Empowers people to live fulfilling lives. Together with Family-Friends-Community

AHRC Nassau COMPASS

July 2019 Semi-Annual Report

Recognized by CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership with Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation | With Distinction Working toward a world of dignity, opportunity and community for all people

We Rallied. We Connected. We Shared at Albany #bFair2DirectCare Rally

Advocates Rally for Direct Support Professional Wages

On February 14, 2019, AHRC Nassau advocates rallied in NYC’s Duffy Square to support living wage legislation for direct support professionals (DSPs). With strong voices, hundreds of advocates let the Governor know how important it is that he fund a living wage for Direct Sup-port Professionals in the 2019 New York State budget.

On March 25, 2019, AHRC Nassau joined nearly 1,000 #bFair2DirectCare advocates in Albany to rally for an in-creased wage for direct support profes-sionals (DSPs). Our combined efforts, and over a year of ongoing advocacy, resulted in a New York State budget allocation of $80 million or a total 4% in-crease with 2% distributions in January 2020 and April 2020.

This budget did not include a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), leaving many advocates disappointed. Advocates pledged to continue their call out for wage increases until wages match the important work DSPs undertake everyday to ensure more than 120,000 people across NYS with de-velopmental disabilities lead safe and fulfilling lives.

The advocacy event was also an opportunity to highlight the strength and unity of the developmental disabilities community’s voice throughout New York State.

Self-advocate, SANYS president and AHRC receptionist, Coleen Mackin, spoke at this milestone rally to a packed room. For her, it was an opportunity to connect on an issue impacting our community every day.

“I took pride and honor in speaking up for people who are not able to speak up for themselves and the ones who could not be there,” said Coleen. “At the rally, I shared how staff is very important for all in our community. We will keep advocating!”

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MISSION STATEMENT

Mission Statement and Management Plan

The staff at Stony Brook Derma-tology was very understanding and helped me. After my ap-pointment, they stayed with me while I waited 3 hours for my cab company from Logisticare to come and pick me up. They even got on the phone with the company and spoke to them which really helped me out when I was panicking about being stranded in Stony Brook which is far from my home.

Stony Brook Dermatology By Michelle Rudoff

Garden City Bowl By Michelle Rudoff

Lou is the Assistant Manager at the Garden City Bowling Alley where I bowl on Wednesday nights. I normally get there early because of Able ride and I normally have money to order cheese fries and so-da. Well, one day in April, I ordered a soda and was going to skip the cheese fries be-cause I only had enough money for a soda. Lou asked me if I was getting cheese fries and I told him how much I had and he told the staff to give me the fries and soda for the money I had. It was really nice of him!

The annual review of the Mission Statement and Management Plan will begin in September 2019 by AHRC Nassau Councils. This is completed each year as part of our COMPASS commitment and execution of the COMPASS Management Plan. After the Councils’ review, the COMPASSS Committee will review the mis-sion statement and COMPASS management plan followed by AHRC Board of Directors’ review. If you have suggestions for changes to the mission statement or manage-ment plan, please contact Colleen Tapia at 516 293-2016 extension 5492 or at ctapia@ahrc.org. Everyone’s input is valuable and welcome.

Guiding Principles

Work together to achieve excellence by promoting

opportunities and supporting dreams.

Demonstrate courtesy, respect and compassion in every

interaction.

Foster a unified culture that celebrates diverse talents, ideas

and potential.

Christine Marra’s Personal Mission

In December of last year, Christine Marra held a sale in Freeport. She sold bracelets that she made herself along with homemade chocolates. The sale was very successful and Christine was able to donate $73 to Shriners Hospital for Children. The hospital was so thankful for the donation that they wrote her a thank you note which Christine proudly displays. In keeping with her desire to help others, Christine held another sale in February. She sold handmade greeting cards along with bracelets and chocolates. She made over $75 which she donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Christine loves to help others and is currently thinking of other ways to raise money to donate to different charities.

Christine Marra

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MISSION STATEMENT & GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN ACTION

On December 18, 2018 advocates from Free-

port PWW headed to Suffolk County Communi-

ty College to demonstrate at the #bfair2DirectCare

Rally. On their way, the van they were travelling

in experienced a tire blow out and the van

pulled to the side of the road. NYS Trooper,

Jennifer Frey, arrived on the scene and provid-

ed reassurance and protection to the men and

women in the van who were startled by the inci-

dent. Trooper Frey did not have to stay on sce-

ne, but she did so until the tire was replaced

and all were ready to once again be on their

way. In April, the men and women made a spe-

cial trip to Brentwood to present Trooper Jen-

nifer Frey with a Community Recognition award

for her service and compassion. Thanks Trooper

Frey and thanks to all law enforcement.

State Trooper Jennifer Frey

One Stop Gift Shop

The One Stop Gift Shop, a store operated by AHRC Nassau that develops the employ-ment skills of volunteers with developmental disabilities, donated proceeds of $2,000 to the Dutch Lane School in Hicksville. Located at 113 Levittown Parkway in Hicksville, the One Stop Gift Shop seeks to strengthen the fabric of the local community by donating proceeds from the sale of seasonal gifts, jewelry, accessories, home décor and art work. The $2,000 donation raised for the Dutch Lane School was supported through the ef-forts of One Stop volunteers Vladimir Noel and Dinora Gomez, who learned retail skills — stocking shelves, working the cash regis-ter and assisting customers. Dinora, in fact, was able to include retail experience on her resume and secured seasonal employment with TJMaxx! “It feels really great to have given back to the community,” said Noel. “I had a lot of fun working at the One Stop Gift Shop and learning new skills, like ringing up customers on the iPad.” For their contribution in raising these funds, Vladimir and Dinora were recognized with certificates of achievement by the Dutch Lane School. “Dutch Lane is so grateful to the One Stop Gift Shop for their generous donation. “The proceeds raised by the hard work of Vladimir and Dinora will be used to purchase character education books teaching very important concepts such as tolerance and compassion,” said Janine Rossi, principal of the Dutch Lane School. Since opening last June, The One Stop Gift Shop has:

Appeared on the cover of Newsday’s LI Life - Sunday, July 15, 2018.

Volunteer intern George Sauer, was highlighted for his work at the store in the Newsday “Day in the Life” segment.

In April 2019, the One Stop Gift Shop was featured on FiOS1 News promoting their special three day Autism Awareness

Quiet Shopping event.

The One Stop Gift Shop appeared on the front page of the Hicksville Illustrated News for Autism Awareness Week.

Community -A donation was made to the Dutch Lane Elementary School Library enabling them to buy books for their Char-

acter Education Program. For more information, please visit www.ahrc.org/giftshop.

Vladimir Noel and Dinora Gomez (center) accept certificates of appreciation from Dutch Lane Elementary for the donation of

$2,000 from AHRC’s One Stop Gift Shop.

