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A n A N C O R p u b l i c a t i o n o f p r i v a t e p r o v i d e r p r a c t i c e a n d f e d e r a l p o l i c y i s s u e s
M a y 2 0 1 0 • V o l u m e 4 1 • N u m b e r 6 • w w w . a n c o r . o r g
L INKS
The 230 leaders at the 2010 ANCOR Man-agement Practices Conference and Trade
Show put their thinking caps on, got down to business and engaged in meaningful discussion and assessment related to the concrete, action-able strategies they could employ to not only survive but thrive in the current economy.
In his keynote address, Are You a 19th Century Charity or a 21st Century Community Corpo-ration, Robert Eggers (Founder and President, DC Central Kitchen, and one of Nonprofit Times’ 50 Most Powerful and Influential Lead-ers) set the tone for conference, challenging participants to think about how their mission-critical businesses could unleash the power of networks and leverage community-based resources to create demonstrable impact.
Monday’s plenary speaker Vance Yoshida (Se-nior Manager, LaPiana Consulting) followed with an overview of key partnership opportu-nities service organizations were pursuing to create economies of scale and maintain quality supports. Yo-shida and repre-sentatives from such member organizations as Mosaic, The MENTOR Net-work, Cham-paign Residen-tial Services, Inc., Dungarvin, OHI, and the Chimes presented an assessment of what strategies would best suit individual providers and which tools would help organizations get from Point A to Point B. Monday’s keynote, Leadership Lessons at Work: How Executives are Answering the Tough Questions, by Quint Studer, Founder of The Studer Group and one of Modern
Healthcare’s Top 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare, emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and ensuring alignment between the mission, vision and everyday challenges facing providers. While certainly not a new concept, several pro-viders commented that Studer’s presentation “helped ground them at a time when the search for solid ground seemed next to impossible.” Concrete examples of how ANCOR member Liberty had systematically hardwired transparency, account-ability and a critical awareness of the connection between employees and individuals reinforced the notion that excellence is possible, even in the current environment.
ANCOR leaders from Keystone Hu-man Services, Exceptional Persons and Dakota Communities further challenged the audience to think bolder and maximize
creativity in these turbulent times. They reminded leaders of the the critical importance of banding together and staying connected, both in-person and online using tools like the
new ANCOR Connected Community (http://ancor.connected-community.org).
The program included several opportunities to step back, reflect and celebrate the accomplish-ments of ANCOR’s 40 year history. Partici-pants reminisced around photographs from the ANCOR archives, viewed congratulatory
Inside this Issue of LINKS:
MPC Follow-on Resources, p. 5
Photos and quotes from the Conference, p. 14
DSP Of the Year Announced, p. 18
ANCOR Anniversary Celebration, p. 22
2010 Management Practices Conference Providers Urged To Forge New Partnerships, Respond To Challenges, New Opportunities
40th anniversary messages, and witnessed the unveiling of the ANCOR Foundation’s Legacy
Leaders Program. These celebra-tory activities served as a powerful reminder that ANCOR is only as strong as the men and women who comprise this organization and contribute their time, energy and talents to the national network.
Tuesday’s conference lineup further reinforced Monday’s mes-sages, with specific emphasis on how to create hopeful, resilient results-oriented cultures. Nation-ally acclaimed consultant Bruce Anderson (Community Activators, specialists at helping organizations innovate), and member organiza-tions SOREO, Ability Beyond Disability, Moore Center Services
and New Horizons Resources, among others, shared model practices for leaders to reflect,
See MPC, page 5.
MPC Keynote Speaker
Robert Eggers
Participants in one of the engaging breakout sessions
Reneé Pietrangelo
LINKS May 20102
blurring of all sector boundaries; major demographic shifts; and technological ad-vances that must be adopted and adapted expeditiously.
• A new era of partnership and collabora-tion in the nonprofit sector that includes more joint ventures; mergers; shared staff-ing; shared data and client intake; admin-istrative consolidations; joint program-ming; and parent/subsidiary partnerships.
• The importance of “unsettling,” i.e., con-stantly disturbing the present/status quo.
• Holding people accountable for outcomes through the effective use of metrics.
• Building trust through shared power, shared decision-making and shared vital information.
Each speaker reminded us in their own way of our untapped power and potential as a potent network of staff, people served, families, volunteers and centers of influence numbering in the millions. They enjoined us to seek strate-gies for capitalizing and maximizing this latent power; helping all Americans see what we see—the significant value and potential of all people with disabilities and those who support them.
CEO PerspectiveLighting the Way to a Robust Future
ANCOR’s VisionAdvancing excellence in supports and services ~ Leading the way to
communities of choice.
ANCOR’s MissionTo inform, educate and network service providers to safeguard, develop, grow and extend their
capacity to support the choices of people with disabilities.
2 CEO Perspective 3 President’s Corner
2010 Management Practices Conference
1 MPC Report5 MPC Dialogue, Learning Continue Learn More, Support ANCOR Foundation6 SRPN Stimilus Package a Hit11 Rich Carman Recognized14 Heard and Seen at the 2010 MPC
General
9 News and Notes10 ‘Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy’ Come Alive17 Best Practices Webinar Series
ANCOR Foundation
8 ANCOR Foundation Update
I was impressed with the strong engagement and level of participation at this year’s
Management Practices Conference (MPC). It was clear that those in attendance embraced the necessity for organizational resilience, strategic restructuring and a solutions-oriented viewpoint.
