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.