Teresa DeCrescenzo, MSW, LCSW
2007 Knee/Wittman Outstanding Achievement in Health and Mental Health Policy Award

Since the early 1970’s, Teresa DeCrescenzo has been recognized as an icon in the lesbian/gay/ bisexual/transgender community. She began her social work career at the Dorothy F. Kirby Center, where she provided direct services to adolescent girls, developed treatment teams, and accepted the responsibility of training oversight of juvenile deputy probation officers.

During the early years of her social work career, Ms. DeCrescenzo engaged in community service that included advocacy, organizing, founding and participating in various organizations. Ms. DeCrescenzo mortgaged her home to guarantee a financial basis for the start-up of the first not-for-profit child welfare agency called Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS). This agency has grown to include over 150 employees; an active volunteer and peer-participation program; extensive community outreach including a mobile medical unit; six therapeutic group homes; three foster-family programs; vocational training; teen-mother program; and day care services.

Ms. DeCrescenzo received her MSW in 1978, from the University of Southern California. She has been a graduate-level instructor since 1984. She is presently teaching at the California State University, Northridge. She has served as instructor in the Graduate Schools of Social Work at California State University at Long Beach and at the University of Southern California. She has presented many in-service trainings throughout the country over the past three decades, including ongoing training to Los Angeles County Department of Children’s Services, Probation and Adoptions Department; Jewish Family Services; Optimist Homes; Ventura County Department of Mental Health; among many others. She continues to generously offer and share her experience and knowledge to non-profits, industrial and corporate groups, child-welfare entities, and Employee Assistance Programs.

Teresa DeCrescenzo has been honored on national, state and local levels for her pioneering social work efforts and abilities that include the following awards: the National Child Labor Committee’s Lewis Hine Award in 2007; NASW’s California Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006; Child Welfare League’s Pioneer Award in 2005; NASW’s National Daniel E. Koshland Award, Outstanding Administrator Award in 1995; Most Distinguished Alumni Award, USC in 1991; Valley Business Alliance Humanitarian of the Year in 1990; and NASW’s Social Worker of the Year in 1988, to name a few.

She presently sits on the Executive Committee of the Intragency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect; the Advisory Committee on GLBT issues of the Child Welfare League of America; the Leadership Development Committee of the California Chapter of NASW; and Los Angeles County Children’s Planning Council.