Continuing to fund the service delivery system that has been built over the past 40 years is a challenge confronting all of us. We find ourselves in an environment where America is just about out of “extras” across the board (i.e., extra time, money, influence and resources). Collective action will be required to navi-gate the momentous and potentially derailing changes currently underway, and those yet to come; action that will compel the emergence of new models of doing business for non-profits and for-profits alike.
The repeated messages from MPC’s notable line-up of nationally renowned speakers were congruent and complementary---• We are embarking on a new social order
impacted by networks enabling new ways to do work; an increasing interest in civic engagement and volunteerism; the
ANCOR 40th Anniversary24 ANCOR: Early Outside Resources, Part I
NAC Central
18 2010 DSP Of the Year, 2009 Wage Survey
State Association View
21 2010 State Share
Wage and Hour Guidelines
26 IRS Rules Respite Care Payments Are Taxable
Performance Excellence Initiative
16 Entrepreneur Confirms Focus on Outcomes Matters
ANCOR Calendar, page 28.
ContentsInside This Issue of LINKS
3 May 2010 LINKS
Whether you’ve got the latest in iPads or still listen to your Victrola while sipping
a beverage from the Frigidaire you just can’t avoid technology or complaining about it. In fact there were probably people bemoaning the Victrola as noise pollution. It does not matter if you like “technology” or not; our world has been dramatically changed (for better and worse) by technological innovation.
The current wave is in communication tech-nologies. The internet has made the library and newspaper obsolete, the cell phone has changed how we communicate and the myriad of other wonders affects every facet of our lives. Just how many hours do people spend on Facebook looking for the right whatever from Farmville?
I was in a department store the other day. There were two young girls walking down the aisle, each with a cell phone in hand talking animatedly. As I got closer I realized they were talking to each other over their phones yet they were feet apart.
There is no doubt that the cell phone has increased our ability to communicate. Does the very technology that is there to help us commu-nicate also have the down side of isolating us to
the degree that we can’t communicate directly with each other? Like any tool, technology has the ability to both be good and bad- it can fa-cilitate communication and empower isolation.
Of course this is true of all tools, all advance-ments. I am sure there were curmudgeons who felt that the wheel was going to destroy society. It is how we use the tools that determine whether they are good or bad. Therefore we should be cautious as we explore the technol-ogy of communication. Being cautious does not mean that we should not use the technology or recognize its potential. Nor does it mean that we should jump right in and ignore the danger lest we be caught in the past.
Let’s ponder for a moment what brought all of us together in this field; what we all have in common. We are all “people” persons. We have a high need for high touch to accompany our high tech. Few of us would be happy in a truly technologically oriented business. It’s what makes our conferences so important. It’s what makes our face to face meetings so important. Just watch the amount of hugging going on or the disappointments when someone is missing.
Peter Kowalski
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) was founded in 1970 to provide national advocacy, resources, services and networking
opportunities to providers of private supports and services. LINKS provides a nexus for the exchange
of information, ideas and opinions among key stakeholders.
National Office StaffReneé L. PietrangeloChief Executive Officer703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Cindy Allen de RamosFinance Manager
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Kari AmidonEducation and Foundation Director
703.535.7850, ext [email protected]
Jessica Sayers BarkerAssociate Director, Public Policy Initiatives
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Jocelyn BreelandDirector, Communications and Marketing
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Dana CalisiOffice/Data Entry Coordinator
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Suellen GalbraithDirector for Government Relations
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Mary Pauline JonesGovernment Relations Assistant
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Jerri McCandlessDirector of Member Relations and
Board Development703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Marsha PatrickDirector of Resource and Revenue Development703.535.7850, ext. 110
Jessica SadowskyAssociate Director, Government Relations
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
Tony YuDirector of Web and Information Technology
703.535.7850, ext. [email protected]
President’s CornerThe Human Touch
See President, page 5.
ANCOR is rolling out its newest communica-tion technology in the ANCOR Connected Communities (ACC). This tool has major implications for how we communicate and how we monitor that communication. It does not however replace the ANCOR community- rather its intent is to keep us connected during times when we are not together. This is a good thing. The ACC will help us all organize bet-ter. Libraries will be available in the interest
LINKS May 20104
5 May 2010 LINKS
MPC, from page 1.
refocus and reframe, where necessary, to create high performing organizations characterized by low turnover and a diverse, satisfied consumer base. Making the necessary time to imagine the possibilities and become partners with one’s employees, families and consumers was a consistent theme interwoven into the conclud-ing day’s sessions.
The ideas generated at the 2010 conference should serve as the beginning, not the end, of the discussion. To keep the dialogue going, ac-cess presentation resources, and post materials you have found helpful in addressing concrete business challenges, go to the ANCOR Con-nected Community, ANCOR’s online profes-sional networking tool. (See futther instructions in the article below.) We encourage you to see how organizations are not only survivin’ but thrivin’ today!
President, from page 3.
areas bringing together historical ANCOR publications as well as the latest reports. You can even get points for wandering around - Farmville here we come.
