Meet Our 2026 ESPRIT Award Winner: Felicia Dorsey

In her nearly 20 years with VNS Health, Felicia Dorsey has dedicated herself to helping people living with serious mental illness hold on to a stable life. As a Care Manager in Behavioral Health’s Health Home Program, she works with some of the program’s most complex, vulnerable clients.

These individuals are often wary of offers of help, so Felicia’s first goal is to earn their trust. “I meet people where they are,” she says. “I listen, I treat people with respect, and I advocate for them.”

Felicia recalls one client who had become disconnected from services and was about to lose their place in a housing program. “This client was very difficult to work with,” she says, “but I was able to build a rapport.” Once she had won the client over, Felicia was able to complete a housing application for them and find them a new home.

Another client, who had schizophrenia and a long history of avoiding care, agreed to see a doctor for his advanced lung cancer after previously declining treatment. While he was in the hospital, Felicia arranged for his psychiatrist to visit him there, made sure his rent was paid so he could go home if his health improved, and checked on him personally—visiting six times in a single month.

Their bond was so strong, in fact, that the client would not make major decisions unless Felicia was in the room. “He didn’t trust his housing program, he didn’t trust his family, but he trusted us, and he really looked forward to seeing us,” Felicia says. “I knew he was eventually going to pass, but I wanted to be there to support him.”

Colleagues rely on her, too. Felicia develops trainings, shares resources, and regularly invites other care managers to shadow her or have her shadow them to help sharpen their skills. “We have an open policy where we’re able to reach out to each other,” she says. “We have that support in place for each other.”

Her ESPRIT Award, she adds, left her “speechless and surprised.” Felicia describes herself as quiet and reserved and admits she doesn’t always give herself enough credit. But even when the work is demanding and the clients are challenging, her commitment is unwavering. “I take the time to listen and not judge,” she says. “I just let the client know that I’m here. If you need me to advocate on your behalf, let me know.”