“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
 
 

In our June Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors officers and board positions were voted upon.  The present officers were elected to another term which included Anthony Bartels, President, Tom Kippenbrock, Vice-President, Russell Patton, Treasurer, and Wayne Masterson, Secretary.  Board Members elected to another three-year term were Earl Howard, Wayne Masterson, and Bobby Wood.  One new Board Member was elected to a three-year term which was Lisa Ochs, Assistant Professor of Counseling, ASU.  Due to constraints in this issue our HRM wanted to take the rest of my space to post a new policy.  Please take the time to read it.

COMPUTER/INTERNET POLICY:  POLICY

RE: COMPUTER, INTERNET AND E-MAIL USE

Policy:  Any employee who has direct or indirect access to an Abilities Unlimited of Jonesboro, Inc.’s computers, internet and or e-mail will refrain from any use that is not considered a business  purpose for Abilities Unlimited of Jonesboro, Inc.

Rationale: Recently we have reviewed some legal opinions that advise employers may have some legal responsibility for what is put into e-mails on company computers.  This could be anything that could create a hostile work environment such as: offensive language; offensive graphics; anything with a sexual connotation; offensive or off-color jokes; racial, ethnic or religious perspectives; and a 3rd party being offended by sexual communications of others.  It would include those types of e-mails  that are clearly offensive due to the expectations, requests, demands, or pressure for sexual favors.

On a less obvious side of this issue are other possibly offensive materials.  How often do you get what appears to be a harmless joke and you forward it to a co-worker?  You send or forward a religious message or devotional to a co-worker?  As a joke you forward what was an unsolicited web-based ad you received, no harm?  You cannot assume that the co-worker to whom you forward  it, or those that they forward it on to, will find it funny, amusing, inspiring, or clever.  They actually may find it the basis of some offensive material directed specifically toward them.  These may seem harmless to you but could constitute a deeper inference to someone else that you never intended.

Besides these subtle, or not so subtle, e-mails, there may be others that are much more injurious to the person’s ability to work in a nonthreatening environment and may constitute harassment or a hostile work environment.  We must view e-mails in the same manner as we would any other form of communication that would invoke any of our harassment related policies.

The bottom line is that you will have to use Abilities Unlimited computers for our business only.  Any personal use of e-mails is going to have to be done from your home and/or personal computer or other public access computers.  By so doing and not forwarding anything except business related e-mails will bring you into compliance with the e-mail portion of this policy.  In a few positions, the Executive Director and the Director of Consumer Services, check for business e-mails sent to home computers due to being totally accessible.  Other professionals may file a signed affidavit of the same situation which has to be approved by their supervisor and filed in their personnel file.  Using the internet to visit or download pornographic materials is also prohibited.  Also, transmitting any confidential client specific information is prohibited according to applicable state and/or federal guidelines.
 

I agree to follow the above policy/rationale.                                                                Date
 

June Service Awards
 
Phil Taylor, Director, celebrated THIRTY YEARS with Abilities Unlimited in June and received a plaque and pin to celebrate this remarkable occasion.  Also, Stephanie Gotay received a plaque and pin for fifteen years of service; Rita Cansler and Mary Mooney each received a ten year plaque and pin; and Ruthie Beal was honored for five years of service.  In addition, Michelle Smith, Christenia Jackson, Christopher Pitts, and Sabrenia Parker received a service certificate and pin for one year of service with us.  Thank you all so much for everything you do!!
 
NEW   BABY   CLEM

Beth and Brian Clem are the proud parents of William Eason Clem.  He was born June 5th weighing 5 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 inches long.  Congratulations on your new little bundle of joy!!
 
 

       Happy July
      Birthdays
 

Lorene Gibson   2nd
Tiffany Lee    2nd
Sandra Walker   5th
John Gibson    7th
Detra Toney    10th
Laura Holt    11th
Henry Simpson   12th
Kate Bearce    17th
Stan Arnold    19th
Candace Humes   19th
Letitia Rasdon   19th
Betty Sailor    19th
Jackie Cassidy   20th
Melba Rush    20th
Liddie Riethbaum   21st
Flo Bowlin    29th
LaRhonda Mitchell   30th
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Welcome to Abilities Unlimited

Dwight Bowman  ACS Roommate
Joyce Grant   Flex - Production
Laura Holt   ACS Implementor
Wayne Johnson  TWC Implementor
Ashley Lee   Work Instructor
Margaret Meadows  ACS Implementor
Keiah Morris   Flex - Paragould
Stacey Simmons   ACS Implementor
Treece Speed   WAC/AD Aide
Robert Swink   TWC Implementor
 Christy Wyatt   Counselor - Blytheville

CPR/1st Aid Training Update

Just as a reminder, if you are working in direct care as an implementor, work instructor, supervised living trainer, etc.,  you are required to be CPR/1st Aid certified.  You can now call the American Red Cross directly and schedule a time to do this.  One change they have made and want us to pass along is when you do schedule your time, they will require you to pay for your class up front.  This was started because too many people were scheduling their session, and then failing to show up after they hired someone to come in to teach.  So, please try to avoid doing this in the future.  However, if you will bring in your receipt for these services, you will be reimbursed.  Thanks so much!
Jonesboro Retail Store
July’s Wednesday Specials