However, we need to be careful not to get too enamored with this technological marvel. We need to guard against an over reliance on it and not make it our only means of communication. We need to remember the human touch and our need to talk with each other. These are great tools to enable communication but they are also tools that can impede face to face contact. We need as many opportunities as we can find to commune with each other in the flesh, not just in cyber space. With that said the ACC presents a great opportunity to connect and I hope everyone goes to the ANCOR web site and gets set up on ANCOR’s Connected Com-munity.
MPC Dialogue, Learning Continue
Reap Additional Benefits After the Conference is Over
We’re using the ANCOR Connected Com-munity (ACC) to continue the engaging
conversations we started in New Orleans.
Every participant at the MPC is automatically subscribed to the ACC Community called 2010 Management Practices Conference and Trade Show. This community has a library, where you can get resources related to conference sessions, and a discussion group, where you can continue to discuss the ideas that came out of the conference.
Here’s how to reach these tools in the ACC.
1. Go to http://ancor.connectedcommunity.org. Log on to the ACC using the same email address and password you use to enter the main ANCOR website. If you don’t have a password, follow the link here to get one.
2. If this is your first visit to the ACC, you will be required to agree to the Code of Conduct for the ACC before you proceed.
3. Select “Directory” from the top naviga-tion bar and, “My Communities” from the drop down list.
4. This leads to a list of communities of which you are already a member. This list should include the 2010 Management Practices Conference ad Trade Show.
5. Notice on the right hand side the phrases “View the Library” and “View the Discus-sion.”
6. Select “View the Library” to see the files posted there to share. You can also post relevant documents here to share with other MPC participants. One of the docu-ments in the library, labeled “ACC In-structions” contains step by step guidance for posting documents, adding contacts, joining other discussions, etc.
7. Select “View the Discussion” to see the existing discussion thread(s) and join in where you’d like. Don’t feel limited by the existing threads. Please offer your own comments and questions for others to respond to. Again, detailed instructions on how to use every part of the ACC are included in the community library.
If you have problems or questions about using the ACC, contact Jocelyn Breeland ([email protected]) or Tony Yu ([email protected]) for assistance.
Questions about specific resources or the content of the conference should be directed to Kari Amidon ([email protected]).
LEARN MORE, SUPPORT THE
ANCOR FOUNDATION AT AMAZON.COM
The ANCOR Foundation has a new partnership with Amazon.com. Any pur-
chases made through Amazon.com – using the special ANCOR Foundation link - will return up to 6% of your purchase price back to the ANCOR Foundation, at no cost to you. Go to http://www.ancor.org/ and click on the Amazon.com icon on the left to con-nect via the link, and make your purchases. Your payment will credit the ANCOR Foundation upon checkout. Help support community inclusion today!
We’ve identified below some books related to the Management Practices Conference and Trade Show sessions, for those of you who want to learn more about some of the topics.
Top 10 Resources from ANCOR’s Man-agement Practices Conference and Trade Show:
Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient, and Rewarding for All, by Robert Egger.
Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and Change America, by Paul Tough
Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worth-while Work, Making a Difference, by Quint Studer
Results that Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top, by Quint Studer
101 Answers to Questions Leaders Ask, by Quint Studer
Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real-Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World, by David La Piana
Nonprofit Mergers Workbook Part I: The Leaders Guide to Considering, Negotiating, and Executing a Merger, by David LaPiana
The Nonprofit Mergers Workbook Part II: Unifying the Organization after a Merger, by LaPiana Associates
Play to Win: The Nonprofit Guide to Com-petitive Strategy, by David LaPiana and Michaela Hayes
Demand Management Best Practices: Process, Principles, and Collaboration, by Colleen Crum and George E. Palmatier
LINKS May 20106
Many found that ANCOR’s “SRPN Stimulus Package” was a real life saver. Somemembers of the audience spoke of how they were able to use the dollars they saved for needed programs and even membership renewal.
Thirteen happy winners walked away with special prizes that included:
$100 money card from Philadelphia Insur-ance;$100 money card from US BankiPOD Nano – from MedlineTwo (2) $75 money cards from OfficeMaxThree (3) Gift Baskets from OfficeMax$50 Target Gift Card from Furniture Con-cepts.$100 combination gift cards from IKON Office SolutionsTwo (2) iPOD speaker setsGift card from Sears
For more information on how to make ANCOR’s “SRPN Stimulus Package”work for you, contact Marsha Patrick at [email protected]. Remember SRPN is free to all ANCOR members. All you have to do is visit the SRPN portion of the ANCOR website and activate your participation.
Each partner had a few minutes to give an overview of their product/service in the SRPN program. Partners included: Greg Smith, Medline; Rick LaClair, Philadelphia Insurance; Morty Case, The Non-Profit Trust; Larry Man-han, BCS Recycling; Keith Voigt, Furniture Concepts; Joe Goode, Sears, and Ross Setlow & Ken Hannan, Aflac.
Purchasing expert Coy Lightfoot of ResCare told the audience of a revised contract recently negotiated with US Bank for the SRPN pro-gram – the details of which will be rolled out for the membership shortly. He focused on strategies and tactics used to build the SRPN.
