2016 Winter Happenings Newsletter
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WINTER 2016 EDITION Firefighters For A Day and the Annual 911 Christmas Event Top: Alex and Chrissy try their hand at getting a good grip on the water hose when local firefighters visited a few months ago for a safety activity at the Residential Center. Bottom: Each year it seems the 911 Christmas event continues to grow and more surrounding communities and generous community members get involved in this event which never fails to put a smile on people’s faces. This picture shows just a small group of the supporters arriving via firetruck and polic car with gifts in hand to provide to the children and adults living at the Residential Center. A big thank you to our “911 family” and Vicki Leonard who organizes the event year after year! Inside This Issue FROm ThE CEO . 2 FROm ThE BOARD OF DIRECTORS . 3 COmmuNITy SuppORT . 4 RECOgNITION –– From Wishes to Reality . 5-8 hILLS & DALES hAppENINgS . 9-11 From the Chief Executive Officer As we see yet another year come upon us we know that 2016 will bring with it significant change to how services will occur at hills & Dales. Iowa’s decision to transition the medicaid system to private insurance companies creates a multitude of chal- lenges for the people we support, and those of us providers whose operations are funded totally by medicaid. We did receive a reprieve when the Federal oversight group denied Iowa’s January 1st implementation date, due to lack of readiness. The new effective date is march 1st, and at this time, hills & Dales continues to evaluate contracts marilyn Althoff with the three insurance companies. Each company CEO requests specific contract requirements and creden- tialing processes, and we are now responsible for negotiating our service rates with each company. This is all new to providers and takes considerable resources to make it all happen. 560,000 Iowans are affected by this change, but our interest is the group of Iowans who have a significant intellectual/developmental disability or need, and who not only need medical support, but supports to live and be a part of their community. We know that change is inevitable and we have worked through other change, as we will with this transition. We have a great staff team, a wonderful mission and a supportive community who recognizes the need to have quality services for vulnerable children and young persons who rely on hills & Dales, their family, community mem- bers and their state policy makers to have a life. I also want to extend a huge thanks to the hills & Dales Boards of Directors who have provided guidance and support as we learn about the impact of this change and to the family advocates who have made numer- ous calls, sent letters and attended meetings to share their personal stories and concerns with decision makers. These efforts have made a tremendous difference in the process. “Hills & Dales is dedicated to building meaningful lives for individuals with disabilities by offering services that support the whole person and enhance community inclusion.” 2 hills & Dales Happenings From the Board of Directors 2015 has come and WINTER 2016 EDITION gone, and we have a new year ahead of us -- and our incredible, hardwork- © 2016 by hills & Dales ing staff has many new 1011 Davis Street Dubuque, Iowa 52001-1397 achievements and accom- phone 563/556-7878 plishments to look forward fax 563/557-3822 to with plenty of challeng- email [email protected] ing and light-hearted website www.hillsdales.org moments along the way. But no matter what this new year brings, each John Tallent BOARD OF DIRECTORS president, and every day, people’s hills & Dales lives will be impacted at OFFICERS Board of Directors hills & Dales. John Tallent, President mike Ruden, Vice President It could be a seemingly Al Krueger, Secretary/Treasurer small thing like a little girl learning to zip up her MEMBERS-AT-LARGE coat with hand over hand assistance from staff, or Keith Bibelhausen big things like traveling to Des moines or Chicago Dr. Tom Callahan to take in a Taylor Swift concert or seeing the musi- Brian Kane Tom Kane cal production of The Lion King. Whatever is Sarah Weber-Kumpf accomplished throughout the coming year, all of Debra mcginnis our over 300 staff members will do their very best Tony pfohl mark phalen to build meaningful lives every single day, for every Jill Reimer single person who is supported by hills & Dales. Tori Richter Keith Sindberg If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to read marilyn’s information on the Jamie Barwick adjoining page which shares the innumerable Hills & Dales Foundation changes coming our way as a result of the privati- BOARD OF DIRECTORS zation of Iowa’s medicaid system. There is no OFFICERS Eric Foy, President doubt that this will impact lives, but for now we Elaine Barwick, have a