Retreat Minutes 2015
The Arc of Massachusetts--December 3 and 4, 2015 (Thursday/Friday)
Council of Executives of The Arc Massachusetts
10 am Introductions and Attendance
Ken, Paul, MaryAnn, Michael, Jim, Cindy and Erica CoH
Jean P , Mary H,Bob H and Al F.,Lynne B,Rob, Lisa, Daryl,Paul C,Dan B,John G.,
Jean G.,Roger, Luis, Buddy and Leo
10:15 am Medicaid Changes with Steve Kroll, CEO, NYSArc
New York and Oregon are the first two states to start “Innovation” efforts.
Steve Kroll, CEO of NYSArc, will share NY progress and affiliates work in this
area.
Steve did a great job sharing developments in NY State and efforts at chapters.
His presentation (PWP) was shared with each affiliate.
1:00 PM - Networking time – Each affiliate presents an activity or
accomplishment from its organization (10 minute limit each). Please also let us
know where you stand in two sub-topic areas –autism services/supports and
self-determination (recorder tracks that so next day we’ll have a sense of
where we stand on these trend areas)
Before wrapping up at 4pm, Bob Harris will share some of his work already on
health care objectives including data dive and collection, and outreach to
medical entities.
Networking from affiliates:
Jim Howard -– serves 64 towns; 15-16 small businesses started over time; invest
in businesses over time and grow them; with the business model, person
connects with community and goal for some is to have them move on to
another employer.
Car detailing, candy, printingAll are dependent on the infrastructure –through vocational contracts; goal is
to have a stand alone business.
HUD project –renovating homes;
Cindy talked about developing supports in Conn. near their service area—
expect it to grow significantly there; Erica talked about helping at-risk youth in
their community to get jobs (getting funding from WIA)
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MRC grant was mentioned and 4 of the affiliates have qualified for it including
CoH Found.
Mary Heafy - feels very good about her executive staff. Working on dashboard
for agency on metrics- - trying to translate that to funders; sensory friendly
performance at Hanover (TheArc); restructured the family support to be
clinical and family supports- renewed family support efforts- providing supports
to children with autism at community rooms in housing developments;
Workshop very empty and people who opposed are being supportive- still uses
location as a hub; job shops are being used;
Getting rejected by grantors – because financials looks good; setting up audit
differently to address this; LUNA –
Lynne Bielecki – 3 months in and has been learning about the organization from
the staff and volunteer leaders; looking at policies, procedures and operations;
Wants to develop higher profile for United Arc –“best kept secret”
Jean Goldsberry – 3rd year into training and PBS initiative – seeing some great
results about the people they serve and the staff; getting calls from people in
the community with positive feedback. All staff went through the training
including maintenance
Collaborating with The Arc US to teach PBS to police officers around the
country; organizational commitment to have all programs accredited by CARF
for the first time (was orig day hab and employment); looking for staff
performance evaluations;
Daryl Cook - staff retention, motivation and recognition is a big part of
strategic plan –looking at new strategies; one year into PBS – seeing positive
behavior changes and performance of staff; at first DSPs were nervous about
being monitored –but once they got over that, they said that they were
enjoying the new culture; used May Institute as consultant; videotaped role
modeling – showing positive way of doing it and non-positive way of doing it;
folks asked if Daryl could share the video; Next step is how to do the quality
data collection
May be able to set up an autism resource component through area funding;
families wanted info for in-home supports was #1 response in survey; secondly
wanted family support groups, weekend and afternoon respite; putting
together an advisory committee of families;
Luis Bachman and Buddy Bostick -advocacy Arc until 1998; grew through Boulet
family partnership and this allowed the agency to develop new models; biggest
accomplishment is the reorganization of the agency with Buddy as COO; now
close to $5M budget; had MassHealth audit, QE audit and had very high results
despite recent change; hired staff who has expertise in autism;
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Buddy talked about the self determination efforts and that new opp’ties
available with support from the agency; also mentioned the peer mentor
program;
Rob Spongberg and Lisa Champagne – new relationship with cable company;
will be setting up day hab in its building for special population in the same
building –utilize cable company resources as part of the program; goal to set up
community center-integrated in the same space –combine all of these; joint
program with 2 other agencies to set incentives for health –wellness (weight
loss)- delivering a week’s worth of meals;
Taking on new caseload of individuals with autism who have had similar issues
as in Gateway program;
Dan Burke in process of closing sheltered workshop – everyone to work 15
hours week minimum and then CBDS; wants everyone to get some kind of
check; half-day employment is hard to manage coordination – transportation
and targeting individual goals in 2 different settings on same day;
On autism side serving a number of people who are newly eligible; have an
individual supports position newly funded by DDS, some of the population being
served have forensic and/or mental health issues; helping people to get
connected to local communities as part of work;
