“To improve the living and working conditions and opportunities for persons with severe disabilities.”
EEO/AA/M/F/D/V
 

DIRECTOR’S CORNER
By: Phil L. Taylor

At our last Board meeting I presented the Annual Report which is due at the last scheduled Board of Directors’  meeting of the fiscal year, called the Annual Meeting.  I reported to them and to you that this has been another good year.   A review of some of the major highlights is as follows:  ARTS & ADULT DEVELOPMENT (at the Monroe location); AUTO RECYCLING (a new initiative); BATTERY RECYCLING (a new project); BLYTHEVILLE RETAIL STORE (at the 317 E. Main location); BLYTHEVILLE UNITED WAY (first year to receive funding for matching of services);  BUS GRANT (new bus grant); DELTA REGION COORDINATOR (Christy Wyatt’s expanded job duties); MONROE (new location for Adult Activities Center in Jonesboro); SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVES (effort to create business opportunities for people with disabilities); STAFF ATTORNEY (new position to create a legal department and provide specialized trust/estate services to consumers); and TRUST/ESTATES (continued and expanded services for consumers).

Additionally, I always want to emphasize that we are truly a mission-driven organization.  That, as the CEO, I subscribe to mission-based management principles.  These principles, strategies, and ideals help us to navigate toward a common vision for our organization.  It is one of my primary responsibilities to lead our staff and assist the Board in developing and encouraging best practices in mission–based management and promoting the quest for visionary planning.  This plays out in many ways throughout the entire year.  Some of the fundamental practices used to encourage this being:  to keep the mission out in front of everyone; to talk about the mission during monthly staffings; to evaluate new projects and services using specific evaluative criteria of that management style; to educate employees with management related articles in the newsletter; to maintain a capacity building management training program with the top 22 staff positions which emphasizes those principles; to encourage and reinforce annual goal setting; to develop and annually update a 3-Year Strategic Business Plan; and to keep the Board informed about the process all along the year.

As I have previously mentioned, the Strategic Business Plan is a critical tool in our planning and implementation of various strategies.  It is designed to get maximum input from all of the departments along with input from their own staff.  This input transitions into goals and objectives spread over a three-year period.  It is a flexible dynamic guide that helps bring everyone together in the planning process without bogging people down in too much planning without sufficient implementation time.   The timing of the full Annual Report to the Board also relates to the plan because this allows for a midyear review of the progress being made on its goals.  This year I have expanded it to include the Board of Directors’ input in eight different areas which I have referred to as “STRATEGIC PLANNING FOCUS”.  These areas included: diversify income to balance Medicaid billing; retail sales as the primary source for new income; create job/business opportunity for consumers; continue building up Blytheville operations; continue searching for options for Delta area; continue advocacy for people with disabilities; continue CEO’s professional involvements; and continue CEO’s business related activities.  It is through everyone’s effort that this instrument becomes a more valuable management tool each year.

Many exciting things have happened these last several years to a large extent due to our planning.  We started the Paragould program, a consignment shop, the Blytheville Branch, the Monroe Adult Activities Center, and the Blytheville store.  Things currently on the drawing board are delta initiatives, small business initiatives for people with disabilities, a Jonesboro store, trust/estate services, and global trade.  Looks like we have only just begun.  Thanks for all of your support.Happy Birthday!!

Lorene Gibson  2nd
Regeina Wilbanks  2nd
Diane Henley  3rd
Tracy Howard  7th
Linda Gary   9th
Julie Hicks   10th
Kate Bearce   17th
Clara Rush   17th
Stan Arnold  19th
Candace Humes  19th
Letitia Rasdon  19th
Jackie Cassidy  20th
Melba Rush   20th
Liddie Riethbaum  21st
Mary Emery  22nd
Flo Bowlin   29th
Lynda Trice  29th
Martha Harris  29th
LaRhonda Mitchell 30th
 

Welcome to Abilities Unlimited!!