Pictured left to right with NY State Trooper Frey, Jean Marie, Derek and Vladimir

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Singing for a Goal

My name is Michelle Rudoff and I am a Q.A. Trainer for AHRC Plainview and I also at-tend the Oceanside Road hub site. One of my hopes and dreams is to one day sing the National anthem at Citi Field. I have been working on this goal by getting singing lessons from Julie Didesideo on the first Friday of every month at my hub site. First we learned the history of the Star Spangled Banner and then we looked up the meaning of some of the words. I understand that this is not going to be an easy goal and it is not going to happen overnight but I know if I keep working on it then one day AHRC will be selling tickets for people to hear me sing in front of millions at Citi Field.

VALIDATION VISIT Validation Visit

The annual COMPASS recertification visit was conducted by OPWDD May 14, 2019 through May 16, 2019. During this week, AHRC Nassau welcomed the NYS Division of Quality Improvement (DQI) and Bureau of Program Certification for the annual COMPASS validation visit. This is an annual recertification review to be sure AHRC Nassau continues to meet all of the NYS COMPASS criteria, as well as the standards set forth in AHRC Nassau’s COMPASS Management Plan.

AHRC Nassau was recertified as a COMPASS Agency. We thank our colleagues from DQI and the Bureau of Certification for their rigorous review and much valued input. Many COMPASS related activities occurred during the week, which highlighted the standard COMPASS activities throughout the year. A sampling of all the COMPASS criterion initiatives was reviewed. A compre-hensive review of the self-survey was completed as well as the OPWDD Person-Centered Review (PCR) protocol. There were no significant findings found. A few recommendations were provided- the creation of a formal maintenance work order policy and procedure; a trend analysis of maintenance work orders; a trend analysis of minor notables investiga-tion completion within the required time frame; and a system to address live in staff parameters espe-cially in relation to incident allegations as well as trending of staff action plans to ensure that training is systemic and to determine if a quality improvement goal is needed for staff consistent implementa-tion of the goals. A quality improvement plan was developed and is underway for improvement in this area. Recommendations were provided and are being addressed. Congratulations to all at AHRC Nassau for their continued commitment to COMPASS philosophy and standards!

Picture

Stephen Smith Conquers Bowling By Michelle Rudoff

Stephen Smith has been bowling for many years at the Garden City bowl-ing alley on Wednesday nights. Ste-phen has been encouraged to try to bowl without the bumpers many times and each time has said no that he couldn’t do it that, he needed the bumpers. Well, that all ended sometime in April (or early May!) when he heard a friend of his telling Heidi that he only uses the bumpers because of Stephen. Then before the next game, Stephen asked another friend Mike to knock down the bumpers. He has not used the bumpers ever since and he even has gotten some strikes and spares bowling without the bumpers. His bowling buddies Mike L., and I cheer him when he gets a strike or a spare. On May 22

nd 2019, Stephen bowled

his highest game without bumpers, a 78. We are all really proud of the ac-complishment that Stephen has achieved this year.

WAY TO GO STEPHEN! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!

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PERSONAL MISSION

I had the pleasure to meet with Marion to conduct her Personal Outcome Measure (POM) interview. Marion had just celebrated her 75

th birthday in April, and as of June 1, she retired

from Sea Cliff Seniors. During her life, Marion has worked in Foodtown, Waldbums, babysat, worked on a newspaper, at the Freeport Workshop and on the Freeport Cleaning Crew. She has volunteered at Glen St. and Sea Cliff Seniors hub site. Marion is a wonderful self-advocate and enjoys her independence. Marion chooses her own doctors and is extremely proud that she voted for the very first time in the November 2018 election. Marion has lived in the Trousdale Apartments for the last 24 years and enjoys walking inde-pendently around her neighborhood and meeting with friends. Her favorite travel spots are Ha-waii, cruising to Bermuda and Florida. Marion loves her home and is very comfortable being alone. She enjoys watching game shows, most especially Password, Match Game and Super-market Sweeps. Her favorite old sit coms are Mash, Hogan’s Heroes, Andy Griffith, Green Acres and Gomer Pyle. The picture of Marion is in her bedroom with her Precious Moments collection. We all wish Marion continued happiness and good health and congratulations on her retirement!

We Still Missing You Poem by Dominick Port Washington

A poem dedicated in memory of Freaky Tah Tupac Biggie Big Pun Big L Aaliyah Left Eye Jam Master Jay inspired by the Jay Z remix of Aaliyah’s Miss You

As a fan of you guys just like Jay we had to come straight from the heart Your passings years later still tear us apart We still feel emotional pain Since y’all passed we still feel drained No one can ever take the place of you guys Anyone that thinks that they can is telling a lie You guys are definite legends Looking down on us from the gates of Heaven There’s no words that can describe the hurt we feel for you guys being gone Even though we know you guys Legacies live on because they’re strong You guys still have heavy rotation on our Apple Music playlists on our phones Cause years later you guys still set the tone You guys still make an Impact on generations of artists Because we Know y’all went the Hardest You’re all still missed by us we still hold you down here on earth Because we definitely Know you guys worth That’s why to this day your passings still hurt Have us feeling like dirt So me writing this is shedding tears for all of us that adored you Years later losing you guys is still hard to get

Personal Outcomes for Marion By Helene Ramer

A New Job! Loriann Iozzia is thrilled to share that she has a new job working at BJ’s Warehouse. Loriann learned about the position from her Employee Training Specialist, Alexis Ambroise. She inter-viewed, was hired and states “I love the job!” Loriann enjoys her time folding clothes and stock-ing shelves at BJ’s. She hopes to continue to increase her hours at work.

Loriann also joined the new Workforce/Freeport COMPASS Council as its co-president and has been participating at the agency COMPASS Committee meetings. She is excited to be participat-ing at this level and looks forward to supporting the education and advocacy efforts of her peers. Congratulations Loriann on fulfilling your dreams!

Loriann Iozzia and Alexis Ambroise

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Meetings were held monthly, except for December and a summer break, consistent with the Management Plan.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The annual Physical Plant Inspections (PPI) meeting was held in April 2019. Karen Hirschfeld, COMPASS Director, acknowl-edged the Board inspectors for their diligence and commitment to the COMPASS physical plant inspection process. The thor-oughness of the inspections continues to ensure that people live and work in lovely, enjoyable and safe environments. The physical plant inspection process remains an integral compo-nent of our success as a COMPASS agency. Seventy three (73) physical plant inspections were completed since January 2019. A total of 57 new work orders were gener-ated. There were 4 hazardous citations. There were 5 physical plant deficiencies that remained open after 60 days.

Thank you to Susan Dowling, RA who coordinates and over-sees this process.

Annual Councils’ Presentation to the Board of Directors

Physical Plant Inspections

Members of the Board of Directors along with management staff during the annual physical plant inspection meeting. Pictured from L to R: Susan

Broderick, Deanna Allen, Dian Burkett, Tom Moore, Martha Carney, Chris Williams, Harriet Traversa, Shaun Weathers and Jack Garofalo.

On May 20, 2019 Edward Richardson, President of the Day Hab Council South, and a member of the Executive Council, shared the Councils’ accomplishments with AHRC Nassau’s Board of Directors. The accomplish-ments were highlighted on a summary sheet and in a video which showed pictures of advocates carrying out these accomplishments. This annual presentation provides a vital link between the Board of Directors and the Councils, enabling the Board of Directors to learn of the Councils’ endeavors and share in their goals.