Paul Cote - closed workshop a year ago, struggling with financial aspects –
trying to get CBDS and employment ramped up; having work that is agencydeveloped –still in process to get more community work; developing PBS and
behavioral expertise to serve people with autism; working to develop the
program model. Working at getting supervisors out of the office –onto the
floor, at the residence; getting people to vary work schedules so they’re live at
residential;
Michael Andrade – celebrating one year expansion for adult day health
program; serving 60 people there now; working tax credit and DHCD –creating
affordable housing; serving elders now too including in AFC; through a large
grant were able to start an autism support center – calling it “autism now
center”; employment, education (2 educ. advocates); community family
support; spending time on agency with choice;
Jean Phelps – two full years since return as chapter of The Arc; facebook page –
like them please; and also new website; full time staff person assigned to Fam
Supp center to work with autism population – has staff person already who can
take this on; focus is on non-ID people with autism;
Growing on day side and starting adult day health – so new building will be
needed –more space; working on addressing retirement goals so people can stay
in their home more time during the day;
Wants to do SD more but needs AwC strengthened;
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Bob Harris and Al Frugoli – have 62 people with forensic issues- dual diagnosis
(gave been running program since 1989); working closely with turning point and
state ops; working with UMassLowell research –doing analysis of case records,
found childhood trauma led to forensic/MH issues; so doing pilot program
focused on Lawrence with police dep’t, DYS, etc.; police have agreed to
document home or other visits where there is a mental health related incident;
school system is seeing an increase in # of kids with dual diagnosis; gangs are
also grabbing kids; family engagement is weak; day long session with all kinds
of groups related to this issue (courts, cj system, schools, etc.); community
analysis of those 14-25 years; working with The Arc US center for justice as
well; health care project with Brandeis Univ; UMLowell Nursing- looking at
primary NP care clinic at CLASS in Lawrence; research showed PCPs all over the
place so looked doubtful but given MassHealth innovations it may make sense;
grant is funding this research and development of medical partnership; meeting
with 2 different health partners; it would serve as a training site of NPs for
UMLowell as well if possible to do;
Ken Singer with Mary Ann Hyatt, Michael Menard-Weibel and Paul Gavrity;
expansion continues – Westfield house and another planned for brain injury;
opening a Westfield office; Zip n’Sort continues to thrive -250 customers; Mary
Ann noted that The Arc has always been the place the community goes because
of the history of responsiveness; started an innovative transitions service for
young adults mostly for those with ASD- they are young people who need more
support at first funded by DDS and some schools –community based; continue
sensory integration program for those with autism; noted the Trust too which
has been going since 2002; growing AFC program; variety of activities at
residential to help individuals be part of the community including toys for tots
drive; food bank support; PBS is going well; employment has 140 people in the
community through DDS and MRC; also have contracts with all 10 school
systems; gave example of gentleman who took several visits to a store before
he could enter for an live job evaluation;
Roger Monty –opened a new bakery for employment – “For Goodness Cake’s”
(Carver), it’s been well received and more successful than imagined; now
expanded to commercial contracts (Edaville RR, restaurants, etc.), nine to ten
people supported there with a head baker and two other staff, no job coaches
needed, the staff there do it; food pantry in housing project has grown – 80
families; recently a Plymouth school approached them and asked if they could
help because many of the students there don’t have anything from breakfast or
lunch til next morning. So now a backpack program where food is provided to
go home and avoids stigma in partnership with the public shools; committee
now planning for Plymouth’s 400th anniversary (2020) – they got people they
support onto the committee; working on accessible playground and got them to
make it accessible. Expects to be $7 Mil agency by end of the year; doing
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autism services through AwC –good resource for them; working with three area
offices in this regard;
Roger noted he’d be retiring; a job search is in process for his position and
resumes to be collected through Jan 20;
John Grugan –family support continues to grow significantly; after work
program for adults til 6pm; weekend recreation for kids and after school for
kids; families have asked for them; started AFC in their FS division;
Shifted Indiv Supp into FS –feels like it works better; working on adult services
for autism –what do they want; 2nd group home for adults with autism is
opening this spring. Developing staff capacity in this area; dealing with the
HCBS issue- busy trying to finalize the plan/outcomes through program
activities; still working on workshop closure; some of the CBDS folks who don’t
have an outside job, are doing some workshop work; donating food to food
pantries that they are growing with individuals;
Noted visit from OSHA— asked to see zero tolerance policy for clients that
attack staff –November 2015? Ancor is working with OSHA
John will be retiring in September but slowing down starting July 1.
