A staff member at Suffolk’s Autumn Care location on Pruden Boulevard recently was named Social Worker of the Year.

Erika Young was nominated by Krista Wilkie, admissions director at Autumn Care, for the award, and a voting process occurred. The contest was sponsored by Franklin’s Care Advantage, a home health care and home nursing agency.

Young is originally from New York but has lived in Virginia for about 15 years. She was previously working at Consulate Health Care of Windsor.

She obtained her bachelor’s degree with a concentration in social work and psychology at Norfolk State University. She’s currently working on her master’s in business at Southern New Hampshire University.

Young said her long-term goal is to be an administrator. Since starting work at Autumn Care just a few months ago, she has made many improvements to patients’ rights, communication with families and more, Wilkie said.

Young’s role is an advocate for patients, she said, and she often works to ensure they have appropriate care when they are discharged from Autumn Care.

As part of winning the Social Worker of the Year award, Young was able to direct a $500 donation to the charity of her choice. She chose the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Both of my grandmothers are suffering from it,” she said.