Date: December 15, 2014 Visit us at www.holmesdd.org The Training Center Times Most of these pictures were taken as the children practiced for the Christmas Program on December 9th. A huge thank you to John Oster for providing the piano music prior to the program. Thank you to the Bell Choir for their hard work and to the students who were exceptional in their performance. Thank you everyone for attending and supporting our program. DECEMBER STUDENT ACTIVITIES by Molly Starner Merry Christmas to all! What a wonderful evening the other night and once again what a pleasure to celebrate the season with your student and adult through our annual Christmas program. Thank you all for coming out to share in the evening; thankfully the weather was not the event of the season this year. My prayer is that you left feeling blessed! As always the month has been packed with a variety of activities: sing-alongs, Mother’s Club activities, West Holmes and East Holmes choirs, bell choir and a Santa visit. Again many thanks to everyone for another great December! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each and every one! Molly Starner, MT-BC East Holmes Choir West Holmes Chamber Choir Signing Silent Night as the West Holmes Choir sings. ↑ School News by Rhoda Mast, Principal Out of the box gifts During this Christmas season, we certainly think about gifts and presents just right for the special people in our lives. This year I was noticing the gifts from individuals you cannot place in a box or pretty bag, tied up with a bow and placed under the tree. These are the gifts that keep on giving; time, words of encouragement, a smile, a lift for a ride, helping a friend in need, visiting a shut in...you get the idea. Though gifts in a box are greatly appreciated, it’s relationships beyond the box that make the gift meaningful and heartwarming. Wishing you a blessed and meaningful Christmas season with your family and friends. In Loving Memory This #31 basketball jersey was given to the Weaver family in memory of Nate Weaver, who was a member of the Bucks Basketball team. Nate passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He was always happy and smiling when it came to basketball. Actually, he was just always happy and smiling. Nate will always be remembered by everyone. Coach Fox and the team members all signed the jersey. God’s comfort to his family! THANK YOU The training center has been the recipient of some wonderful gifts honoring the work our staff performs each day in support of students and adults with disabilities, We recently received a gift of food and money from a parent for the habilitation center in appreciation of the care they provide adults on a daily basis. We also received a donation of $1,289.75 from the employees of Weaver Leather. Each year the employee council sponsors a holiday bake sale and donate the proceeds to benefit local families or organizations. For the second year, the training center was chosen as one of the beneficiaries. PRESCHOOL NEWS by Amber Parrot December has been a busy month. The preschoolers have been working in Santa's Workshop testing toys and wrapping gifts, decorating ornaments, and experimenting with the different scents of Christmas. The students had a lot of fun performing on stage and did an excellent job for the Christmas Program. We are looking forward to our Family Christmas Parties on December 17th and 18th at 1:00. Looking ahead to January, the preschool will be learning about snowmen, bears, and will experiment and compare hot/cold items. We are looking forward to getting to play with some real snow. MOTHER’S CLUB NEWS, by Renee Spencer, EI Specialist Mark your Calendars for Upcoming Mother’s Club Activities: ***************************** Spina Bifida & HERC2 Reunions January 21, 2015 (NEW) June 5, 2015 Sewing Day from 9 AM—2 PM We will be sewing squares together for throws to be used in the school & Hab areas. Down Syndrome Reunion May 22, 2015 **If you have not received our 2014/2015 Schedule and Calendar of Events, please contact Kim Tish at 330-674-8045. January 30, 2015 Family Night at HCTC @ 6:30 PM (Snow Date is Feb. 6) **The HCAHC Trustees will meet at 5:30 PM. This will be a combined January/February meeting & includes the election of 3 trustees. ************************** RECYLCING PAPER PRODUCTS Urgent Recycling Request!! February 18, 2015 Feelings of My Heart at HCTC (Snow Date is Feb. 19) March 18, 2015 Guest Day @ HCTC April 8, 2015 Field Trip to: Bob Evans for Breakfast, & shopping at Everything Rubbermaid Store, Quailcrest Farm & Hartzler Dairy To keep our Paper Products Recycling Bin, we must increase the amount of product we recycle (paper, magazines, newspaper, junk mail, phone books, text books, wrapping paper, etc.) Simply put your paper products in the Recycling Bin located in the back of the large parking lot. • April 29, 2015 Work Day on the Nature Trail & Flower Gardens May 8 & 9, 2015 Festival Workday, Volleyball & Entertainment, Spring Festival • • RECYCLING BENEFITS: Generates income for the Training Center Provides skill development and awareness for our students and clients. Provides jobs January 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 1 2 NEW YEAR’S Facility DAY Closed Bucks Basketball Schedule Change: All scheduled evening home games are being played at Holmesville Elementary. The day time home games are still being played at HCTC. Facility Closed 4 5 Facility Resumes Schedule Fri 6 7 Bucks Home Game @ 5:30 PM—Played at Holmesville Elem. 8 Bucks at Coshocton @ 6:00 PM Sat 3 Bucks play at West Holmes between JV & Var. Game; approx. 