The session proved lively, with discussion of cost savings through nationally negotiated product discounts, shared rebates with specific partners, economies of scale, and access to leading industry purchasing, monitoring and cost control practices. Participants also dis-cussed the exceptional fringe benefit of having the partners’ programs available to employ-ees, consumers and their families. Plus, all purchasing partner contracts strongly encour-age employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
A special breakout session titled
“Maximizing ANCOR Membership - Pro-grams to Support the Entire Agency” lived
up to its billing with forty-five members want-ing to learn more, along with all of the Shared Resources Purchasing Network (SRPN) part-ners at the conference. Most attendees were surprised to learn of the deep savings that were available through their ANCOR membership.
Testimonials were offered by ANCOR mem-bers and panelists Ann Meyer of Heritage Christian (for Sears), Chris Sparks of Excep-tional Persons (for Philadelphia Insurance Companies), Kris Foss of Ability Beyond Disability (for College of Direct Support), Peter Kowalski of John F. Murphy Homes (for Aflac), and Essential Learning’s Pat Tully, who spoke on behalf of ANCOR’s newest SRPN partner. Larry Weishaar, VP of Quality Assur-ance for ResCare, facilitated the discussion and acted as the moderator. He also fielded ques-tions for the panelists and included information on the full line-up of SRPN partners.
ANCOR’s “SRPN Stimulus Package” a Hit at NOLA Conference
7 May 2010 LINKS
LINKS May 20108
ANCOR Foundation UpdateEvant Walk, Run, Roll a Success; Legacy Leaders Project
Evant Walk N’ Roll Raises Funds and Awareness for ANCOR Foundation.
Evant, an ANCOR member serving 130 people in over 30 locations throughout
Summit County, and one in Portage County, in Northeastern Ohio, held a 1-mile walk, run, or wheelchair roll on Sunday, March 21st to benefit the ANCOR Foundation. Nearly 75 people supported the event, which raised $825 for the Foundation.
Main Street Gourmet, formerly Main Street Muffins of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, provided refreshments for all who participated.
“Evant is fortunate to be financially well-man-aged, but the disparity between well-paying jobs and the amount reimbursed through Medicaid causes a strain on agencies work-ing to provide quality services for people with developmental disabilities.” said Chase Horn, Evant’s Development Director. “Direct service professionals are the front line of service to
persons with developmental disabilities and it is essential that these staff members are com-pensated appropriately for their service.”
Honor Trailblazers in the Disabilities Field through the ANCOR Foundation Legacy Leaders Circle The ANCOR Foundation has developed the Legacy Leaders Circle to honor the men and women who have helped pave the way in mak-ing ANCOR the premier trade association for community providers.
Whether serving as a legislative champion, participating in the ANCOR governance structure, or contributing their time, talent and expertise to support the association’s develop-ment, these trailblazers represent countless stories that should be captured for future generations.
Through the Legacy Leaders program, individuals/organizations have the unique op-portunity to honor a friend, colleague or loved one who has helped advance quality supports and services on the national scene.
Nominations for this distinction can come from a variety of sources, including:
• Self-nomination • Agency board of directors • Agency personnel • Family members • Colleagues
Cost to nominate someone is a minimum of $1,000.
Proceeds from this program will help the ANCOR Foundation create leadership devel-opment programs that ensure future leaders can not only survive but thrive in the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world providers face.
To learn more about the Legacy Leaders Circle, click here.
Thanks to Our 2010 ANCOR Foundation Walk for DIsaster Relief Sponsors
Brenda takes a break from her one mile walk to say hello and let everyone know how important
DSPs are to her.
Tired of managing the survey process? Wish there was a better way?
Become one of many ID/DD providers who use Deyta for their satisfaction survey administration and data analysis. Deyta cli-
ents will also have their satisfaction data included in the �rst na-tional ID/DD benchmark created and presented
by
DEYTA LLC and ANCOR.
Deyta... The Satisfaction
Experts!Jenn Bauer National Director, Business Development Toll Free: 888.893.1937 x 138
Performance Excellence Benchmarking (PET) Members who use Deyta for their survey administration
will receive a $500 discount o� the license fee. Call today to take advantage of this great o�er
until June 30, 2010.
9 May 2010 LINKS
News and NotesReports from the Broader ANCOR Community
Welcome New MembersPlease joint us in welcoming the following new ANCOR members. If one of these new mem-bers is in your community, be sure to reach out and help them make the most of their ANCOR membership.
Garlo Ward (TX)St. John Valley sasociates, Inc. (ME)Lynch Homes (PA)Ann Stork Center, Inc. (FL)The Braff Group (PA)Providcers Alliance for Community Services of Texas (TX)Triality, Inc. (MO)
AUCD Call for ProposalsThe Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is seeking proposals for concurrent sessions, poster presentations, and films for the media room for its annual confer-ence. The conference theme is Going to Scale: Making What Works Accessible to All. The conference will be held in Crystal City, VA October 31 - November 3, 2010.
One exciting addition to the 2010 Conference is the Poster Roundtables. Located in the poster exhibit hall with posters and speakers situated around a table to facilitate discussion, these 75-minute small-group sessions will be led by a panel of presenters on the chosen top-ic, encouraging an engaging exchange of ideas and interaction between participants. Read more about poster roundtables, all presentation formats, and AUCD presentation accessibility guidelines here.
Proposals will be accepted through June 28 on a wide variety of topics. Submit yours here today!