Stanfort Perry, Executive Director and Edward Richardson above

Award Winning Councils!_Small.mp4On-line viewers can click on the box to the left to view the video.

Self-Advocate and Board Member

Hi my name is Jessica Campbell. I have served on the AHRC Board of Directors for almost four years. I have made contributions from talking to people on the Board about Self-Direction and Managed Care to reviewing new and upcoming activities that NYS is planning for people with disabilities. I have also been involved with Stra-tegic Planning at AHRC and gone on Board retreats where I leaned about working with others and creating new ideas. I also talk to the agency about Supported Decision Making (a new initiative) and how it help people make their own decisions for their life. I have learned about how the agency handles money which is extremely im-portant.

I also encouraged the Board’s continued work on the most recent endeavor, Wheatley Farms in Brookville, where people with dis-abilities can do various work and fundraising along with helping their community. Some activities suggested include gardening, working with animals, learning yoga and crafts to share with the community. I hope to continue to work with AHRC more in the future on such leadership work.

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SIBLING BBQ Party

On June 13, 2019 over 100 people gathered for the annual sibling BBQ in Brookville. The Sibling Group meets three to four times a year. Paul Giordano, AHRC President and founder of the group, encouraged all in attendance to remain involved. As parents age, the role and responsibilities of siblings-supporting-siblings usually increases and they become one of the strongest natural supports for their brother or sister. Siblings also provide long lasting, positive and loving relationships. AHRC Nassau strongly encourages this natural support and enjoys working with so many engaged siblings.

2019 SIBLING GROUP

Please Join Us!

September 5, 2019: Meeting-6:30-8:30pm Plainview

December 5, 2019: Holiday Party 6:00pm—8:00pm Brookville

For more information, please call (516) 293-1111 extension 5492

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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AHRC Nassau - Councils

Executive Council Met Monthly (except summer break and November)

Freeport Workforce Council Met Monthly (except summer break)

On 5/16/2019, the Empowerment Showcase was held on the production floor in Freeport. The Council jointly met with members of day services to ensure Freeport was well represented and people had the opportunity to showcase their talents. The Empow-erment Showcase set out to demonstrate, using the COMPASS model, a display of talent while steadily implementing quality supports and services combined with requirements and colorful activities. This showcase was an opportunity for people who at-tend all Prevocational and Day Services located at AHRC’s Freeport location to share talents with their peers. People volun-teered to demonstrate their personal talents, such as dancing, singing, art, event planning, stage setups etc. They collaborated together which resulted in a successful Empowerment Showcase. The process assisted volunteers to identify, prioritize, and measure talents. A winning combination with people’s desired goals and outcomes. All who participated look forward to the next Empowerment Showcase which has ignited others to come forward to already commit to next year’s event.

For the last few months, the Council has been engaged in plans for the annual BBQ. The date for the summer BBQ is August 9, 2019. During meetings, the Council has discussed its desire to have something fun to look forward to mid-summer as well as the preference to have an indoor BBQ party. There will be entertainment (i.e. games, winning prizes, music) in the cafeteria.

● Food: the Council has discussed a variety of healthy foods and desserts.

A pancake fundraiser was held in January to raise

funds for the SANYS statewide conference.

Three members of the Executive Council partici-

pated in SDMNY (Supported Decision Making New York) and became facilitators.

Two Decision Maker trainings were

completed for people that would like to explore a Decision Making Agree-ment.

Stanfort Perry, Executive Director

attended the February Council meet-ing to discuss the budget, and staffing amongst other items.

Anne Miller attended the April Council

meeting to discuss incident trends.

Freeport Council Empowerment Showcase Below are pictures from the Empowerment Showcase at Freeport on May 16, 2019. At the event people showcased their talents by singing, dancing, and posting art work in the showcases exhibit section.

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Residential Council Met Monthly (except summer break)

It was a fun and festive evening on June 10, 2019 when the Resi-dential Council members were honored by Executive Staff and members of the AHRC Nassau Board of Directors at their annual dinner. A video of this past year’s accomplishments and activities was shown. Executive Director, Stanfort Perry, praised the Coun-cil on its accomplishments and amazing advocacy.

Ilene Rothlein began her journey with AHRC Nassau at her house on Bourne Court in Wantagh. From day one she was a staunch advocate for herself and always let her family, friends and staff know that she planned on moving into an apartment in the very near fu-ture. Ilene saw the window of opportunity and quickly made friends with some of the ladies that were residing in the Wantagh Co-Op's. She spent her weekends shopping with the ladies, she traveled on outings and vacations with them and in no time whatsoever she proved to everyone that she was absolutely capable of living a more independent lifestyle.

Ilene is quite vocal about issues that she sees/feels could use an adjustment or improve-ment. She will speak up without coaxing from others or friends if she believes there is an injustice, or if a rule should be modified in order to allow for more independence. Ilene has been an active member of the Residential Self Advocacy Council for well over fifteen years and this year she was elected by her peers to serve as the Council Secretary. At home, Ilene generally chairs her site COMPASS meetings and is the chosen spokesperson for her friends during their meetings.

Ilene regularly attends the Long Island SANYS Regional Conference and makes it a point to attend the State Conference every other year. She attends rallies and has voiced a strong desire to speak directly with the Governor in a private meeting so that he could fully comprehend the negative impact the continual budget cuts are forcing upon people with disabilities and the staff who support them. Ilene embodies Self Direction, Self Determination and Advocacy for All!

AHRC Residential Council accomplishments for 2018 – 2019

A June Movie Night fundraiser raised enough money for two Council members to attend the SANYS State Conference

A “Caught in the Act” dinner was held to honor 14 staff. The 14 staff were awarded by Council members for going above and beyond in their jobs.

On October 2018 a Halloween Movie Night fund raiser was held, raising $1000 for “True Thabo.” This provided 2 wells for fresh water for a school in Africa.

On February 2019 a Movie Night Fund Raiser raised $300 which went to “Pink Arrow” for Breast Cancer Awareness and Re-search, a project that Chase Koelling’s archery club supports

In April 2019 Cantor’s Chanters performed at AHRC’s Freedom Seder. They have being doing this for 12 years!!!

The Council enjoyed the following Empowerment Trainings this year: Resolving Conflicts, Fire Safety, Being Your Own Rep Payee, Staying Healthy in Flu Season, Supported Decision Making (by LI SANYS), T.H.I.N.K - Anti Bullying, How to Voice a Complaint

New Board members were elected for 2019-2020 and are as follows: President/Linda Callison, Vice President/Cathy Loquer-cio, Secretary/Ilene Rothlein and Treasurer/Robyn McKenzie. Congratulations!

Residential Council Honorary Dinner

Residential Council Self Advocate of the Year Award!

Ilene Rothlein, center, with Barbara Bodner and Stanfort Perry

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Advocacy and Councils

Community Hub Site Council—Met Monthly (except summer break)

The Community Hub Site Council began the year with newly elected officers. Representing the North Council is President

Noah Ackereizen, Vice President Jennifer Alford and Secretary Eileen Erb. Representing the South Council is President Edward Richardson, Vice President Michael Costa and Secretary Patty Fran.