6:30 PM 9 10 11 12 Festival Meeting @ 9:30 AM 13 14 Bucks Home Game @ 11:30 AM—Played at HCTC 15 16 HCBDD Board Meeting & Public Hearing on Action Plan @ 6:00 PM 17 18 19 Martin Luther King Day 20 Bucks Home Game @ 6:00 PM—Played at Holmesville Elem. 21 Mother’s Club Sewing Day, 9 AM—2 PM 22 23 Bucks Home Game @ 11:00 AM—Played at HCTC 24 27 LHI Board Meeting @ Noon 28 29 31 Facility Closed 25 26 Bucks at Guernsey @ 6 PM 30 HCAHC Trustees @ 5:30 PM Mother’s Club Family Night @ 6:30 PM Holmes County Training Center/Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities 2015 Action Plan DRAFT #1 This is the approved draft of the 2015 Action Plan. Please submit comments about the draft plan in writing to Scott Brace, Superintendent prior to January 9, 2015. You may also attend the public hearing on the plan and give written and/or verbal testimony about the plan on January 15, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at the Holmes County Training Center. Mission Statement Our mission as a family oriented program is to maximize potential, develop independence, educate and support all individuals with special needs and their families through the choice of progressive, diverse and personalized programs and services in a safe, secure environment. Vision Statement The Holmes County Training Center will be the leader of innovative and traditional services which families and individuals with developmental disabilities seek out as a trusted source of information and support. HCTC Values: Accountability; Teamwork; Customer Driven Excellence; Effective innovation; Respect and Caring; Efficiency; Flexibility and Agility; Visionary Leadership; Social Responsibility; Valuing employees; Honesty and Responsibility; Management by Fact Overall agency goals 1. Improve behavior support services to enrollees and continue to create a positive intervention culture in order to support all our enrollees and ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations. A. To purchase consultant support, as needed, to better support our students and adults with challenging behaviors. (OCALI and others) B. SSA staff and teachers will develop support plans for those who need them based on a positive intervention culture, with consultant support. C. Explore Good Life Training for Habilitation staff. 2. To invest in maintaining our infrastructure for 2015 (roof/vehicles/etc.); to invest in up to three SELF Waivers , subject to finances, in order to support individuals and their families in 2015 and increase the number of adults enrolled on Level 1 Waivers to assure the future financial viability of Board services. A. To monitor waiver billing, waiver reimbursement and adult Level 1Waiver enrollment in order to meet revenue targets in the 2015 budget. B. To increase the number of adults enrolled on Level 1 Waivers to generate federal revenue to support services available to enrollees. 3. To monitor expenses and achieve monthly targets in order to bring our expenditures in under the 2015 budget. A. Monitor residential waiver expenses to meet expense targets in the 2015 budget. B. To pay most of our waiver match costs from the general fund. C. To assure current levy funding and other revenue is sufficient to last five years. 4. To work with the Holmes County Association for Handicapped Citizens and Lynn Hope Industries to maintain and improve services. A. To assess which projects the Association is interested in supporting in 2015 and 2016, while maintaining current budget commitments. Such as, HCAHC sharing the cost of upgrading the playground. B. To support the expansion of services provided by LHI, including community job placement and community participation. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 2 Overall agency goals, continued 5. To participate in the Region 5/DODD County Collaborative/ Imagine Project to engage individuals, families and communities in system. A. Stewardship through person centered practices and implementing person centered plans with all adults by 12/31/15.To become a person centered community. B. To develop unified practices and resources through regional centers of excellence that support effective and efficient services in the areas of finance, technology, and analysis and resource development. C. To develop local processes which improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our services. D. To develop a five year business plan for the region. I. Maintenance Goals 1. To improve and maintain equipment, grounds and facilities based on available resources and needs: To pursue repairing our roofs, curbs, driveways and spouting. To replace bus garage entry doors. To replace the door by the kitchen with a sliding door and covered entry. To replace the maintenance truck and equip with snow removal equipment. To expand the professional cleaning of our carpeting. To purchase a steamer for the kitchen and work with the playground committee to upgrade the playground and equipment. To assist the HCAHC in upgrading the ventilation in the pavilion. 2. To initiate activities/practices which will reduce our energy usage/costs. 3. Maintaining of our flower beds is dependent on volunteers and using donation funds to purchase flowers. Will gradually change from using mulch to plastic ground cover and stones in our flower beds and use planters for flowers. 4. Adults will be provided hot meals three days/week over the summer at a temporary price increase of $0.25/lunch. To explore Lynn Hope’s capacity to provide lunches over the summer. 5. Teacher assistants and volunteers will help to keep our toys clean. 6. To expand recycling efforts throughout HCTC II. Personnel Goals 1. To use the OACB to help the Board (HCBDD) to recruit and hire a new superintendent prior to July 1, 2015. 2. 2. A 2-3% range salary increase for the 2015-2016 staff contract year has been budgeted for 2015. 3. To look for opportunities to reduce staffing costs without further staff layoffs, including, but not limited to filling vacant adult staff positions by contracting with Lynn Hope for staff, sharing administrative functions with another County Board of DD and purchasing services from MEORC. 4. Assist the Lynn Hope Board in employing or contracting for staff support at Lynn Hope, as needed. 5. To continue staff recognition activities with support from the Holmes County Association for Handicapped Citizens. 6. To increase volunteer participation at the Training Center by intentionally reaching out to the community with clarity of need and opportunities available. 7. To improve our efficiency and effectiveness through upgrading and improving our use of information technology. 8. Personnel and Business staff have been reorganized under one supervisor. We will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach given our current staffing levels. a. To participate in regional efforts to implement best practices. 9. To offer staff and Board members professional growth opportunities including additional person centered training and emergency response/ “Alice” training. 10. To balance our needs to provide for good health insurance for our staff with the need to manage the escalating costs of such insurance. To increase our knowledge about the Affordable Care Act and how and if, it will change what benefits we can offer our employees. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 3 III. Finance Goals 1. Reductions in services and staff made in 2009, 2010 and 2011, must continue for 2014 in order to preserve current services. We will look for opportunities to reduce staffing costs without further staff layoffs, including, but not limited to filling vacant adult staff positions by contracting with Lynn Hope for staff, not filling a position if we have staff willing to work additional hours, sharing administrative functions with another County Board of DD and purchasing services from MEORC. 2. To continue long term planning to assure the financial health of the Holmes County Board of DD/Holmes. See agency goal #2. 3. To promote the enrollment of adults on Level 1Waivers to generate federal funding in order to preserve the Early Intervention and School programs. 4. To continue to improve how we account for inventory. 5. To evaluate the effect of new state and federal Medicaid rules on the services provided by the Holmes County Board of DD. 6. To make up to $5,000.00 in funds available to individuals to implement their Imagine plans through the use of Level 1 Waivers and Supported Living funds (MEORC). IV. Nursing Services Goals 1. To continue to implement the delegated nursing and medication administration rules. 2. To ensure that students’ and adults’ medical needs are met and that the services provided them will promote good health. a. Identify and monitor acute health needs of our enrollees biannually IEP’s and the beginning of the school year for children and annually for adults (IP). b. Develop care plans for those students with acute health needs. c. Assure that all staff providing services to students with acute medical needs receive training to recognize those acute needs and the appropriate response to those students and adults. 