reprieve until at least march 1 to continue Honorary Chair/Foundress preparations. I thank marilyn and her staff for the Stephen hardie, Vice President hard work and advocacy efforts they have and will David Fritz, Secretary/Treasurer continue to put forth in regards to this situation we MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Keith Bibelhausen are faced with. gary Dolphin I hope you will take a moment to realize how mike Donohue Connie hardie lucky Dubuque and all of Eastern Iowa is to have Ric Jones a place like hills & Dales to support some of our Tom Kane community and state’s most vulnerable citizens Judy Lochner John markham and their families. We are so fortunate to have your Rob mcDonald support as this organization would not be what it is Kelly myers today without our many donors and supporters. Chris Theisen Jim Weber On behalf of everyone at hills & Dales, I share CEO our thanks for your continued support and wish you marilyn Althoff all the best throughout the new year! FOUNDRESS/RETIRED Elaine Barwick Building Meaningful Lives Visit us on the web at www.hillsdales.org 3 Community Support 2016 ANNUAL APPEAL please consider helping us launch the “Home Is Where the Heart Is Fund”. We need your support as affordable, accessible housing continues to be one of, if not the most, significant barrier facing people with disabilities. We ask you today to help us build a foundation for current and future housing needs that will continue to exist. your gift will help others now to have a home to call their own, like the ladies pictured above. please use the enclosed envelope or donate securely online at www.hillsdales.org, and note your gift is for the Annual Appeal. Right: For four young ladies, December 1, 2015 will be a day they are not likely to forget as they gained greater independ- ence while moving into their very own home within our Dubuque community. Ashly, Challes, Beth and Katie are not only new roommates, but also new friends! Above they are shown along with a group of loved ones and staff members while they checked out their new home for the first time. Because of our community of supporters, this home purchase was possible. Left: hills & Dales hosted a Community Autism Training on November 12th for others to learn more about autism - characteristics, behavior inter- ventions, and strategies. This training was sponsored in part by a Community Foundation of greater Dubuque Community Impact grant. GRANTS UPDATE hills & Dales recently received the following grants to help build meaningful lives. We sincerely appreciate the support from: *Dubuque County Early Childhood - $12,474.96 for the meaningful Enhancement program at the Childcare Center *Dubuque Racing Association - $16,320.00 for the Security Enhancement project *James B. and melita A. mcDonough Foundation - $5,000.00 for the AutismHD program *prudential Foundation - $5,000.00 for 2015 and 2016 Volunteer Activities *Staples Foundation - $1,000.00 to support the Life Training Center and Inclusive Childcare and preschool *Variety - The Children’s Charity - $7,000.00 for security enhancement at the Residential Center *Wahlert Foundation - $3,600.00 to support the LifeTime Center meals program 4 hills & Dales Happenings Recognition...from Wishes to Reality Gift List from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015 MONETARY GIFTS gene and Teresa hohmann honkamp Krueger & Co. p.C. A.y. mcDonald Steve and Sherry horan AARp Tax Aide hotel Julien Dubuque Addoco, Inc. IIW, p.C. ENgINEERS. ARChITECTS. SuRVEyORS Dean and Tammy Adrian Eric and Tammy Imhof Alliant Energy Foundation IWI motor parts (Faley Enterprises) American Trust & Savings Bank James B. and melita A. mcDonough Foundation Dr. Scott and Carolyn Arnold Jim giese Commercial Roofing, Inc. Larry and Linda Barnes Jim Kircher & Associates, p.C. Rudy and Joan Bellmann John Deere Dubuque Works Steve and Lisa Bernhard Brian and Kathy Kane Keith and gaye Bibelhausen Kane Appraisal Services Jayme and Dawn Bries Kane, Norby & Reddick p.C. Virgil and Debbie Brothers Tom and Julie Kane Capri College Zach and Emily Keeling Jen Childers mike Klauer Community Foundation of greater Dubuque - Klein Custom homes Block party Knights of Columbus, Council 510 Community Foundation of greater Dubuque - gwen Kosel grants 2 green grant Terry and Juliana Kouba Community Foundation of greater Dubuque - Al Krueger yAppERS grant Kyle and Sarah Kumpf Joel Crist Kwik Stop/ Dairy Queen Rick and Sarah Cummer Jean Lange Darin and Kristin Damstra Dave Lehr Don and Elaine Damstra Abigail Leibold Larry Davig and mary green Ken and Judy Lochner mike and Jeanie Donohue glendon Lowder Agnes Droessler Dustin manternach Dubuque Bank & Trust Rick and Janet martin Dubuque County Early Childhood martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. Dubuque Diamond Dash matter Creative Center Dubuque mattress Inc.