While discussing financial independence, the amount of money allotted for clothing allowance for people in the residential

program was discussed. For at least the last twenty years, $125 has been allocated twice a year to purchase clothing. Council members agreed that the price of clothing has risen quite a bit over the years and feel that their clothing allowance should reflect these increases. The Council has been working on advocating for an increase to help offset the rising cost of clothing. The Committee met on March 20th to formulate a plan of action. They called Assemblyman Crouch’s office to ask about the bill that he sponsored requesting an increase in Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) funding. His spokesperson said that the bill from 2016 has been referred to the Social Security Committee and has not yet been placed on the agen-da. The committee is still working on it and plans to contact the other 6 co-sponsors to check its status. They would also like to set up a meeting with Assembly member Edward Ra, who is a co-sponsor of the bill, to discuss next steps.

Once again Council members from the Massapequa Clocks and the Massapequa Broadway hub sites were invited to host

the LIATA (Long Island Art Teachers Association) Art Exhibit at the Westfield Sunrise Mall in Massapequa. The exhibit ran from March 11th through April 12th.

To honor April’s Autism Awareness month, the One Stop Gift Shop held quiet shopping days in the store as people with

autism sometimes struggle with loud noise and crowded places. The store dimmed the lights and turned off the music on April 11, 12, and 13 to bring awareness and to ensure a more friendly environment for shoppers.

To support #bFair2DirectCare, the Councils traveled to Albany where people from all over New York pleaded with Gover-

nor Cuomo to put money in the budget to support salary increases for the DSPs. Over 1000 people were in attendance. AHRC Nassau sent a charter bus filled with program participants, Board members and staff. Council members brought handmade signs and lots of enthusiasm to the State Capitol.

The Oceanside Mott hub site sponsored Operation Gratitude, a fundraising event to support people in the military by mak-

ing Care Packages.

At the COMPASS Validation Visit, Council President Ed Richardson hosted a game called “Name That Right” in Brookville.

The committee that is working on CQL Priority Indicator 3A came up with a questionnaire that would help program partici-

pants indicate what their interests are and how staff can better support them in doing things that they are interested in. The CHS Council members were asked to review the interest survey. A vote was taken and survey questions were approved unanimously.

Day Council Self Advocate of the Year Award!

At the Day Council celebration, the Self-Advocacy Award was presented to Vladimir Noel for his commitment and efforts to promote self-advocacy for himself and others.

Over the course of the past year, Vladimir has become both a stronger self-advocate and advocate for his peers. He speaks up for himself and supports others in their desire to be heard. His growing confidence has led to his becoming more socially active and developing new relationships, having a positive effect on his life Vladimir has attended many Executive Council meetings and is the substitute repre-sentative for HS 7 in the Day Hab Council. Vladimir has participated in call-a-thons where he has spoken to legislators about supporting raises for DSPs. He has trav-elled to Albany for the bFair2Direct Care rallies and most recently went to Times Square to rally for the same cause. Vladimir has attended many of the SANYS re-gional meetings and has gone to the SANYS LI Conference. For six months, Vladi-mir volunteered at the One Stop Gift Shop where he refined his organizational and computer skills. He is currently seeking competitive employment with the help of the supported employment department. Vladimir’s continual questioning of the status quo serves as a good example for others. Vladimir will continue to question things that he perceives as wrong and work for positive change. Congratulations Vladimir!

Vladimir Noel, center, with Coleen Mackin and Stanfort Perry

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On May 28, 2019 Day Council members were honored by Executive Staff and members of AHRC Nassau Board of Directors at their annual luncheon. A video of accomplishments and activities this past year was shown and Executive Director Stanfort Perry praised the Council on their accomplishments and outstanding advocacy. Board member Tom Moore also presented new Rights Ambassadors with pins in recognition of their outstanding support, assistance and teaching of others about their rights.

AHRC Nassau COUNCILS

Day Council Honorary Luncheon

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EMPOWERMENT

Supported Decision Making,also known as SDM, came about in large part be-cause of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD). This treaty was adopted by the UN in 2006, and has since been ratified by 177 (of 192) countries in the world (but not the US). The CRPD includes a specific article calling for support and equal recognition under law for people with disabilities who

may need help in making decisions, rather than guardianship. SDM has now been introduced in domestic laws in several countries. On April 9, 2019, John Martinis provided four seminars for all stakeholders. Some highlights are as follows:

In your life, who do you ask for advice? On relationships? Your finances? If you’re unable or wouldn’t want to make these deci-sions independently, does that mean you can’t make choices about work, travel or other areas of your life? Jonathan Martinis, Esq., Senior Director for law and policy, at Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, raised these questions to attendees of AHRC Nassau’s Supported Decision Making workshops on April 9, 2019.

During this workshop, Mr. Martinis sought to shift perceptions on guardianship and a “one-size-fits-all approach.” In his opinion, the question becomes, if typical people are reliant on others and have dignity of risk, why is the expectation different for people with disabilities who may be able to manage most or many areas of their lives and need some support for others? To see a fuller explanation and case study, check out Martinis’ blog post, “From Justice for Jenny to Justice for All: Everyone Has the Right to Make Choices.”

The Ivy Ferdinand Memorial Scholarship Winner

The Ivy Ferdinand Memorial Scholarship was established in July of 2013 in honor of Ivy’s memory and self-advocacy legacy. Ivy placed a strong emphasis on self-advocacy and dedicated her life to speaking out and advocating for others.

This scholarship enables a person to attend the SANYS Statewide Self-Advocacy conference in Albany and is intended for a person to learn how to begin his/her own self-advocacy journey.

Elise Olsen is this year’s scholarship recipient. She has been anx-ious to learn more about self-advocacy ever since she started at-tending the PWW program in Freeport. She has attended the Rights Rallies, Executive Council meetings, SANYS meetings in Plainview. Elise was recently elected to the positon of hub site rep-resentative for the Day Hab Council. She has gone to Albany twice, rallying for money to be put in the budget to support salary increase for DSPs. She has attended the LI SANYS Conference in Melville and has become a member of Free To Be. She also asks many questions at meetings and is able to answer questions inde-pendently. Elise has also encouraged others to speak up for them-selves and has spoken at Adelphi teaching students about her life experiences. Attending the SANYS statewide conference in Albany will be a dream come true for Elise. Not only will it give her the opportunity to meet with other self-advocates, but it will give her the chance to share her experiences with others. This will be the first time Elise has ever slept away from home as an adult so this is a huge mile-stone for her becoming more independent.

Elise Olsen center, with Michelle Rudoff QA Trainer & Stanfort Perry, Executive Director

Supported Decision Making Seminar Shows Power of Choices

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EMPOWERMENT

Supported Decision Making - It is the Future

Making supported decision-making (SDM) a viable alternative to guardianship in New York requires a number of steps.