2010 Rosalynn Carter Award/Scholarship Opportunities Announced!Mattie J. T. Stepanek Caregiving Scholarship
The purpose of the Mattie J. T. Stepanek Caregiving Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to family, professional, or parapro-
fessional caregivers of any age who are seeking training or education in specific skills, proce-dures and strategies that lead to more effective care at the same time that they serve to protect the health and well-being of the caregiver.
Four $2,500 scholarships will be awarded. Deadline for application is June 1, 2010. For more details and to download the application form, click here.
Rosalynn Carter Leadership in Caregiving AwardNamed in honor of a great humanitarian, the Rosalynn Carter Leadership in Caregiving Award is the highest award given in the care-giving field. This award recognizes leader-ship in implementing innovative partnerships between community agencies and caregiving researchers that bridge the gap between science and practice. These partnerships help move effective caregiver support programs to wide-spread use in the community more quickly and efficiently.
The award winning team will be announced at the RCI’s National Summit to be held October
See News, page 12.
LINKS May 201010
‘Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy’ Come Alive ‘Film For Thought’ as Newest CDS Course
we could have had the learner reflect on content from every single existing CDS course. I think this is a good indication of how connected the CDS courses are to the real life experi-ences of people with disabilities, but also a reflection on how remarkable and engaged Kathy and Diana’s lives are. Their story provides a powerful learning opportunity for CDS learners,” Hewitt added.
Elliott is excited about this new course. “I’m really proud to be working
with The College of Direct Support. I believe it’s the first time CDS has used an award winning story-based short film as part of a curriculum, so naturally I’m excited to see the reaction of direct support workers and others to this film,” she said.
Elioitt brought to life how Diana and Kathy loved life, how they supported and loved one another, and how they became such effective advocates. “I saw a very tender friendship. I also watched two people work together to accomplish the goal of living independently. I loved seeing how Kathy would protect Diana and keep her focused, while Diana would feed,
bathe, and attend to Kathy’s needs,” Elliott said.
Hewitt says that this course will help DSPs see, hear and feel how many of the issues such as inclusion, advocacy, self-direction, choice, empowerment and support integrated into the CDS are also integrated and played out in real lives of people with disabilities. Learners will find helpful resources and references to refresh their thinking and knowledge about the issues identified in the film.
The film has received a number of awards and recognitions, including a nomination from the International Documentary Association for the Distinguished Short Documentary Award and the TASH Positive Images in Media Award (shared with “Including Samuel”).
The film was produced, di-rected, and filmed by Alice Elliott (The Collector of Bedford Street) and edited by Rose Rosenblatt (The Education of Shelby Knox, Live Free or Die), with original music by Rick Baitz. It is a co-production of Alice Elliott and the Independent Television Service (ITVS), with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The film almost didn’t happen, however.
By Tom King
The story and lives of Diana Braun and
Kathy Conour in Alice Elliott’s riveting film “Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy” come alive in the latest course introduced by the College of Direct Support (CDS). The of-ficial name of the course is “Films For Thought: Body and Soul: Diana and Kathy.”
This course was intro-duced during the CDS Administrator’s Fo-rum during ANCOR’s Management Practices & Trade Show in New Orleans in April.
This new genre of courses is called “Films for Thought” (FFT). The Films for Thought is a specialized type of course that focuses on one film and uses it to help learners connect the story within the film to the competencies and skills Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) have learned in the CDS.
“The purpose of this new type of course is to take a film and to use it as a reflection tool for learning through the CDS. The film provides a story or context about the lives of people with disabilities and then the story serves as a means to reflect and integrate learning from various courses within the CDS,” says Dr. Amy Hewitt, Senior Research Associate/Training Director at the Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration, at the University of Minnesota. In her role, Hewitt oversees the development of all CDS courses.
“Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy” made its nationwide debut on PBS in the fall of 2009. This stirring movie chronicles the life of two of the country’s most remarkable advocates for people with disabilities -- Diana, who has Down syndrome, and Kathy, who had cerebral palsy. The release of the film last fall was especially poignant with the passing of Kathy Conour on Sept. 19th. But her story lives!
“This film was an excellent first choice for a FFT course because of the breadth of life successes and challenges experienced by Kathy and Diana. In the development of the course
Diana Braun and Kathy Conour
Alice Elliott
See Soul, page 11.
in association with
Catherine V. Hayes, MA
Navigate regulations, guide employees, develop systems that work, andmost importantly, provide positive outcomes for people with disabilities.
To order this publication, contact
ANCOR1101 King Street, Suite 380Alexandria, VA 22314-2944
Phone: (703) 535-7850 Fax: (703) 535-7860www.ancor.org • [email protected]
15% discount for mulltiple copy sales of 10 or more.To receive this special discount, please mail or FAX order to ANCOR.
Consulting & TrainingDisability Supports and Services
www.hwisolutions.com
POSITIVE OUTCOMES:A Provider’s Guide to Active Outcomes
Presents
11 May 2010 LINKS
When Diana and Kathy approached Alice El-liott and asked her to make a film about them, Alice was reluctant. She had just spent five years making her previous film, the Academy Award® -nominated short documentary The Collector of Bedford Street, and wasn’t ready to plunge into another project.