Jerry McCarthy –
Jerry started off talking about how much he appreciated working with his
colleagues over the years; and all the progress we have accomplished together;
2nd largest chapter of The Arc in the country after New York; residential –
focusing on getting rid of large, old homes-closing last one this month; 2nd
home for medically fragile individuals trying to finalize funding via CEDAC;
expanding deaf services home; workshop will close in July; transition programs
are going well—with a new one at North Shore Comm. College; two companies
are moving people in to their companies to continue the work that people were
doing at the workshop for 50 people total; contracts to work with 5 school
systems; family support program has been tied to vocational program; autism
support center going for 25 years primarily focused on those with ID; new
behavioral supports program funded through insurance- 30 staff; $50,000 grant
for autism program; greatest difficulty financially is with early intervention
programs-losing staff due to pay rates and funding structure; Jerry announced
Jo Ann Simons will be taking over as CEO at The Northeast Arc.
Discussed transition and strategy to get schools more competent and why
aren’t they working with chapters of The Arc
Paul mentioned Medicaid infrastructure grant where commissioners and
education folks are there
Can there be some strategy to offer chapters of The Arc promoted among
schools?
Affiliates with School contracts –
6 berkshire
Northeast- 5-6
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Lifeworks – 3
GWArc -1
Conference with educators, etc.
MOEC –educ collaboratives -?? 23 –
Discussed rate review for In Home Supports (Coop for _
Qualification deadlines for delivering the service is due Jan 15 -CRC –and Lifeworks are qualified – have done them
Not qualified – for AwC (EMArc) –most others are;
South shore
CLASS
COH Found
Brockton
Leo will follow up with Nicky Osborne regarding partnership with affiliates
End of Thursday
8:15
Review budget advocacy and legislation; pending federal issues –
Maura Sullivan
Reviewed three priority bills at The Arc:
1. Health Care bill focusing on training of medical professionals HB1932
2. Transition to adult services for persons with disabilities HB 78
3. Civil Rights bill- inclusion and ADA related (includes meeting
requirements, some employment and housing law changes) HB121
Please request e-copies of bills you would like. Above there are links to the 3
priority bills and any other bills they are interested in on the platform. Of
course if there is a bill NOT on our platform, you can recommend to the GA
committee to adopt the bill. As a rule unless a bill in some way contradicts a
core value or position statement of The Arc – the committee would tend to add
it.
https://malegislature.gov - link to legislative site where there is bill search
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Maura then reviewed the “Supporting Families Campaign” – handouts were
shared. We asked for more stories from the affiliates.
Also the full budget ask was shared with the group.
Six affiliates noted they hadn’t received their allocations yet—Northeast,
Plymouth, CoH,
$3 Mil release awaits—but some affiliates are saying the CBDS rate aren’t
configured right due to historical rates being used;
10:00
Planning ----combining topics --
Changed from agenda to:
What do we want to do to advance your organizations and our movement –what
are some issues we will work on together.
Very lively discussion on Goals for year and how to help each affiliate –used the
handout which included many items discussed over course of year and desired
activities.
Narrowed down to:
1. Employment & day services (sub-minim. Wage)-rights and needs –
2. 14-22 years olds- DESE/schools
3. Closing institutions
4. Autism capacity building –expertise
• Sharing program resources /expertise
We decided to develop task forces so affiliates would take responsibility for the
targeted areas. They would develop a plan of objective and activities prior to
the January meeting and share with Leo; Leo would report back to them on
what The Arc Mass could handle in terms of implementation and what other
resources needed from the affiliates to accomplish goals.