3rd ......................Ladies Clothing - 25% off
10th.....................Shoes - Buy 1, Get 1 Free
17th ....................Men’s Clothing - 25% Off
24th ....................Children’s Clothing - ½ Off
31st .....................Furniture - 20% Off
 

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Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July
 
 


 
Training Opportunities
By Stephanie Carr, Waiver Program Coordinator

Training Offered: There will be a series of training sessions offered by our agency on job placement and supported employment.  Presenters will be Stephanie Carr and Jackie Cassidy.  The sessions are to be held in the conference room at our main office.  This training is open to all employees.  However, you will need to register for the training by July 11th.  A registration form will be posted at the main office on the bulletin board.  You may call in your name if you are unable to come to the office to sign up.  Sessions are scheduled for July 18th at 2:00 to 4:00; July 25th at 2:00 to 4:00; and August 1st at 2:00 to 4:00.  If you have any questions, please call Stephanie Carr at 932-1551.

Training Offered: On Monday, August 11th, Vicki Supine of the Council on Family Violence will present a training session on domestic violence.  Training is to take place in the conference room of our main offices on N. Church St.  All employees are welcome to attend.  However, you do need to register on the sign up sheet by August 1st.  The sign up sheet will be located on the bulletin board at our main office.  You may call in your registration if you are unable to come to the office to sign up.

Training Offered: On Thursday, August 21st, Sara Simons and Cheryl Heskett will present a training session entitled “SEX TALK” (sexuality and persons with disabilities).  This session will be held in the conference room at our main office on N. Church St. at 3:30 P.M.  This training is open to all employees.  Please register on the sign up sheet posted on the bulletin board at the office.  Call in your registration if you are unable to sign up.

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S ELECTIONS
By Phil L. Taylor, Director

We are very fortunate to have the people we do on our Board of Directors.  Some still are on there that helped start our organization some 34 years ago.  These two people add a great deal of stability and insight from their years of service.  Other members of the 15 member Board have varying degrees of one to a dozen years of experience on the Board.  It makes for a good mixture of people and experience.

The Board’s main responsibility is to hire the Executive Director and to set policies.  They, also, have to approve certain expenditures that may exceed a certain amount that wasn’t in the budget.  The annual budget is brought to the Board for input and final approval.  Part of that process is to work with the administrator on setting the number of staff and salary range.

One important phase of the Board’s function is to elect new officers.  At its June meeting the Board elected its officers for the coming year.  Prior to the election five Board members terms were renewed for another three-year term which included: Anthony Bartels; Gerald Craig; Dr. Jennifer Rice-Mason; Dr. Mike McDaniel; and Russell Patton, III.  The nominating committee presented a slate of officers which included: Russell Patton, III for President; Dr. Mark Stebnicki for Vice-President; Dr. Mike McDaniel as Treasurer; and Anthony Bartels for Secretary/Attorney.  This slate was approved as presented.  Congratulations to each of these and thanks for giving of your time as an officer.

We, also, want to thank Chief Wayne Masterson for his time and effort the last two years serving as the President.  It is an important position and he has done a very good job.  We are looking forward to his continued involvement
and guidance on the Board.

To every Board Member we say thanks from all of us and from the thousands of people Abilities Unlimited has
helped over the last 34 years.  I hope we can look forward to many more years of quality service.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Happiness is like jam.  You can’t
spread even a little without
getting some on yourself”.

                               -Anonymous

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                                                                 Service Awards

In June, there were several employees who received Service Awards.  They were:

                                                           Phil Taylor                       25 years
                                                           Stephanie Carr                 10 years
                                                           Mary Mooney                   5 years
                                                           Rita Cansler                      5 years
                                                           Jessie Lewis                      1 year
                                                           Duawayne Veteto             1 year

Phil, Stephanie, Mary, and Rita each received a pin and plaque and received the
opportunity to have lunch with the Board of Directors at the monthly meeting.

Jessie and Duawayne each received a Service certificate and pin
which they received from their supervisors.

Thank you all for your dedication and hard work given
to Abilities Unlimited!!!!

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?Have a Safe & Happy July 4th!!!!?

 
2nd Quarter Safety Winners

Congratulations goes out to the employees of AU’s Jonesboro WAC/AD; Production - Workshop; Wood Shop; Paragould WAC/AD; and Paragould Retail Store as winners of our 2nd Quarter Safety Incentive Awards.  Each winning department remained accident-free for the quarter; actively participated in safety discussions and meetings and successfully passed periodic workplace inspections.  Each winning department received a safety certificate and each employee received a gift certificate for our retail store.  In addition, Myka Hudson was the consumer picked by random draw to receive a gift certificate from our retail store. When we started doing this around a year ago we had hoped to help achieve Abilities Unlimited’s goal of having an accident free workplace.  We found out a few weeks ago from our Workman’s Compensation carrier we have cut our accidents by 50%!  This is an amazing decrease and could not have been achieved without each and every one of you helping to meet this goal by using common sense and keeping “safety” in mind in all of your everyday work activities.  Keep up the great work!