It had been Kathy’s lifelong dream to have a documentary made about her, so she wouldn’t give up. After visiting Diana and Kathy in Springfield, IL, Alice realized what unique subjects they would be and was won over by Kathy’s persistence. For five years, Diana and Kathy gave Alice complete access to their lives. During that time, they filmed in Wash-ington, D.C., as well as Chicago and Spring-field.
More about the movie can be found at www.dianaandkathy.com. You may contact Alice Elliott at [email protected].
Also, the film has a fan page on Facebook, which can be fun for people to use, Elliott tells us. The Facebook page is here.
AUTHOR LINK: Tom King is Director of Communications for the College of Direct Sup-port. You can contact him at 1-877-353-2767 (toll free) or via email at [email protected].
To find out about the ANCOR Foundation partnership with the College of Direct Support and the ANCOR Member Buying Pool, contact Bill Tapp at 1-877-353-2767 (toll free) or email him at [email protected].
Soul, from page 10.
Rich Carman, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and International Development with Mosaic resigned from the ANCOR Board of Directors in February. Rich has held leadership
positions on the ANCOR’s Board of Directors, Government Relations Division, Legislative Com-mittee for The National Advocacy Campaign and International Committee.
Rich, shown above with ANCOR CEO Renee Pietrangelo, was honored at the Management Prac-tices Conference, in recognition for his invaluable service. Rich has been based out of Hartford, CT, but in the near future will be continuing most of his work with Mosaic while living overseas in Eastern Europe (Romania) and Africa(Tanzania). He and his wife Barb will be working on Mosaic projects in those corners of the world.
We wish him well in his future endeavors.
Rich Carman Recognized
Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them. . . . They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by doing what comes naturally and they don’t stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.
--John William Gardner
LINKS May 201012
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and the
National Council for Community BehavioralHealthcare (NCCBH) will hold the 2nd annual Technology Leadership Summit at the Westin Westminster Hotel in Westminster, Colorado on Friday, October 22, 2010, immediately following the Tenth Annucal Coleman Institute on Cognitive Disabilities Conference, held October 21.
2nd Annual ANCOR Technology Leadership Summit
October 21, 2010 - Save the Date
20 - 22, 2010 at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia. In addition to a beautiful statuette executed by renowned sculptor Frank Eliscu, designer of the Heisman Trophy, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will present the team with a cash award of $20,000. This special cash award is to support the team’s efforts in implementing effective caregiver interventions at the community level.
Application deadline is July 1, 2010. For more information and to download the application form, click HERE .
Participate in Assistive Technology SurveyTake 3 Minutes and Help Drive the Devel-opment Curve of Assistive Technology for Individuals with Disabilities.
The University of Southern Mississippi is conducting a 3 min. survey on Directorial Attitudes on Assistive Technology. Please con-sider taking this survey, located at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ref601AT
The objectives of the study are:1) To determine if higher management of organizations providing supports to individu-als with I/DD have considered using modern everyday technology as assistive devices for learning, memory, and communication2) To assess attitudes towards the effective-ness of technologies currently in use for these purposes
The intended outcomes of this study are:1) To provide data that could aid with bud-geting for assistive technology2) To provide awareness of modern technol-ogy available3) To assist developers of applications to see where there are needs for their services
For more information regarding the project, including information about confidentiality and anonymity, you may visit: http://www.jilwright.com/at.html. Your participation will provide meaningful data that has the potential to impact the lives of many.
Melody’s Gifts: An Inspirational Story Melody’s Gifts, by Louise Wade with Sheila D. Nelson is a touching, true story about a determined, dedicated family’s desire to help their daughter, Melody, live her life to the full-est, even though she was born with a profound disability. The author, Melody’s mother, shares countless, unique therapies and life-altering strategies, which have empowered Melody to reach miraculous goals.
The book includes sometimes tearful experi-ences balanced with lighthearted, fun-loving times. The reader takes part in the emotion of the story, which unfolds as an adventure.
This story is entertaining, touching, and insightful, written with love by an amazing mother, college professor and always optimis-tic individual.
Obtain your copy at the Meody’s Gifts Web-site.
Campanella Named to DC Disabilities CouncilTina Campanella, Executive Director of the DC Quality Trust, has been appointed as chair of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council by District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty. The federal Developmental Disabilities Assis-tance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) supports Councils in each state and territory • to “engage in advocacy, capacity building,
and systemic change activities”, and • to promote supports and assistance that
will “enable individuals with developmen-tal disabilities to exercise self-determina-tion, be independent, be productive and be integrated and included in all facets of community life.”
People with developmental disabilities and their families represent the majority of mem-bership on this Council and can make sure that local policy and practices are responsive. The Council will work to identify the most pressing needs of people with developmental disabilities in DC and promote innovative ways to meet these needs.
News, from page 9.
Designed to serve as a key opportu-nity to network and hear how peer organizations are leveraging the power of technology to create responsive community-based supports, attendance to this event will be limited to the first
150 attendees.
Input and assistance in the conference planning pro-cess by NADSP further
ensures that providers walk away with a ‘soup to nuts’ perspective on how various technolo-gies can practically be implemented across all levels of the organization.
Stay tuned for further details on this special technology-focused conference!
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LINKS May 201014
“As a first-time attendee to the conference, I sincerely appreciated the smaller networking dinners and the opportunity to get to hear how others are grappling with similar issues as me.”