Mary Anderson  ACS Implementor
Morgan Canonici  ACS Implementor
Mary Emery  ACS Implementor
Amie Files   ACS Implementor
Linda Gary   ACS Implementor
Ashley Hale  ACS Implementor
Joan Joplin   ACS Implementor
Latoya Love  Flex
Nathan Pressley  Flex
Bailey Sharp  ACS Implementor
Stairan Williams  ACS Implementor
 

June Service Awards

Congratulations to Tina Cornelius, Regeina Wilbanks and Melissa Wheeler on their one year anniversary with Abilities Unlimited! They each received a pin and certificate for their hard work and dedication! Way to go!
***Changes in Tb and CPR/1st Aid*** Reimbursements
Beginning July 1st, reimbursements for Tb tests and CPR/1st Aid classes will be on your weekly direct deposit. No longer will we distribute a separate check for these reimbursements. Please be sure and check your paystubs for these changes.

****************************
 Announcement from Gibson’s Pharmacy of Jonesboro
***************************
Gibson’s Pharmacy was omitted from your insurance’s list of approved pharmacies as of July 1st in error. We are enrolled in your insurance plan and are ready and willing to fill your prescriptions!!
 

    Thank you,
     Ken Gibson
 
 
 

Hidden Benefits of Being a
UNICARE Member
If you are enrolled in the company’s insurance plan, then the following applies to you.

Healthy Extensions is a UNICARE program designed to help you and your family take a personal path toward wellness.
As a member of the UNICARE family, you are automatically eligible to receive discounts on a variety of products, services, alternative health resources and independent practitioners. To find out more about the discounts, just log on to the website at www.unicare.com, click on “Healthy Living,” then select “Healthy Extensions.” If you do not have access to the Internet, the insurance packet you received when you signed up has a brochure that covers the same information. If you have questions, call Carrie at 932-1551 ext. 32. 
Blytheville Site Replaces IPP6 Database with Access 2002
By: Christy Wyatt

Since things are calm and quiet out here in Blytheville, I would like to take the time to tell you, instead, all about the Windows based system to replace the current IPP6.

The database system is being created using Microsoft Access 2002. The system will allow us to print a plan similar to the ones we print now, but with fewer pages, and in a more readable fashion. The doctor will sign th same page where the goals and objectives are printed, which should decrease confusion. The plan will still contain community services but only those the client has or needs. I have a new numbering system which will make it easier to memorize and find numbers because they are numbered according to goal areas like “SC” for Self- Care topics like hygiene and health. Also, I am breaking out objectives which are not steps toward a goal, and making them their own goal, so that we are not assigning global goals like upper body hygiene for a more specific objective like tooth brushing. We won’t have to read a catalog to see if tooth brushing is listed under upper body hygiene. We may use meeting minutes for the various statements (such as the one on service barriers) contained in the current IPP6 rather than clutter up the plan itself with a lot of open space. The best part is that we won’t have to do it all in some specific order, and we won’t have to pop in and out of various screens a hundred times just to get someone a plan. We will be dedicating one part of the program for the Functional Behavioral Assessment. The FBA will be specific as to what we are saying the person can and cannot do, rather than saying they cannot keep their upper body clean when we mean their hair is not washed.

In addition to the plan functions, the database will help in WAC/AD billing, and watching for the expiration of forms in the chart. Another useful function will be the automatic printing of updated Permanent Records and DDS Checklist so you don’t have to handwrite them. Call me lazy, but I don’t like to spend a lot of time handwriting a bunch of things on a lengthy form. Feedback on this database is invited!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Everyone in the WAC/AD program would like to thank Phil Taylor and Shorty CarMichael for everything they have given and done for us. Our consumers want Phil to know how thankful they are for getting to move out of the working shop and into the fabulous new building on Monroe St. They also want to let Shorty know how much he is appreciated. He has been working very hard to make our building the best it can be. He and his team have done a terrific job for us.

