2014 ANNUAL REPORT “Good People Doing Good Work”
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2014 ANNUAL REPORT “good people doing good work” Serving Vermont Since 1967 1 Our mission is to help individuals with developmental disabilities experience all of life’s opportunities by enhancing self esteem, maximizing independence, and enabling community membership. FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Welcome to Our Annual Report Looking back on my first year as your director, I am filled with gratitude and hope. This past year has come with profoundly rewarding moments, difficult challenges and exciting possibilities. I believe we’ve embraced the good moments, and faced the tough ones with the integrity and family- based ethics that define us. CCS envisions a truly inclusive community, where all members CCS has grown this year. We serve more individuals, and have placed more participate and belong. Through partnerships and deep engagement, in meaningful jobs through Way2Work. We’ve continued to develop our CCS supports the wider community in reaching its full potential, School2Work model (which will fully launch in early 2015) to support as a place that recognizes and values all of its members and resources. students with disabilities to secure employment upon graduation. Our history of strong job development, first as a sheltered workshop, and now Share the vision! as Way2Work, informs our direction as we grow into our future. CCS has also wrestled with change while facing budget cuts that severely impact our ability to sustain solid staffing. We’re navigating our place within the changing climate of health care, while making sure to sustain our deeply rooted belief that the whole lives of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities have value and greatness. I believe that employment is one of the most natural forms of community involvement and this is an essential element of our sustainability. Here at CCS we continue to ensure all of our people who can work and want to work will find careers that sustain them. There are many ways you can help, and that help is needed and welcomed. I invite you to contact us to discover how you can participate. I am humbled, and proud, to lead the incredibly talented, dedicated, hardworking and fun people of CCS. We really are good people doing good work, and I think the snapshots of our agency provided in this report reflect who we are and how we are evolving. 512 Troy Avenue • Colchester, VT 05446 Here’s to another good year! Phone: 802.655.0511 • Fax: 802.655.5207 Sincerely, ccs-vt.org Champlain Community Services (CCS), Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, in its 48th year of service to our community. CCS offers supports to children and adults with developmental Elizabeth Sightler disabilities in Chittenden County and throughout northern Vermont. Executive Director 2 3 OUR SERVICES Champlain Community Services (CCS), Inc. offers one-to-one services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties. A nonprofit organization, and a Specialized Services Agency within Vermont’s developmental disabilities services system, CCS focuses on career development and employment opportunities for our consumers. Way2Work, our nationally recognized supported employment program, helps people with intellectual and developmental FOCUS ON EMPLOYMENT disabilities achieve meaningful employment, or successful self- employment, in the competitive economy. We partner with lo- Way2Work offers participants state-of-the-art supports to achieve satisfying and financially sustaining careers in the competitive economy. Way2Work cal businesses to create an inclusive and productive workforce, strengthens the local economy by providing well-trained, productive, and and help some consumers achieve self-employement goals. motivated employees, or by helping entrepreneurs with disabilities launch micro-businesses. School2Work, our newest vocational initiative, prepares high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for In Fiscal Year 2014, Vermont’s Department of Disability, Aging, and Independent Living (DAIL) named successful transitions to—and employment in—the competi- Way2Work the most successful supported employment agency in the state. A look at the numbers tive workplace. School2Work partners with local high schools suggests why: and area employers to engage high school students to design • 82 percent of CCS working age consumers participated individualized career transition plans. • 90 percent of those participating had at least one job Home & Shared Living supports range from strengthening • 13 individuals had more than one job family-based living options, to a few hours of home supports per • 4 were successfully self-employed week, to 24/7 contracted shared living supports. Each focuses • 4 were in job development, 2 in internships on ensuring health and safety, maximizing independence, and enhancing quality of life for consumers. CCS also maintains a We continued to work hard to share our knowledge and expertise fully-accessible respite house. with others in the field. Way2Work earned an unprecedented Community-based opportunities are individualized, driven by third Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) to train professionals each consumer’s interests, and supported by our skilled staff. Our statewide to support entrepreneurs with disabilities. In October consumers volunteer, enjoy cultural and recreational activities, take CCS staff, consumers, and families played a major role as classes, or pursue personal fitness goals – as prioritized in their facilitators and presenters at the Vermont Conversion Institute, a national event training professionals from around the country individual service agreement. for transitions from sheltered workshops to community based Self Advocacy employment models. CCS hosts Champlain Voices, a self-advocacy group governed School2Work by consumers, that meets Thanks in large part to funding from KeyBank (earned in the “Build a Stronger VT” contest) School2Work regularly to discuss and problem solve disability-related challenges, continued to develop its model and serve a modest number of transitioning students. The program will mentor high school students, organize special events, and engage in formally launch in 2015, but this year’s successes hinted at what is possible. community outreach. “A student graduating from BFA in St. Albans participated in School2Work this year,” said Michelle Paya, Director of Supported Employment. “She successfully obtained a partnership with Andy’s Dandys gourmet dog biscuit company and launched her own micro-business in Grand Isle County.” With a full-time coordinator joining the School2Work staff in 2015, CCS will greatly expand its ability to serve high school students with disabilities transitioning to employment—and self-employment— in the competitive economy. 4 5 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Fiscal Year 2014 represented a dynamic time for CCS, filled with transition, growth, and continued commitment to the ideals that make our agency special. With rapid statewide changes impacting health care, budgets, and perspectives about the people we serve, we stayed current and flexible. As a small Specialized Services Agency, we continue to emphasize consumer choice. Showed Fiscal STRENGTH NEGotiated CHANGE • Implemented 2.7 percent rescission with no cuts to services • Effective transition to new Executive Director • Developed a balanced FY2015 budget • Implemented major changes to staff health insurance policy • $12,500 in new grants for School2Work • Redesigned management team to prepare for growth • Held successful annual auction and multiple fundraisers • Signed on with Community Health Accountable Care (CHAC) and OneCare, • Earned $6,800 VocRehab performance bonus the first Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) operating in VT • Began planning for Electronic Health Records transition Surpassed employment Goals • Built Opportunities for consumers ENHANCED OUR Facilities & Infrastructure • Expanded Way2Work job placements • Installed new server • Enhanced staff support for consumer-written DIY newsletter • Streamlined consumer transition • Offered a menu of formal and informal classes and group activities • Developed a board of directors training tool • Developed areas for consumers needing sensory-safe space • Replaced pipe under parking lot • Improved dining and training area • Completed building renovations EXPERIENCED Growth ENGAGED WITH Community • Welcomed 8 new consumers • Held Open House at CCS to celebrate renovations • Added three new Board members • Organized high-energy United Way workplace campaign • Increased staff size from 45 to 55 • Staff and consumers active as community volunteers • Added new Service Coordinator position • Hosted high school and college volunteers and interns • Named “Best Nonprofit Organization” in Champlain Business Journal Reader Poll INVESTED IN OUR Staff • Two senior staff trained as Therapeutic Options Instructors • One senior staff trained in Facilitated Communication Assessment • Expanded staff training opportunities 6 7 YEAR IN REVIEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS & LEADERSHIP The past year found CCS engaging the community in new and varied ways, building partnerships CCS is governed by a volunteer board that meets ten times per year, in addition to committee that open opportunities for our consumers, and strengthening the broader community. Our meetings and special meetings. Committees include Executive, Finance, Personnel, Program, active Facebook page reflects our activity on an almost daily basis. Here are just some highlights