“To improve the living and working conditions and opportunities for
persons with severe disabilities.”
EEO/AA/M/F/D/V
The Director’s Corner
By Phil L. Taylor, Executive Director
For the last few weeks I have been working with the Senior Management
Team on our 3-Year Strategic Business Plan. This document has been
a useful tool over the last few years that I have used it. It really
helps us to look more realistically at the coming year and to help set
some goals for our programs and departments. I will be presenting
it to our Board of Directors for comment and feedback at our January 28th
meeting. After feedback from them, I will finalize it and share it
in an upcoming newsletter.
This is my favorite time of the year, not just because of the holidays. It is a time we can again look at the year ahead of us as one filled with many great opportunities. Some of these opportunities we can set out for ourselves as goals which allow us the unique option to plan for their accomplishment. This is far better than just reacting to another challenge, even though you should also consider it as an opportunity. But lets face it, if we are reacting to an incident it will often challenge our resources more severely than had we planned for it in advance.
A real case in point is that we are now planning for some realistic and significant growth in several of our departments and we are going to work toward those being achieved this year. But, we have, also, received public notice in the last couple of months (presently nothing firm) that all programs like ours are going to receive some cuts in funding. Consequently, we could easily go about doing our daily jobs in the same routine responsible manner and then react to our budget cuts and their subsequent ramifications when they occur. Or, we can work harder to create continued growth and not have to abruptly react to lost funding. I already know that it will be an unusual year with some predictable unpleasant occurrences, i.e., increases in health costs, tighter strings on purchase orders, delaying some equipment purchases, and the like. So, I want to be optimistic and build on our growth momentum by continuing our plans to add more thrift stores, consignment shops and production items while working hard for more efficiencies in our services, purchases and staffing patterns. With more efficiency and growth we can weather many negative occurrences and not significantly impede our forward momentum. We should all have a sense of optimism about the upcoming year or two and not a sense of dread at all. We have been very blessed with our opportunities and staff and we need to continue working toward our mission.
Let me encourage all of you to make the best of what is sent your way and not to lose sight of our ability to grow our programs and to better meet our mission. As long as we keep our mission in sight and use realistic mission-based management practices (in simple terms these are management techniques that allow major decisions to be assessed against their positive or negative effect on our mission and are rated accordingly before engaging in shifting or dedicating talent and resources) while staying true to our core values and strengthening our core competencies, we can eagerly meet 2002 head on.
The most fundamental thing to remember is how important what you do
for our consumer is for the whole organization. I truly appreciate
all of you who put out good individual effort to do a good job with our
consumers and on behalf of our consumers. Thank you. Let’s
all have another great year. May you all have a happy and prosperous
new year.
Welcome to Abilities Unlimited
Mohammed BenMhammed ACS Implementor
Michael Burleigh Flex Employee
Rickey Hill Flex Employee
Shirley Jackson ACS Implementor
C.J. New ACS Implementor
Gary Powell Cashier
Steven Wright TWC Implementor
CIVIL RIGHTS TRAINING
RE: Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin
NOTE: This article is intended to remind all employees of AUI’s commitment to comply with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for consumers and employees alike. Any incident or pattern of actions that may suggest noncompliance should be reported as and be considered under established grievance procedure with the notation that the Department of Health and Human Services is a part of that procedure. Also, it is AUI’s policy that all printed material is available in alternate formats (large print and audio tapes) upon request such as the newsletter, employee handbook, program information, employee information, etc. Limited-English-Proficiency (LEP): It is the policy of AUI to have procedures that provide language needs assistance to LEP persons who are accessing AUI for employment and services.
• Procedure for identifying the language needs of consumers will include
an initial assessment question(s) to be answered during the referral process
that would trigger assistance that would be needed from an interpreter.
• Procedure for identifying the language needs of applicants for employment
will include the HRM identifies a need for language assistance and implements
it. The level of assistance could include the standard applicant instructions
for filling out an application for employment being given in an audio format.
During interviews the HRM could assess the assistance of a volunteer interpreter
which would be scheduled in a timely manner for qualified applicants chosen
for interviews.
• Procedure for providing interpreter services will include maintaining
a list of interested people who are members of the ASU International Student
Association, ESL groups, church groups and other individuals in the community.
Timely access to these resources/services of volunteer community interpreters
will be considered extremely important. The LEP population in this
area is very low and the procedure’s outlines should meet our responsibilities.
• Any suggestions or comments can be directed to the HRM for employees
and the Director of Consumer Services for consumers.
HAPPY
JANUARY
BIRTHDAYS
Amy Ellis 2nd
Markita Tyler 3rd
Rita Cansler 6th
Don Larry 7th
Kathy Branscum 10th
Betty Simpson 11th
Patricia Smith 13th
Mohammed BenMhammed 17th
Julie Pieri 18th
Angela Kifer 19th
Patrick Weaver 20th
Camille Harris 23rd
Penny Pickrell 24th
Michael Hallmark 25th
Marie Chism 26th
Kathrine Goffrier 27th
Kitty Swindle 28th ATTENDANCE AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations goes out to three employees who were chosen from a drawing to win four hours off with pay. They each maintained perfect attendance and did not take off for personal or sick time. Stephanie Gotay won the 3rd quarter attendance award; Carolyn Roberts received the award for October; and Kathrine Goffrier was the winner for November. WAY TO GO!!!
Next month we’ll catch you up on more incentive award winners!
DECEMBER SERVICE AWARDS
Phillip Beasley and Philip Cornish celebrated their first anniversary with Abilities Unlimited in December and will receive a one year certificate and pin. Thanks so much for your dedication!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!