“Several sessions only confirmed that we’re right on track and that partnership in local communities reaps large benefits for both the organizations and the consumers.”
“The technology session was one of the best I’ve ever attended. I appreciated the candor with which the panel shared their experiences. I now know what to do and what I might not want to do. Excellent session with a lot of time for dialogue!”
Heard and Seen at the 2010 ANCOR Management Practices Conference and Trade ShowA Collection Of Photographs From The Event And Comments From The Participants
15 May 2010 LINKS
“Making the time to get away from the daily grind, refocus and get re-energized, despite our current funding challenges was well worth it!”
“Don’t forget to visit the 2010 Management Practices Conference section of the ANCOR Connected Community for more resources and discussion. See page 5 for details.”
“One of the best conferences I’ve been to!”
“Practical, hands-on advice, tools and networking opportunities. This was just what I needed to help me focus.”
“I always enjoy being able to hear from people in other states at the ANCOR conferences. I knew I would walk away with 2 or 3 good ideas to take home and implement. This conference did not disappoint! THANK YOU!”
Heard and Seen at the 2010 ANCOR Management Practices Conference and Trade ShowA Collection Of Photographs From The Event And Comments From The Participants
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Highlights from the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelious’ letter to U.S. Sen. John Yarmuth of Kentucky about his interest in telecare electronic technology.
(Telecare) is an allowable method for delivering services under section 1915(c) •HCBS waiver
States may also use 1915(i) or 1915(j) for Telecare •
HHS can approve Telecare as a discrete service within a waiver utilizing the •“other” category
Numerous states have expressed interest in using waiver options to enable •providers to receive Medicaid funds for Telecare
CMS is revising the HCBS website to provide further information on Telecare in •the FAQ section
CMS will publish an updated waiver application instructions and technical •guidance in early 2011 related to use of Telecare
States must demonstrate (to CMS) that concerns are addressed •regarding quality of care, patient privacy, choice, control, provider qualifications, quality improvement and oversight.
Rest Assured® is caring people using remarkable technology.
LINKS May 201016
Over the past several
months, we have been reading articles by entre-preneur Mario Marino of Ven-ture Philanthropy Partners (VPP). VPP’s commit-
ment to social outcomes and rigorous inquiry to create demonstrable impact on the lives of vulnerable people are values we embrace within our respective organizations and are most certainly cultural practices that ANCOR has sought to create through the national Per-formance Excellence Benchmarking Project that we co-chair.
Two years into this endeavor, the Perfor-mance Excellence Benchmarking Project has reached a critical tipping point. Intended to help providers proactively shape the terms by which supports and services are evaluated, we still face many barriers to adoption. Provid-ers commonly sight a lack of time, resources or belief that they can change the system as reasons why they will not take on this project.
Marino, however, makes some compelling arguments as to why not only focusing on out-comes matters but why, quite frankly, providers are precisely the ones who should do the hard work and help define quality for the industry. Marino notes that practitioners know better than anyone else the challenges faced in the service system; that intuition, while good, is almost never enough; and, finally, that great or-ganizations are built around great data and key strategic thinkers who stay focused on asking the critical, first-order question, to what end are we collecting this data?
As a provider community we struggle to speak in a common language and understand what this means. We know the DSP issue is critical, but we have to be able to articulate why that is and what changes need to happen so that DSPs and individuals supported can be true partners. We need to provide evidence-based practices that show what a high performing organization looks like and what resources the organization needs to operate effectively. We have heard academics, government representatives and even providers declare that the day is fast ap-proaching when the system will identify and rid itself of the low performing organizations
that don’t get it, can’t get it, and won’t ever get it right.
Despite the lack of time and many external pressures, most notably funding cuts and po-tential systems change, we need to step back, be the voice of reason and actively engage in the debate with hard, cold data. We need to be intelligent, articulate and unified as a commu-nity. And we need to not forget about what this data is about—people with disabilities.
As Marino so eloquently states, “How can any-one with a deep commitment to their mission not be rigorous in determining how they do the most good for those they serve?” How?
We look forward to your active participation and debate about ANCOR’s Performance Excellence Benchmarking Project in the near future. We further encourage you to take part in the educational sessions in May and June highlighting what we are learning through this project.
See Benchmarking, page 17.
Performance Excellence InitiativeNoted Entrepreneur Confirms Focus on Outcomes Matters
17 May 2010 LINKS
Wendy Sokol and Larry WeishaarChairs, Performance Excellence
Resource Link to Mario Marino’s article, ‘So-cial Outcomes’: The Elephants in the Roomhttp://www.venturephilanthropypartners.org/learning/enews/index.html#cc1
‘Social Outcomes’: Missing the Forest for the Trees? http://www.vppartners.org/learning/enews/archive/2010/jan10.html#cc1
Benchmarking, from page 16.Best Practices Webinar Series:
Top Performing AgenciesShare Model Practices, Policies and Procedures Overview of session: For four consecutive weeks in June (June 2-23), organizations that were recognized as top performers for retention and turnover as part of ANCOR’s Performance Excellence Benchmarking Project will offer in-depth explanations of model practices they have de-veloped, which have led to superior workforce related statistics.