Thanks,
Monroe AD Center   In The ‘Test Kitchen’ of Life
A young woman was complaining to her father about how difficult her life has become. He said nothing, but took her to the kitchen and set three pans of water to boiling. To the first pan, he added carrots; to the second, eggs; and to the third, ground coffee. After all three had cooked, he put their contents into separate bowls and asked his daughter to cut into the eggs and carrots and smell the coffee. “What does this all mean?” she asked impatiently.
“Each food,” he said, “teaches us something about facing adversity, as represented by the boiling water.” The carrot went in hard but came out soft and weak. The eggs went in fragile but came out hardened. The coffee, however, changed the water to something better.
“Which will you be like as you face life?” he asked. Will you give up, become hard- or transform adversity into triumph? As the “chef” of your own life, what will you bring to the table?
         -Adapted from the AccessChristian Web site

Consumer Services   - Jonesboro
 

Quality Care for Our Consumers
by Janet Gregory

This month I would like to briefly discuss some issues that affect the quality of care that our consumers receive from our organization.  I will attempt to outline some universal expectations for implementors.                                                                                       First of all, you were hired to do a specific job.  That job was described to you prior to your taking the position.  As such, you are expected to do the job in the manner that it was described to you.  If for some reason you are unable to keep the schedule as it was laid out to you by your supervisor, you must contact the supervisor and ask if a schedule change can be made.  Do not take upon yourself to talk to the consumer or family without your supervisors consent.  Each schedule is based on a contract that determines the number hours and days that are allowed.  The consumer or family may not have knowledge of the necessary requirements in the contract.  Likewise, if you are unable to keep your position, contact your supervisor as soon as possible...don’t let your supervisor be the last person to know that you are no longer working with a consumer.

The next issue I would like to discuss is training and paperwork.  I am proud to say that with great effort from the Human Resource department, we are finally on the road to a great system for tracking our training and DDS requirements for employees.  With the help of Dee Dee, Carrie and Becky, we are now able to know what training and when your training, TB cards, CPR/First Aid, and Auto Insurance are due.  They have worked hard to devise a system that is working but it takes some effort on your part to make the system work.  When you receive a letter stating what is required and when it is due, please take that notice seriously.  Without your immediate attention to those yearly requirements, you are putting your employment in danger.  When you fail to get the necessary documentation, your supervisor will be required by the company to replace you with someone else.  Please do not put your supervisor and your consumer in that position.
While on the topic of paperwork, let’s discuss time sheets and case notes.  I feel that there has been a great improvement in this area also.  However, there continues to be some difficulty in this area.  Please remember that your time sheets and case notes are due in our office no later than 9 am on Monday morning ( if a holiday falls on Monday then they will be due the same time on Tuesday).   The date must be clearly marked on ALL paperwork.  DDS stated that they need to know in a glance what day, month and year services were rendered.
 
 

Please remember that the services you perform with the consumer are to improve their lives.  Make sure that your case reflect the effort that you made to better your consumers life, the goal that the consumer was working toward, the progress that the consumer has made toward the goal, and the accurate date and time that you worked with the consumer.  Often times the case notes, if read by someone who does not know the consumer (like DDS),reflect activities that seem to be for the convenience of the employee rather than the betterment of the consumer.  Make sure that you detail your efforts with your consumer clearly enough that anyone reading your case notes know that you are dedicated to your consumer.  We want to show our professionalism to anyone watching... and many people are watching every day.  Remember that your actions impact your consumer and the people that encounter you with your consumer.  If you have a bad attitude or are just doing this job for the money , that will be reflected to the whole world.  Although the world may view you and our company negatively, the worse impact is upon your consumer because he/she will feel degraded and unwanted.

Lastly, I would like to discuss the issue of modeling appropriate behaviors.  How you interact in the community with others will influence how your consumer will behave.  If you are in traffic and are cut off by another car and you begin yelling at the other driver you have set an example for your consumer to model.  That is not the type of behave that you would want to see in your consumer.  We want the implementors to be a legal and  ethical example for our consumers.  Your every word or action is being watched .... by your consumer and the public.  If you are having a bad day or just don’t feel good that day...leave at home when you come to work.  The consumer, more that likely, has his/her own issues to deal with and do not need to absorb your negative attitude.

Respect and confidentiality are important to every one and our consumers are no exception.  Please try to always respect the rights and opinions of our consumers.  When faced with a decision, help the consumer make the decision that is right for them and not reflecting your opinions.  Likewise, when in public with the consumer, it is not necessary to identify him/her as a consumer or merely an object of employment.  They have names and should be merely introduced by name.  It would be a breech of confidentiality to explain any more of your relationship with others.  Please treat our consumer like you would want to be treated.   Thanks!