March 2018 Volume 2 Issue 3

Developmental Disability Awareness Month

March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month, and InVision will be celebrating along with the entire nation!

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The Direct Support Bond

To find a great example of how longevity and consistency at the Direct Support Professional (DSP) position is crucial, we don’t have to look any further than Connie and Missy and their longtime DSPs Vicky, Leslie, Ivonne, and Aissatou.

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Spotlight on DSPs Monthly Recap

Integrated Behavioral Health: Our New Space!

InVision Integrated Behavioral Health is our newest incorporated subsidiary, and we want you to check out the entire space – including our Sensory Room!

Message From the

CEO

Thanks to all those who called Governor Wolf’s office to advocate for a living wage for our Direct Support Professionals!

In Other News

Calendar of Events

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Safety and Security of our Offices

InVision Human Services is committed to protecting our employees, the people we support, and the security of information contained within our Corporate and Eastern offices. (Continued on Page 2)

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March Safety Tips

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Developmental Disability Awareness Month

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Safety and Security of our Offices

We are regularly updating policies and procedures to ensure the safety and security of the employees and people we support within our various facilities. For instance, visiting employees must sign in and out each time they come to either of our office locations. Employee ID badges should be worn and be visible at all times, as well. Another way we keep our offices safe is with an overnight and weekend alarm system. Offices are equipped with a motion sensor alarm system that is activated at midnight and deactivated with a four-digit passcode at the alarm panel in the office entrance foyer(s). Office employees with authorized access to the office after business hours are assigned a unique four digit passcode to deactivate the alarm system upon entry. The alarm system is connected to a third-party monitoring company that is directed to alert management and the local authorities in the event of unauthorized access to the building after hours. There will also be several planned tests of our office emergency notification systems on a recurring basis which include Office Phone Page Alerts and the Emergency Mobile Alert System. The page alerts are an intercom-type of alert, and the mobile alerts are SMS text messages sent to your enrolled mobile device. The page alerts are meant to make you aware of a safety or security issue at either of our office locations, while the mobile alerts could be for anything from a security threat to closure of one of our offices due to inclement weather. More information about our Emergency Response Plan(s) can be found on the All Employees Drive. Having all of these systems, policies, and procedures in place is critical to the continued safety and well-being of our employees and people we support.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan made a public proclamation that the month of March should be recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to “increase public awareness of the needs and potential of Americans with developmental disabilities.” Though the mission remains largely the same, so much has changed since 1987. While we still aim to increase public awareness, the goals for this month are to create awareness about developmental disabilities, teach the importance of inclusion, and to share the stories of those who are experiencing significant life challenges to show that a meaningful life is possible! During this month, we, along with nationwide organizations such as the NACDD, the AUCD, and the NDRN, want to share stories, photos, and resources far and wide to expand the conversation of inclusion and accessibility. This year’s theme is “See Me for Me!” To us, this means looking beyond someone’s disability and seeing them as a person and not just a person with a disability. Our Founder and CEO, Ruth Siegfried, is often asked, “What’s the proper term to call the people you support?” She hears people refer to them as “our client” or “the individuals,” so she’ll respond with, “How about just ‘person’?” This sentiment is exactly what this year’s theme is trying to convey. Remember to use the hashtag #DDawareness18 on social media so that we can find and “like” your posts!

No matter what holiday or time of year is coming up, you better believe that Connie and Missy have their house decorated. Two friends Connie and Missy have been living together for four years, and have been served by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) Vicky, Leslie, Ivonne, and Aissatou for most of those years. These four DSPs are integral in providing the positive support needed to make their house a home! During the Christmas season the whole group of them will turn their kitchen cabinets into a sea of wrapped presents, make their doors into snowmen, and of course they have to put up their Christmas tree (as seen below)! Once any given holiday is over, they move right into decorating for the next one, and Connie and Missy’s DSPs truly help them each time to make sure their house feels like a home. Next up for them is St. Patrick’s Day. And as you can see, they are more than ready with their shamrock table cloth, light fixture ornament, and the pots of gold at the end of the rainbows! They are not the only ones at InVision who hold a special place in each other’s hearts, but the bond that these six ladies have is incredible. Great progress can be achieved when there is consistency at the DSP position, and Connie, Missy, Vicky, Leslie, Ivonne, and Aissatou are living proof of this!

The Direct Support Bond

March Safety Tips

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Workplace injuries, otherwise referred to as incidents, are usually preventable, but you must be aware of your surroundings and do your part to create a safe workplace. To help aid mindfulness, InVision has implemented an extensive list of policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are designed to help you notice potential hazards, find ways to correct them, and report incidents if and when they occur. One great example of being aware of your surroundings happened very recently, actually. One of our Direct Support Professionals DSPs noticed the strong smell of gas outside the home of someone she was supporting. She quickly alerted the program supervisor who in turn made the appropriate calls to the fire department and gas company. A couple of hours later it was determined that there was in fact a gas leak at the meter. Thanks to this DSP’s keen sense of her surroundings, the leak was repaired without incident! If an incident should occur, it is equally important that you report it to Human Resources (HR) within 24 hours to file a claim if the incident involves some sort of medical care – whether emergency or on-going. A list of in-network physicians will be given to you by HR at that time as well. If you’re a DSP, remember that your workplace is someone else’s home, so make safety a priority.

Our newest incorporated subsidiary, InVision Integrated Behavioral Health (IIBH), is employing some very technically innovative methods of providing treatment. One of those would be telepsychiatry. This method is often utilized by those who are unable to travel to the office for some reason. So, if you or someone you know has is in need of psychiatric services, be sure to send them this information! We currently have funding secured for 25 more people per month to receive telepsychiatry services. If coming into the office is something that you or someone you know is comfortable with then you must know about our sensory room! With its various colors and textures, the sensory room in IBH is designed to make every one receiving services feel safe and special. The room is interactive with a bubble fish tank, sensory light table, educational stations, art supplies, ink floor tiles, magnetic blocks, fidgets, earphones, and more. This sensory room has a blue-tinted light for individuals with light sensitivity; there is a rocker, bean bag, or a couch that can be utilized during appointments as well.

Integrated Behavioral Health: Our New Space!

Most of those various items, which can be seen in the accompanying pictures, were purchased courtesy of a $1,300 grant. Support for this project was graciously provided by the Mary and John Clayton Charitable Trust of The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Landy Family Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation. We hope that you’ll come visit our new space – we’d be glad to give you a tour!

www.invisionhs.org

I’m incredibly proud of the number of people who went out of their way to make the calls to the governor’s office on behalf of all of InVision’s Direct Support Professionals. These are the folks who have been and always will be the core of our organization, because they are the ones who work every day with the people we support. They are incredibly important to those people’s lives. We had a better turnout that day than any other organization in Pennsylvania, with an estimated 1,000 calls from employees, board members, people we support, and family and friends of all of those. While there has been no specific initiative in the governor’s budget for DSP wages, we have not given up. I’ll be coming to you in the future to ask you to join me in more advocacy efforts. Stay tuned!

-Ruth E. Siegfried Founder and President/CEO

March Events

Stay in Touch!

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Contact the InVisionary Editor at cap@invisionhs.org or 724-933-5155

Wednesday, March 7 • Payday

Sunday, March 11 • Daylight Saving Time Begins! (Clocks move 1 hour ahead)

Thursday, March 15 • Open Interviews – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Hampton Inn Beaver Valley 202 Fairview Drive Monaca, PA 15061

Tuesday, March 20 • First Day of Spring

Wednesday, March 21 • Payday

Message From the CEO

Pictures from our January 31st Call-In Day. Thanks to all who participated!