First, stakeholders (persons with I/DD, parents and family mem-bers, providers, the educational system, judges, lawyers, and the court system, healthcare providers and financial institutions) need to be educated about supported decision-making, how it differs from guardianship, how it enhances self-determination and inclusion and, perhaps most critically, that it actually works in practice. That is why AHRC Nassau has taken steps to be part of the NYS Project for Supported Decision Making. Being a part of this will result in more people successfully voicing their wishes and making their own decisions with supports.

Second, governmental agencies with which people and their families interact (like OPWDD, Department of Health) need to agree to accept Supported Decision Making alternatives (SDMAs) to work with designated supporters.

Third, courts and attorneys should recognize supported decision-making as a constitutional-ly required “less restrictive alternative” to guardianship, as well as a basis for restoring rights to persons currently subject to guardianship.

Fourth, educational institutions, especially those in special education, should incorporate supported decision-making in transition planning, and should include the teaching of decision-making skills throughout the curriculum from pre-K to graduation from high school.

Fifth, legislation, like that already passed in Texas, is needed so that private third parties like healthcare providers, financial institutions, landlords, etc. can accept SDMAs without fear of potential liability; they would be required to do so as a matter of law.

AHRC Nassau has hosted a facilitator training for Supported Decision Making, three separate trainings for future decision makers and guardianship restoration training. One person has successfully averted guardianship and is in the process of entering into a Supported Decision Making agreement with the love and support of his family. More to follow…..

Decision Makers Training

Rights Restoration Training

Decision Makers Training

Facilitator Training

Try and Try Again By Joyce Guarneiri

Eddie Richardson has been employed many times and has always enjoyed working - but unfor-tunately the jobs and Eddie were not a good match. Like many of his peers, Eddie began his working career at the Freeport Vocational Training Center. In the past he has been employed by Genovese Drug stores, (which was bought out by Ekerts Drug), while at the same time, working for Waldbaums - no issues with his work ethic! After these jobs ended, he joined the Freeport Day Habilitation program. He has been happy here volunteering for a variety of places like Meals on Wheels and shopping for seniors. He is actively involved and enjoys being a member of the advocacy council. But Eddie never lost his desire to work and his support staff is working hard to help him obtain a paying job. Eddie has most recently applied to Target as a greeter, the Atrium and Bristol (assisted living facilities) as a server, Applebee’s, Dave and Busters. He most recently attend-ed a job fair at The Viscardi Center. As you can see, Eddie is very persistent and enthusiastic. He wants to have a job and earn a paycheck. Eddie told his job coach that he has volunteered and helped people for so long that he now feels it is time for him to earn some money for all his efforts. So while he continues to look for employment, Eddie is learning switchboard operator skills at the Freeport center. Learning the responsibilities of the reception desk is no small feat. In addition to answering the phones and transferring calls, he accepts mail deliveries, buzzes visitors into the building, contacts the departments to accept the visitors and assists with the process of signing in visitors, including name badges. In order to be better prepared for the job, Eddie took the extension list home to memorize the numbers so he could work as fast as the other switch board operators. He is very excited and happy to be learning new skills. Here’s wishing Eddie the best as he takes steps in becoming employed in the community. Good Luck Eddie!

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EMPOWERMENT

Celebrating Women

The 2019 Women’s Health Fair: Passport to Your Best Life Tables? Check! Registration set with lists, passports and good-ie bags? Check! “Never Give Up” bracelets ready? Check! Staff from across the agency excited to make magic happen? Check, Check!!! At 5 PM on June 5, after many months of planning, hundreds of details attended to, great give-away items secured and agency staff banding together to make each of 14 tables that comprised the 2019 Women’s Health Fair: Passport to Your

Best Life rich with opportunities to interact and learn, the event set sail.

Hundreds of women from both AHRC Nassau and Citizens Op-tions Unlimited and their staff entered the ballroom and dining room in Brookville and found opportunities to explore a range of women’s health issues including breast health, gyn care, dental health, sleep hygiene, hand and nail care, feelings and emotions, relaxation and stress reduction, fitness and dance, self-advocacy, fashion, managing one’s overall health care needs, nutrition and skin and hair care. At each table, guests presented their very own passport which was stamped with a colorful inspirational saying or design, creating a keepsake of their experience for each woman.

Staff facilitating the tables represented departments from across the agency: nursing, nutrition, psychology, advocacy, Advantage Care, Partners Health Plan, CommUnity Sports and Recreation and both AHRC and Citizens residential services. “Tour guides” for the attendees included clinical staff from both AHRC and Citi-zens. Other staff “manned” the elevator, registered guests, took photographs, directed traffic in the parking lots, worked the door prize table and provided general support that created a flawless event. Giveaways on tables included mood pencils, personal care prod-ucts, lavender infused sachets, water bottles, puzzles and cross-word pages related to health and well-being, decorative hair clips and bands, tooth and mouth care products, sleep masks, pens and eco-friendly, reusable bags. Guests at the fashion table adorned themselves in hats, scarves and other bits of “finery” and then posed for an instant camera shot of themselves and their friends. Many companies and local businesses contributed items for the event and they were very much appreciated by the guests. The Health Fair was held during Women’s Health Week and coin-

cided with the agency’s annual COMPASS visit. Two representa-

tives from the COMPASS visitation visit team joined the festivities,

speaking with attendees and with the staff facilitating tables. The

feedback after the event was exceptionally positive and is a credit

to the efforts of all the staff who made this magical evening a reali-

ty.

Women’s Health Fair “Passport To Your Best Life”

Women's Health Fair By Pam Boyle

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VALUED OUTCOMES

AHRC Nassau and Citizens are pleased to announce

“A Peer to Peer” Bereavement Group

We are extending an invitation to parents, guardians and adult siblings who have experienced the loss of a loved one with a developmental disability and would welcome a place to speak and to listen to others share their loss, and feel the comfort of others going through a similar experience. Leslie Isabelle Levine, a parent who recently suffered the loss of her son, Tonico, a longtime resi-dent of AHRC Nassau and Citizens, will lead this group. It is important to feel you are not alone and there are people that really understand what it is to grieve. Come share your experience, hope and strength. Space is limited. To reserve a seat or for more information contact Colleen Tapia at (516) 293-2016 ext. 5492

A voter registration drive was hosted during National Disability Vot-er Registration Week on July 17, 2019 at Clocks Blvd. The event was done in collaboration with Zach Borodkin a voting access advocate at Disability Rights New York (DRNY). Zach’s role in this capacity is to educate individuals with disabilities about their rights as voters, as well as ensure the voting process is ac-cessible. In honor of National Disability Voter Registration Week, Zach’s office has organized voter education/registration drives in collabo-ration with independent living centers and ARCs throughout the State. With new vot-ing reforms recently passed in NYS, it is more important than ever to make sure vot-ers, especially those with disabilities, know their voting rights. Zach provided training, education/registration materials, promotional materials, and on-site help at the registration drive.

Thanks Zach!