3. Train and monitor independent residential service providers in medication administration as required by rule. 4. Hire and train another LPN or RN nurse substitute. V. Dental Services 1. To expand services based on need/demand and staffing resources. 2. To recruit another dentist, if needed, to support expansion. 3. To monitor the mandate to implement certified electronic health records (EHR) and to evaluate the best way to maintain Medicaid compliance. 4. To continue to meet the goal of break-even operations (self-supporting). VI. Transportation Goals 1. To provide safe and comfortable transportation in a timely manner. a. The purchase one new bus and a new wheelchair van in 2015. b. A part-time mechanic has been hired to help maintain our aging bus fleet. 2. To maintain the current behavioral, supervisory and medical support to students and adults riding our buses and vans. Although we would like to have bus aides on all buses during the school year, this is not financially feasible now or in the near future. 3. To continue to explore opportunities for staff to increase their hours of employment each day if they are willing to drive a van to pick up and take home adult enrollees. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 4 VII. Early Intervention Goals 1. To continue to support therapy services and interventions that encourage and support parent involvement and that improve parents’ abilities to follow through on programs and goals with their children at home (evidence based practices). a. To develop handouts to distributed to families to enhance their learning/interaction with their infants. b. To participate in available training on the evidenced based practices (Transdisciplinary Model) of therapy/service provision. We do not have the therapy resources to have therapists service as the primary service provider/parent coach. c. Incorporate music therapy support into the evidenced based practices of home services to improve outcomes for infants and their families. 2. Early intervention staff will continue to coordinate family programs and work days with the assistance of the parent program coordinator. 3. To promote autism identification in Holmes County through the ADOS project to the medical community, the general public and the Child/Families Health Services Consortium. 4. To promote the Early Intervention Program to the community and provide doctors with annual developmental reports on infant progress. 5. To transfer charts to the Microsoft 360 format. 6. To update the Early Intervention staff policies and handbook in response to state and federal changes in order to ensure families receive quality services. 7. To implement three play activities and developmental screenings in Glenmont in cooperation with Head Start in 2015. 8. To make changes to the HCBDD web-site to promote Early Intervention services and infant developmental milestones. VIII. Preschool and School Goals 1. To work with local school districts and the Tri-County Educational Services Center to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities in Holmes County. a. To maintain preschool transportation, nursing, office space and maintenance support in order to host two special education preschool classrooms at HCTC. b. To offer Physical Therapy services to Tri-County Preschool at no cost to assist them in meeting Preschool therapy needs starting in the 2014-15 school year. Tri-County will seek their own Occupational therapy services, as we reduce our O.T. services to four days/week. c. Although we support evidence based therapy services in Early Intervention, we do not have the resources to implement therapists serving as the primary service providers for EI families. d. Work together with school districts to meet the needs of schoolage children with disabilities in Holmes County by improving vocational/competitive employment training and transition plans / services to meet student needs. Regular meetings with special education coordinators are scheduled to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our services. e. To improve the planning with SSA’s for student/family needs at significant transition times such as: from preschool to school age services and from school to vocational and employment options upon school completion. 2. To seek opportunities to improve our communications with staff, parents and the community. a. To seek news releases published in our local papers. b. Make sure our newsletter is widely dispersed and that it communicates current information about our wide variety of services. c. To work with the volunteer committee to expand opportunities for volunteers and to recruit volunteers for the school. d. To implement activities to promote Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March. e. To operate a booth at the County Fair and the Antique Festival Parade to promote the Training Center and our services. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 5 VIII Preschool and School Goals, continued 3. Improve the skills of our staff in order to provide up-to-date, individualized education services based on ODE standards and student abilities. A. To provide teachers with professional development opportunities to strengthen thematic lesson planning by vertically aligning the K-12 curriculum and vocational transition services/planning. B. To assist teacher assistants to achieve and maintain para- professional status and implement a stipend to support teacher assistants who are certified. C. To increase staff’s knowledge and techniques for teaching individuals on the autism spectrum and other low incidence disabilities through in-service opportunities and the use of OCALI resources. D. To promote greater collaboration between teachers, specialists and assistants in order to improve the services provided to children. E. To purchase additional technology equipment to support teacher planning, IEP documentation and student learning. F. To increase teacher performance levels through the introduction of the Ohio Teacher Evaluation system rubric (OTES). 4. With assistance from local school districts we will assure adequate staffing to meet children’s educational needs. 5. To assure we have and maintain highly qualified teachers. A. To review and revise the LPDC guidelines to assure we meet teacher licensure standards in rule. B. To assure current teachers stay certified/licensed through the LPDC and their IPDP plans. C. To provide financial and educational support to teachers pursuing HQT status for testing students in grades 7-12 by 2018. D. To assure that a teacher, who needs a mentor, has access to a trained mentor. 6. To implement consultative/collaborative models of therapy provision to increase children’s ability to function in all settings. 7. Teachers and Specialist will document IEP data in File Maker Pro to reflect and plan ahead based on the present level of the child’s performance of their goals. 8. To review the wellness/nutrition policy on an annual basis. 9. The playground committee will assess the current outdoor play facility, gather data on how it is used and by whom. The data and information will be used to expand or revise the play ground so all students can safely and efficiently access equipment for leisure play and recreation. The committee will process their findings with the staff for input and feedback before recommendations are made. Partnership with HCAHC will be sought to share costs. A proposal will be submitted to HCAHC in the spring of 2015. IX. Adult Services Goals, Production 1P. 2P. To maintain an enrollee/staff ratio based on acuity ratios of the individuals served To expand Lynn Hope Inc.’s role to include hiring staff to provide job coaching/job development services, work training services and community activities with support from the HCAHC & HCBDD. To explore community satellite workshops/enclaves to expand opportunities for people served. a. To assist and cooperate with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (formerly RSC/BVR) to help adult enrollees pursue competitive employment options. 3P. 4P. 5P. To plan for future growth and improve transition services from school to the adult program for students desiring future enrollment. To continue to grow our relationships with our current customers. To seek new jobs/customers for Lynn Hope that would offer more work opportunities for those with severe disabilities. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 6P. 7P. 6 To encourage adults to enroll on Level 1 waiver to generate funds to support the staff needed to meet acuity ratios and avoid having a waiting list for enrollment at Lynn Hope. To support enrollees to help them become self-advocates. To explore opportunities for self-advocates to receive training, to help train other self-advocates, to provide feedback to the Lynn Hope Board, to the Holmes County Board of DD, legislators and others. a. To support the Lynn Hope Industries employee council to become self-advocates and provide leadership to other employees and the management of adult services. X. 1H. 2H. 3H. Adult Services Goals, Habilitation Develop, communicate and implement a monthly schedule of activities available to enrollees. To encourage adults to enroll on Level 1 waiver to generate funds to support the staff needed to meet acuity ratios and avoid having a waiting list for Habilitation. Maintain transition planning for students graduating into the adult program. XI. Family Support Services Goals An estimated 43 families received Family Support Services (Family Resource Services) in 2014 (43 in 2013). 24 families received respite assistance (23 in 2013) and 30 families received transportation assistance (41 in 2013) from the Parents Association in 2013-14 fiscal year (Holmes County Association for Handicapped Citizens). 