Richard Edley, president and CEO of RCPA; Dennis Nebel, president of RCPA&#8217;s board; Mike Cortez, director of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee; Pat Brier, principal of Brier Dlugolecki Strategies in Harrisburg; Baker; Jack Phillips, director of government affairs for RCPA; Jim Bobeck, president/CEO of Step by Step Inc., which has a regional office in Wilkes-Barre; and Mike Hopkins, president and CEO of Children&#8217;s Service Center in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Times Leader Staff</p></bylineMeta></div>

Baker receives award for commitment to help disabled