Voter Registration Drive and Training

Personal Outcome Measures Update By Nicholas Scolaro

Through June 27, 2019, 154 interviews have been conducted (compared to 477 total for 2018). When comparing 2018 POM data to 2019 POM data the following has been noted: An increase in outcomes/per person from 13.16 to 14.50. An increase in supports/per person from 16.38 to 18.23. Increase in the following outcomes (+5%): intimate relationships, rights, fair treatment, live, work, environments, social

roles, choose personal goals, participate in community, friends, respect. Decrease in the following outcomes (-5%): health, choose services. Increase in the following supports (+5%): natural supports, intimate relationships, safe, health, rights, fair treatment,

live, work, environments, interaction, social roles, choose personal goals, realize personal goals, participate in commu-nity, friends, respect.

Decrease in the following supports (-5%): continuity and security. Overall, changes in present outcomes and supports continue to be attributed in part to increasing education, awareness and advancement of Personal Outcomes for the people we support as well as agency staff. Variations are sometimes relat-ed to previous achievement in personal outcomes. As such, the people supported are now developing new personal out-comes requiring new supports to achieve these goals. Changes can also be attributed to the agency's initiatives and action plans that have been developed and implemented based on data collected throughout 2014 – 2018. Data continues to be utilized in effort to make further improvements, particularly in areas of weakness.

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On May 15, we held the POM Rally in the Freeport Vocational Training Center. It was attended by over 60 people, primarily those who work and volunteer through the Freeport Center. Activities included a Wheel of Rights, Dream Board, carica-tures and our newest table called “Ask Helene,” where people inquired about various subjects, such as, “How can I live more independently,” “How can I live in an apartment,” “How can I get my own room,” and mostly, “How can I get a job?” Helene did a fantastic job of steering people in the right direction of who to speak to about their concerns and gave advice on some basic questions to ask.

Some of the dreams people are hoping to fulfil someday were: to be a positive role model, to go to col-lege, to be successful, to plant flowers, to inspire others, to get a job, to retire, to go back to school, to be a makeup artist, to be rich and free, to have a boyfriend, to be President of the Council, to drive a train, to play baseball and many more. The list was really quite inspiring.

We had several volunteers to assist with the rally and we would like to thank them all. Maryanne and Clarence were busy the entire time making wonderful drawings of anyone that sat for their caricatures. Amanda helped rally participants to sign in and Dinora helped with the dream board by assisting those who needed help writing their dreams.

There were many great giveaways like pencils, bracelets and lollipops.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and looks forward to their next POM interview. We hope we inspired everyone to dream big.

One Stop Gift Shop

Personal Outcome Measures (POM) Rally By Joyce Guarneiri & Helene Ramer

Last summer, an unassuming space in the strip mall along Levittown Parkway in Hicksville took on a new name, One Stop Gift Shop. The June 26 grand opening saw a large crowd of community members who had come out to support the latest effort by AHRC Nassau to help provide retail experience to those with disabilities. Now, nine months later, One Stop Gift Shop is currently hosting its second round of apprentices, giving them an opportunity to work and grow in a professional environment as they gain experience stocking, selling and handling products, developing cus-tomer service skills and handling money transactions. Claire Himmelmann likes the socks the best, especially the pair with dogs on it. Other current participants include Frank Lopez, Patty Fran, and Kenneth Bicking. Fran, who started apprenticing in February, commented that she’s gotten better at handling money and has improved her customer service skills. She hopes that by the end of her experience, she will be more confident in speaking to people. Kenneth has similar goals. Since starting in January, he explained, he’s learned how to add up money and how to treat customers with kindness. Once Claire completes her apprenticeship, she hopes to obtain a job working with dogs. In fact, she enjoys dogs so much that she pointed out her favorite product in the store—a pair of socks with dogs on them. "I want to get experience and then learn how to be in the community on my own,” She said. “I like working here, I learn a lot.” The eclectic shop sells everything from wallets, handbags and homemade dog biscuits to baseball caps, jewelry and custom letters and shapes made from corks. No two items are alike, and every shopper is guaranteed to find an affordable gift to take home. AHRC, a nonprofit organization that provides supports and services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, established One Stop Gift Shop as one of the company’s day programs to employ those with disabilities. The ultimate goal of One Stop Gift Shop is to enable participants to build a resume so they can one day find and independently work a job outside of the program. After its last group of participants finished their six-month apprenticeship, one woman was able to secure a job at a national chain retail store in a local mall.

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Saying Good Bye

On January 9th AHRC Nassau wished Kathryn Jussen, an Assistant Director for the apartment pro-gram, the very best in her retirement. Markiah Addison, who had developed a very special relation-ship with Kathryn, wanted to be sure her party would be a day to remember. She took the lead and went above and beyond to ensure no stone was left unturned. She supported her friends Glenn Carbaugh and Jonathan Biasi to be involved in the process and to assist with the decorations and music for the party. They both did an incredible job. She planned out each and every detail of the party from invites to desserts. She even went as far as to personally make the cake pops for the dessert table. Markiah did an amazing job as she truly wanted Kathryn to know how much she meant, not only to her, but also to the program. Great Job Markiah!

Mural a Beautiful Addition

Murals are a way to use flat surfaces and create an opening to a beautiful new world. With the help of our intern from SUNY Old Westbury, Ashley Gladkowski, Free-port’s Program Without Walls hubsite brainstormed to discover what everyone would like the blank wall to become. The site as a whole decided on a beach and forest theme; this way we had the best of both worlds.

We then ordered the necessary supplies in order to begin our mural such as washable paint, student grade brushes, pal-ette paper, and wash cloths. After tracing with pencil, every-one chose a portion of the mural that they would like to work on. The ocean water, palm trees, animals, and sea creatures were the favorites. While we painted we were able to work on eye-hand coordination and patience so that the paint remained in the lines of the section being paint-ed. Vladimir chose to help paint the trees and said “I enjoyed painting the trees because one of my favorite colors is green.” Michael L. chose to paint the beach saying “I like the beach life and walking on the beach with my girlfriend.” No matter the skill set, everyone was able to participate in creating this beautiful masterpiece.

Kenneth Bicking

Jean Marie Rogers and Lori Staton, DSP

Jeanmarie Rogers, Ashley Gladkowski (Suny Old Westbury

intern), and David Greene

Community

No Long Islander should go hungry! For the Mercy Inn Soup Kitchen of Wyandanch, AHRC Nassau volunteers spent the day picking up food donations from 7-11 and ShopRite of West Babylon, before making heartfelt deliver-ies to the soup kitchen. A shout out to the volunteer crew, Liz Napili-tano, Kenny Cruz, Marie Toner, Brian Allen, Verlaine Frey and Daniel Pinto, along with sup-porting staff Vicky Gibson and Christine Fabi-ano.

VALUED OUTCOMES

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VALUED OUTCOMES

Health Fairs Two health care events were held on April 3 and April 4th at Plainview to help people learn how their bod-ies work, and the best way they can take care of them. These events were hosted by the Adelphi Nursing Students to thank all for the warm welcome they received, as well as the learning they experienced while visiting AHRC Nassau locations for clinical rotations.

The theme was “Being Well Rounded” with a focus on stress management, heart health, stretching and daily healthy habits. The fairs were very popular and educational. Thank you to the Adelphi students for these wonderful fun, opportunities.