38 families have signed up to receive services for 2014-15, as of 11/20/14 (52 in 2013-14). We anticipate 10 additional families requesting services in 2015. Currently, $500.00 in reimbursement is available to each family signed up for services other than respite care and transportation. There is a $1,500.00 limit to respite care reimbursement (with special approval an additional $500.00 is available) through the Parents Association. Additional supports are available under emergency respite services through FSS on a case-by-case basis. Partial transportation reimbursement is available through the Association for trips to and from the Training Center and for 6 medical trips per year. We continue to prioritize limited funding for a broad base of families. 1. To increase the awareness of staff, families and the community of the services and supports available through the F.S.S. Program. 2. To continue to improve our relationship with the Holmes County Association for Handi capped Citizens in order to improve respite support services and transportation support services to enrolled families. a. To explore whether the HCAHC want to authorize the superintendent to approve six additional transportation trips for families beyond the 6 available to them based on need. XII. Service and Support Administration (SSA) Goals 1. To provide SSA services that are consistent and reliable: a. To improve budgetary management of waivers in order to assure additional individuals can have access to waivers. b. To work with MEORC/Region 5/County Collaborative to implement regional eligibility determinations, administration of the TDD Transition Waiver and a more user friendly on-line ISP (Imagine-IS), which includes functional assessment and person centered practices. c. To transition all adult ISP’s to Imagine plans by 12/31/2015. d. To assure SSA lap tops are usable to meet goals. HCTC/HCBDD Draft 2015 Annual Action Plan 7 Service and support goals continued 2. To evaluate new options to assess and improve the quality of services available to individuals with disabilities in Holmes County. a. SSA’s will write Behavior Support Plans for adults and incorporate those into the ISP. b. To continue to offer SELF Waivers to individuals enrolled in those Waivers and to three new individuals in 2015, if the budget allows. 3. To educate individuals and families on services and benefits which are available to them through Medicaid Waivers and other sources. 4. To evaluate SSA staffing needs based on caseloads, newly eligible individuals and the need to provide more continuity to infants leaving E.I. who are still eligible for special education services. XII. Residential Goals 1. To maintain a committee to recommend individuals for residential placement, waiver services and manages the residential waiting list in a fair manner. 2. To continue to evaluate our financial ability to enroll more individuals on the SELF Waivers and I.O. Waivers. Enroll up to 3 new individuals to receive SELF Waiver enrollment and funding . 3. Supported Living funding has been discontinued by DODD and it will be critical to develop a budget for the Board to maintain residential services funded with waivers with local funds. Current Waiver and Supported Living budget is almost $1,000,000.00. XIII. Recommended Housing Goals for Holmes Community Housing 1. To assure the fiscal and managerial integrity of Holmes Community Housing Inc. so that they can continue to meet the housing needs of Holmes County residents with developmental disabilities through quality homes that meet the needs of the individuals renting the homes. a. To continue to apply for RRP/RHAP funds as appropriate. b. To maintain all homes so that they are assets to our community. 2. To develop homes and living options to meet the needs of individuals with dd in Holmes County. a. To plan to build a 4 bedroom, single floor home which is wheelchair accessible. XIV. Technology 1. To develop a website committee to complement the technology committee and to improve our agency website. The I.T. committee meets weekly and deals almost daily with technological assistance, troubleshooting, etc.. Each member of the committee has a full time responsibility and cannot devote much time to the website. The website committee would meet only once or twice monthly but be entirely focused on developing the website. Consider stipends for significant committee participation in IT services. Holmes County Board of DD 8001 TR 574 Holmesville, OH 44633 Phone: 330-674-8045 Fax: 330-674-5182 “W es” sibiliti s o P e r e Inspi Holmes County Training Center’s Mission Statement Our mission as a family oriented program is to maximize potential, develop independence, educate and support all individuals with special needs and their families through a choice of progressive, diverse and personalized programs and services in a safe, secure environment. F. Scott Brace, Superintendent Sheri L. Martin, Asst. Administrator/Adult Services Director Rhoda Mast, Principal HCTC Curtis Goehring, Business Manager Tracy Kolarovsky, Service & Support Administrative Supervisor