Task forces
1. Employment – NE, Berkshire, CLASS, Sncarc, E. Middl, Min. Man, CoH, Ch
River, United, - Chr. Paul Cote
2. 14-22, Transition- Plymouth, CoH, Lifelinks, Bristol, GHN, So. Shore, CR,
MM, Arc Oppty, CLASS, Cape; Crd.: Bob Harris
3. Institution –cape, Plymouth, N-East, Lifelnks, Emarc, SoNor, GHN,
bristol, berkshire, Crd: JMc.
4. Autism- NE, So. Nor., So SH., Cape, Ch Riv, Arc Oppty, CLass, Bristol,
United; Crd.: Dan Burke and Michael Andrade
5. Sharing program resources- MM, Arc Oppty, CoH, SoNor– Coord. Jean G.
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Discussed MassHealth Innovations and process presently in play. If plan is
actualized, ACOs will become the doorway for future referrals for Medicaid
state plan services.
Agenda topics
Recommended agenda topics for next several meetings
Discuss chapters in Worcester, Springfield and Boston.
March- Elin to come out on budget???
TASK Forces
-
Discuss jointly sponsoring Chris Littlefield (dates?) for your agencies – 4 hour
training; everyone is in; N-East-CLASS-GHN-LifeLinks=50-75 people; M-M, So Shore,
Opp’ty, SoNorf, Berkshire, CoH, United, Cape, Brist, GHN, ChRiv, Plymouth, LifeLinks;
Berkshire and Springfield, latter with United;, Neast, Southeast, MetroWestBoston,
North Boston; MM, ArcOppty,CoH-1 day 2 sessions, possib with United
Amelia Cordischi will help coordinate this among chapters BY EMAIL
(cordischi@arcmass.org). Please reply if the groupings are inaccurate-Ideal #s are 50-75 people if not customizing
Ken-please get figures to me – how much for travel and then per session or per day.
We should get a good jumbo price.
1-MM, ArcOppty,CoH-1 day but possibly with 2 sessions to keep #s realistic at each,
possib with United
2--EMid-CLASS-GHN-LifeLinks-NoEast -- 1 day (2 sessions??)
3- Have it at Plymouth with Bristol, So. Shore, Brockton, Cape
4- Berkshire 1 day, 2 locations, one at Springfield perhaps with United?
5-SoNorf, CharRiv, GWArc? and some from So. Shore also?
Regulatory
CBDS –ADDP is meeting on this; CBDS rate hearing is in Quincy 2 weeks from today- let’s pack the room Dan asked. 2.05% is cap factor; Dec. 30 is deadline for written
rate testimony; sliding back to use of UFR and historically deflated rates.
Leo will distribute region 5 explanation of Nat’l background check from Dan.
ISS (called in EOHHS, #3798, in-home supports) rate responses are due Dec. 11.
Bidders conference- Dec. 14 at Worcester Recovery Center.
Next year
Lisa will look into Mirabeau in Plymouth – for Dec 1 and 2, 2016;
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The Arc's Brand Promise:
The Arc is driven by opportunity.
The opportunity for hope, for growth, for change; the opportunity for everyone to
become a valued, contributing member of their community. We strengthen people
with disabilities, their parents and family members, and dedicated professionals by
connecting them across our national network of community based chapters. Our
collective voice provides the opportunity for all of us to make a difference.
The Arc fosters respect and access for individuals with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families, giving them the power to achieve a full
and satisfying life.
30-Second Elevator Speech:
Hi, I’m _________________. I work with The Arc, a nonprofit organization advocating for
the seven million people in America with intellectual and developmental disabilities,
including Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. We help
them achieve their life goals and become productive members of the community by
creating opportunities for education, employment, housing and recreation and
providing them the necessary supports through a network of nearly 700 chapters
across the nation. We’re changing public attitudes and fostering respect, access and
inclusion. I invite you to visit thearc.org to find out how to achieve this with us.
The Arc Mass retreat meeting minutes Dec. 3-4, 2015
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