Adelphi Nursing Students shown above

On June 5, 2019, AHRC Nassau hosted a groundbreaking conference entitled “PrideAbility: Living Your Best Life”. A collaboration between AHRC Nassau, FREE, East End Disabilities, People, Inc., NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council and PrideAbility, the conference opened with a welcome by Stanfort Perry, Executive Director, AHRC Nassau. He spoke about the importance of supporting diverse communities and that all people, people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQA+, deserve respect and to be treated with fairness in all aspects of life. After a pride-filled introduction by her sister, Janine, a woman supported by Citizens Options Unlimited, Brooke Guinan, a transgender NYC firefighter and human rights advocate, offered the keynote address. Brooke spoke about the challenge of find-ing one’s identity as a person who identifies as LGBTQA+ in a world that too often tries to box people in, label them and disre-gard them as human beings worthy of care and respect. She encouraged the audience members, making several important sug-gestions: refuse to be categorized, resist labels, find support, help others, feel pride and take your journey toward self-discovery one day at a time. Richard Banner, Director of Advocacy and Person Centered Services at People Inc., in Buffalo, NY and a conference planning committee member, led the morning workshop. He focused on using support systems and community and people resources to develop a personal action plan. Such a plan would clearly identify goals and be helpful with taking step-wise action toward suc-cessfully “living one’s best life.” After a delicious lunch provided by AHRC Nassau’s Café 230 catering service, attendees worked in small groups to develop their own personal action plan, which would become a guide for taking positive steps forward when they return to their home/ commu-nity. Closing remarks were provided by Claire Miller, PrideAbility Coordinator in NYS, FREE staff member and planning committee member. On behalf of the NYSDDPC, Jackie Hayes, Diversity and Inclusion Program Specialist, spoke of the Council’s current initiatives and its commitment to supporting people with I/DD and who identify as LGBTQIA. She asked attendees to complete a survey about their conference experience to facilitate future planning. The DDPC’s support of this remarkable conference was very much appreciated. Matthew Kuriloff, an administrator at East End Disabilities and a conference planning committee member, provided support to a young woman who identifies as transgender and lives on Eastern Long Island. About her experience at the conference, this at-tendee told Matthew, “It was transformative.”

AHRC Nassau Hosts First Long Island Conference

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Family and House Meetings

On June 22, 2019 the Washington Street IRA invited staff, family and friends to the fist BBQ of the season. What a great time was had by all. There was dancing, socializing, recognition of staff and most important food! This is also a wonderful opportunity for families to get to know the staff and vice versa. Plans for the summer are discussed as well as any

upcoming changes and the great things that are happening everyday for people. Everyone looks forward to the next get together.

Individual Questionnaire Results 2018

AHRC Nassau provided people who receive services and supports with a questionnaire to obtain their individual feedback re-garding each program. An agency wide trend is noted if more than ten percent of those surveyed identified a concern to a partic-ular question. Advocates assisted people who requested or required help completing the questionnaire. No agency wide trends were identified. The results across programs were excellent. Program responses were assessed and individual program reports were generated and are attached. The individual programs made personal contact for comments that required follow-up and/or resolution. Please refer to individual program reports. The Residential and Day Programs conducted a site by site analysis. No trends were noted. The following programs completed individual questionnaires:

Community Living Services Community Hub Site Program (includes Freeport Seniors and Freeport Day Hab) Freeport Supported Employment (On and Off Site) Freeport Pre-vocational

1.7 0.25 6.6

98.3 99.895 93.4

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

CLS Comm. Hub Site Freeport Site Based Pre-Voc Freeport SEMP

AHRC NASSAU 2018 OVERALL AVERAGE SCORES PER PROGRAMNegative Responses

Positive Responses

VALUED OUTCOMES

NYC Disability Pride Parade

AHRC Nassau was proudly represented at the recent Disability Pride Parade in NYC on Sunday July 14, 2019. With banners and heads held high, we joined in celebrating what makes everyone unique—as a way to bring everyone closer together and create awareness about the issues impacting people with all abilities.

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VALUED OUTCOMES

Workforce Development by Jason Persan

Privacy Survey Results

Leigh Fanuzzi attended the Freeport Council meeting to discuss interpersonal skills and job interviews. They reviewed what interpersonal skills are and talked about always looking their best when they went out to show a good first impression. They also discussed what was needed to accomplish this and several people said washing hair, taking showers, wearing clean clothing, etc. Always making eye contact when talking to people is important. Everyone agreed that they liked it better when people looked at them when they were talking. Interviewing for a job requires showing up on time. Being prepared for the interview is important. Some people make notes so they will not forget what to say. Asking questions about the position that you are applying for shows the employer that you are interested in the job. For some people it takes a while to develop interpersonal skills. Practicing with a trusted friend or family member is a good way to do this. Most importantly, keep off phones when you are around people. In May, Leigh attended the Executive Council and reviewed CPR and choking prevention. Everyone benefitted greatly from this training.

Thank you to everyone who participated in previous offerings of our “Project You” Wellness Program. This healthy initiative con-tinues to receive a great deal of interest since program inception with 2018 participation levels higher than ever. We are happy to let you know that our 2019 program is ready to begin. Once again this year, the “Project You” program will provide all employees the opportunity to participate in wellness activit ies at no cost. The program remains voluntary and the level at which you participate is completely up to you. For 2019 the program was updated to allow the user greater flexibility with regard to participation and options to earn credit. The 2019 program will run through December 31. All employees are welcome to participate in all program options with employ-ees working in a full time capacity being eligible for financial reimbursement. The incentive award for meeting the minimum num-ber of program requirements identified before the program deadline will be $125. There are also program options summarized on the portal that can offer larger incentives up to $175. For those who are eligible to receive an incentive, it will be paid to you in February of 2020 during the first pay period. The wellness portal will provide users with full access to the program. It is available 24 hours per day to enable users to enroll and/or participate in wellness opportunities at their convenience. To access the portal please log onto https://ahrc.welldirections.com. Employees who have previously created an account can log in using their current username and pass-word. If you do not recall your password, please use the "forgot password" function. New users will need to register for the portal

and will be asked to enter our Company Code, which is Wellness2019.

For 2018-2019 the Privacy Survey was completed electronically. 198 people completed the survey. At the time of the survey the AHRC CLS (Residential) program had a total of 165 double bedrooms providing bedrooms for 330 people. There are a total of 293 single bedrooms. Two single bedrooms were created since last surveyed. The privacy survey asks people if they desire any type of privacy enhancement.

4% of people requested privacy curtains 3% of people requested a bedroom door lock 3% of people requested a closet door lock 4% of people requested a lock box 4% of people requested a cell phone

Individual action plans are under development for people if a privacy item was requested. Eighty-six percent of people reported that their staff always knock before entering their private area while fourteen percent reported that staff “sometimes” knock. Ninety-nine percent of people reported that they have a place to speak on the phone privately and one person stated that they did not. Three percent of people stated that they need time scheduled to be alone. Two percent of people desire a roommate contract/agreement and one percent requested roommate counseling. Individual action plans are also under development for these items as needed.

