“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
 

June marks the end of the current fiscal year and also the month designated as our annual Board of Directors meeting.  We try to have a quick review of the year at that time, but the full Director’s Annual Report to the Board isn’t completed until we finish our audit around October.  That report in particular brings in reports and findings from all of our major departments and services.  It is during that report that any feedback, questionnaires and survey results are used to evaluate services and help establish future goals for each program.

I want to take this time to review some of the more significant changes that we have undergone over the last year.  In the early part of the year the VA changed how they were delivering case management to their clients in NE Arkansas and took all of that into their central office in Little Rock.  We still have a contract with them, but we do not deliver any of the case management and placement activities.  There are types of services that we may be able to help with on an as needed basis.  We have closed our VA office and released our VA work study staff.

We got an opportunity to put several consumers to work at ASU in the food services area and beefed up our Supported Employment program to handle the job coaching and training involved in that process.  We have had some supported employment activities all along and handled them on a case by case basis.  With this big push we hired a staff person to have as one of her major responsibilities to head that program.  She, also, has a case load with Waiver as a coordinator.  We hope that the Supported Employment program will remain viable because it gives some employment options for some consumers who can’t make the transition into the entry level competitive labor market without substantial programmatic support.

In Paragould we began a new project called a consignment shop.  This has been a very interesting initiative and we are very pleased with the concept and the possibilities this has to offer.  We have plans to start one in Jonesboro and in the Blytheville area.  Also, related to these areas are our continued efforts to use and increase our ebay sales on the internet.  This allows us to get a better price for collectables that may be donated to us.  The foundation to all of these activities along with our two thrift stores is that of the processing.  We have moved our processing center to our Apple Hills location where it is co-located with our wood shop.  This isn’t ideal but in general is a much better process and facility location than before.

Another big project was the opportunity to open a major satellite at Blytheville.  We were able to get it up and running a couple of months ago.  It is meeting some significant needs in that area and we feel blessed that we were able to move in that direction.  It has taken a lot of hard work and will continue to do so for quite some time.  It, like all of the other projects and services that we continue to provide, have newly started or upgraded during the year, helps us to continue to meet our mission.  In addition, all of our employees delivering these services help to improve the living and working conditions and opportunities of people with severe disabilities. Keep up the good work and as always thanks for the work you do on behalf of all our consumers.  Let’s have another good year this coming year.

INCENTIVE AWARD WINNERS

The incentive award winners for March and April were chosen from a drawing at the May staff meetings.  The safety winners were: Alex White, Emma Cate, Penny Pickrell, Bobby Cater, Kim Head, Patty Brewer, Shelby Scales, and Philip Cornish.  The attendance winners were:  Jan Parker, Mary Mooney, Bryan Simons, Paul Gunter, Rita Puryear, Darren May and Kathrine Goffrier.  The quarterly winners for safety were: Lorene Gibson, Alex White, Stan Arnold, Bobby Cater, Angela Millner, June Dudley, Charles McKinley and  Kari Brooks.  Quarterly attendance winners were: Phil Taylor, Paul Gunter, Patty Brewer and Darren May.  And the grand prize attendance winner for March and April is Mary Mooney.  She will receive four hours off with pay.  Thank you all for your efforts!!

MAY SERVICE AWARDS

Congratulations to six AU employees who celebrated their one-year anniversary with us!  Tiffany Lee, Heidi Hannan, Misti Lira, Crystal Lackey, Trevor Nicholas and Fredrick Ellis each received a one-year certificate and pin marking this special occasion.  Thanks - you are all appreciated so much!!
   Happy June
     Birthdays
 
Bobbie Fisher     1st
Rick Alsup     2nd
Amanda Johnson    5th
Peggy Hudson    10th
Mary Starling     10th
Heidi Hannan     13th
Jennifer Binkley    16th
Billy Lambert     16th
Keith Pringle     18th
Alex White     19th
Carrie Armstrong    21st
June Dudley     21st
Sandra Grimes    24th
Sherry Veteto     24th
Welcome to AU

Elizabeth Nulty  ACS Implementor
Emma Tate   ACS Implementor
Falesha Riggs   ACS Implementor
Kimberly Smith  ACS Implementor
Betty Sailor   ACS Implementor
Donna Nelson   ACS Implementor
Dianne House   ACS Implementor
Amanda Johnson  ACS Implementor

Health/Prescription Card Info.

We’re just beginning our new plan year for our health insurance and I wanted to pass on some useful information that might make your life easier when using your insurance.  (1) The toll free number on the back of your ID card will provide you with the easiest access to service representatives that can answer questions regarding prescription and medical claims.  They have access to claims paid, pended, or rejected.  You can also call them with any questions that you have concerning your benefits, if you have questions about whether or not something is covered, how it’s covered, etc.  The easiest way to get to a “live” person is to press “1", then “4", then “2".  This will help you shortcut straight to a customer service rep.  (2) You can also access your processed claims  information via a website at www.onehealthplan.com.   This website will tell you which claims have been received, processed, etc.  It is an easy way to access your information without having to make a phone call.  (3) The PCS Preferred Drug Listing is constantly changing. When a generic drug becomes available, the Preferred Name Brand Drug will usually become a Non-Preferred Name Brand Drug.  It is very important that you ask the pharmacist to contact your doctor if a drug costs you more than the Preferred Brand Name copay.  This would indicate that PCS has made a change in how this drug is covered and that there is now a generic available.  If the doctor approves the change to generic, this will save you even more than when you were getting a Preferred Name Brand Drug. (4) There will always be a generic or Preferred Name Brand Drug equivalent available for Non-preferred Name Brand Drugs, so you are not forced to pay the highest copay amount, but you have the option of staying with your current prescription and paying the higher copay if you wish.


INCENTIVE AWARD WINNERS

The incentive award winners for March and April were chosen from a drawing at the May staff meetings.  The safety winners were: Alex White, Emma Cate, Penny Pickrell, Bobby Cater, Kim Head, Patty Brewer, Shelby Scales, and Philip Cornish.  The attendance winners were:  Jan Parker, Mary Mooney, Bryan Simons, Paul Gunter, Rita Puryear, Darren May and Kathrine Goffrier.  The quarterly winners for safety were: Lorene Gibson, Alex White, Stan Arnold, Bobby Cater, Angela Millner, June Dudley, Charles McKinley and  Kari Brooks.  Quarterly attendance winners were: Phil Taylor, Paul Gunter, Patty Brewer and Darren May.  And the grand prize attendance winner for March and April is Mary Mooney.  She will receive four hours off with pay.  Thank you all for your efforts!!