Empowerment Series by Leigh Fanuzzi

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2019 EMPOWERMENT & FAMILY SEMINARS

VALUED OUTCOMES

September 19, 2019 Positive Behavior Supports

Glenn Kaplan

October 15, 2019 Benefits and Entitlements

Karen Lukas

November 5, 2019 Life Decisions: Big and Small

Julie Cannet

All seminars are free. 7:00 pm—9:00 pm AHRC Nassau Plainview Center

115 E. Bethpage Road, Plainview, NY 11803

For information or registration:

Family Seminar Series

Family Seminar Series by Leigh Fanuzzi

October 4, 2019 Money Management

Plainview 11:00

October 9, 2019 Peer Self Advocacy Plainview, 5:00 pm

October 15, 2019 Fire Safety

Plainview, 7:00pm

November 19, 2019 How to Voice a Complaint

Plainview, 7:00pm

For information or registration:

Empowerment Series

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and on June 10, 2019, AHRC launched a new Family Seminar with great success. Understanding Dementia- What Every Caregiver Should Know was created to fill a need for families faced with the difficulty of supporting a loved one with disabilities and dementia. Erin Mar-ciante and Julie Cannet guided participants through the changes that occur with dementia to raise awareness of this progressive disease. Useful support tech-niques to be used at each stage of the disease were offered throughout the presen-tation while multiple resources were available for families to take away, from “helpful tips” handouts to ideas for activities with their loved one to contacts for clin-ical trials and caregiver support in the community. We also welcomed a guest speaker from the Alzheimer’s Association of Long Island who offered additional information on communication skills and free supports offered through the Alzhei-mer’s Association. As a result of this seminar, several participants are now working closely with facilitators to start a support group for families of those with both disa-bilities and dementia as none currently exist. We are extremely proud of the efforts thus far and hope to expand this seminar and creation of a support group in the

coming year. Those interested in learning more may contact Julie Cannet at 516-293-2016, ext. 5344 or jcannet@ahrc.org. To-gether we are making a difference.

AHRC-Citizens Diversity Committee Hosts Hobby Fair

The AHRC-Citizens Diversity Subcommittee hosted the agencies’ first ever Hobby Fair celebrating diversity among our staff by showcasing employees within the organization that volunteered to share a special talent or hobby outside of their passion for supporting people with I/DD. Eleven staff from across both corporations shared their extraordi-nary work including canvas paintings, graphic computer designs,

handmade essential oil products, handmade glamorous gowns, leather crafts, and crochet gifts and wear. We even had a staff who happened to be a professional saxophonist amaze the crowd with a few musical selections. Staff that came to the event were amazed at the hidden talents their colleagues had that they never knew about. The committee looks to plan a similar event again in the near future.

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The COMPASS Committee & The Quality Improvement Process

Regulatory Affairs By Eric Rosen

During the first half of the calendar year 2019, the Regulatory Affairs Department completed seventy-six (76) surveys. These sur-veys include small IRAs, large IRAs and Day Habilitation sites. The OPWDD Site-Based Protocol was utilized during all surveys. Special acknowledgement should be given to the staff working at and overseeing the Hook Lane and Livingston IRAs for their “exceptional” survey results during this review period (see next page).

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT

The CQL first review for continued accreditation was completed on April 29, 2019. The review included a report on the comple-tion of Basic Assurances indicators action plans, progress on AHRC’s person centered excellence goals and personal outcome measures as well as the Quality Improvement (Factor 10) efforts. The CQL reviewer had high praise and was very impressed with the agency dedication to rights and dignity of people supported. The long-term Person Centered Excellence Agency quali-ty improvement goals, which will continue to be worked on through 2012-2022, remain DSP recruitment/retention, optimizing day options for people, and increasing community connections to support people to attain personal outcomes.

Staff Appreciation Day 2019: An Amazing Day, An Amazing Staff June 6, 2019 was Staff Appreciation Day, recognizing the dedication of one of the hardest working teams on Long Island. Check out video and images of this inspiring event below and at www.ahrc.org/staffappreciation/ Thank you to all staff for making AHRC Nassau an amazing organization!

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Exceptional Survey Awards Go To……!

Hook Lane IRA Livingston IRA

EXCEPTIONAL

SURVEY AWARDS

CONGRATULATIONS!

Hook Lane IRA

Direct Support Professional of the Year Celebration

Life Savers (aka Heroes) Luncheon Each Year AHRC Nassau in partnership with the Citizens and BCCS corporations, takes the time to acknowledge the program staff in their respective Day and Residential programs that have performed life saving measures on a person supported in their time of distress. All direct care staff are trained routinely on these measure but we hope we never have to use them. The staff being honored at this event often “heroically” jumped into action to preserve someone’s life which is never an easy task no matter the circumstances so we take the tame to say thank you for their heroic efforts and show sincerest appreciation. This year’s luncheon featured from AHRC Nassau:

Bruce Watrous - Syosset Day Habilitation

Oral Jeffers - Carmans Rd. Day Habilitation

Steven Daniels - Seaford Day Habilitation

Venessa Cozart - South Cottage IRA

Each Year AHRC Nassau in partnership with the Citizens and BCCS corporations, takes the time to acknowledge DSP staff that have shown exemplary leadership in their role over the past year. This tradition started in 2016 by recognizing the residential DSPs and has since grown to include DSPs across all programs through-out the agency. DSPs are nominated by their peers and/or manage-ment staff. The Assistant Director selects a nominee from the pro-grams in their team and presents the honoree with a gift at the event after sharing a brief synopsis of their tremendous impact throughout the year making them deserving of the award. This year’s luncheon featured from AHRC Nassau: Olesya Podskrebkina (Waverly, Seaford IRA), Roberte Metellus (Bourne, Wantagh IRA), Indardaye Chan (East Meadow Apts), Rochelle Howell (Jefferson, RVC Apts), Xiomara Baxter (South Merrick IRA ), Rosmond Molin (Elmwood, Syosset IRA), Chris-tina Dorvilier (Birchwood, Jericho IRA), Amanda Darbouze (Upper Brookville IRA), Regina Real Rosario (New Woods, GC IRA), Chanele Boone (Livingston, Westbury IRA), Renee Doris Rivers (Pine, Freeport IRA), Louisa Prince (Woodmere IRA), Alex Bourdrez (Syosset Day Hab), Peggy Genovese (Mott Oceanside Day Hab), Rudy Marcellus (Day Hab)

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT

Livingston IRA

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AHRC Nassau

189 Wheatley Road

Brookville (Glen Head)

New York, 11545

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 11

Glen Head, NY

Please Rush

Dated Material

TO:

Save the Date

2019 Rights Rally

DATE: October 15, 2019

TIME: 11:00 – 1:00

LOCATION: Brookville Mansion

Be dazzled by designs from the AHRC East Meadow Art Gallery. The spring exhibit was in-spired by the artists' cre-ative use of new painting tools such as q-tips, spatulas, drinking cups, even marbles! The show opened May 1, 2019.