Find out how these providers are succeeding - motivating and rewarding staff, reducing turn-over and the associated costs - and how you can do the same.
Each session will allow significant time for questions from the audience. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with your peers online via the ANCOR Connected Commu-nity post-event, to continue networking and dialogue on workforce issues.
Representatives from these ANCOR organiza-tions will share their model practices in this interactive series:
OHIAbility Beyond DisabilityLibertySoreo Mount Olivet Rolling AcresNew Horizons Resources
Sessions to take place from 1-2 p.m. Eastern on these Wednesdays in June:June 2 June 9 June 16 June 23
Don’t miss hearing how organizations have significantly decreased retention and turnover and/or have maintained the best workforce related stats for several years now!
Look for registration on the ANCOR website soon!
When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.
--Larry Ellison
LINKS May 201018
Last month, during the Manage-ment Practices Conference
and Trade Show in New Orleans, ANCOR honored Maria Cordova of Adelante Development Center, Albuquerque, NM as the 2010 Direct Support Professional of the Year. The Direct Support Profes-
sional Award program was started by ANCOR in 2007 to acknowledge the commitment and courage of the direct sup-port professionals (DSP) who work to ensure community inclusion and full participation for hundreds of thousands of Americans with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. Cordova was named the national winner from among 231 nominations submitted for the competi-tion. Forty additional DSPs received awards as best of the best in their respective states and the District of Columbia.
“There were so many inspiring and deserv-ing nominees that it was difficult to choose the final winners,” said Renee Pietrangelo,
ANCOR CEO. “ANCOR takes great pride in recognizing and honoring the remarkable work done by these professionals. We congratulate Maria Cordova and the other 40 for their stand-out achievements.”
ANCOR is pleased to recognize these DSPs for their tremendous work and for the consider-
able difference they make each day in the lives of people with disabilities, and in the commu-nities they serve. ANCOR will be honoring all of our winners in a special issue of LINKS this summer; we plan to present awards to our state winners during the 2010 DSP to DC event taking place in Septem-ber, during the Governmental Activities Seminar.
ANCOR salutes the 2010 DSP of the Year class!
ANCOR Releases Results of 2009
National DSP Wage SurveyANCOR recently released the results of its national survey that clearly illustrates the
NAC Central2010 DSP of the Year Contest Winners Announced
growing need for increased federal funding for low-wage workers who provide supports to people with disabilities. The 2009 Direct Support Professionals Wage Study, which for a second year was conducted in partnership between ANCOR and the Mosaic Collabora-tive for Disabilities Public Policy and Prac-tice, imparts a sobering view of a national healthcare workforce in crisis.
A key finding of the report shows that, nationally, the 2009 average wage for Direct Support Professionals working in private community based agencies is $10.14/hour, compared to $15.53/hour in state operated facilities. This represents a 51% disparity!
A significant effect of this disparity is a 154.7% higher turnover rate for community DSPs, which results in immeasurable nega-tive emotional and psychic affects on the people served.
“The link between low wages and high turn-over is indisputable and the wage disparity among private and public DSPs is unjusti-fied,” said Renee Pietrangelo, CEO of AN-COR. “As demand for the Medicaid services provided by DSPs increases, low wages will
2010 National DSP Of the YearMaria Cordova
See NAC, page 19.
19 May 2010 LINKS
”Almost one-third of my 700 employees signed on to various AFLAC plans. The demograph-ics of the purchases cuts right across our agency – from new staff to long term staff from hourly to salary folks ….And we ended up saving $7,000 in payroll taxes to boot…more than our dues are to ANCOR. This is a real win-win scenario that saves real dollars in these tough times. Yes, the duck has made me a believer! Thank you SRPN (Shared Resources Purchasing Network).”
Peter Kowalski, CEOJohn F. Murphy Homes, Inc.
continue to prevent private-operated provid-ers from attracting and retaining a qualified workforce. People with disabilities receiving services under Medicaid in their communities deserve to enjoy continuity in their support system.”
This report, again, substantiates and strength-ens ANCOR’s claims that a stark disparity exists between state and private DSPs, and pro-vides the statistical data necessary to compli-ment our continued efforts before Congress to increase Medicaid funding to the states for DSP wages, training, and technology.
Visit www.youneedtoknowme.org for more information on the 2009 DSP Wage Study.
Hill HappeningsWe are pleased to report that ANCOR is again working with Senator Nelson’s (D-NE) office to declare with week of September 12th as Di-rect Support Professionals Recognition Week. This week also coincides with “DSPs to DC” at ANCOR’s Governmental Activities Seminar on September 12th-14th. In addition, ANCOR will be working with many of its members to have Governors proclaim the week of Septem-ber 12th as DSP Recognition Week in their states. If you are interested in contacting your
NAC, from page 18.
governor to encourage a state proclamation, please contact Mary Pauline Jones ([email protected]), as she will be providing materials and coordinating these activities.
In April, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act (HR 868) obtained additional co-sponsors, bringing the total to 61, including the “original co-sponsors” Repre-sentatives Capps (D-CA) and Terry (R-NE). If you have not already contacted your Represen-tative, please do so. You can use ANCOR’s Ac-tion Center to contact your U.S. Representative and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 868!
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� Completely integrated case management, performance management, billing, and reimbursement
� Flexible intake and assessment � On-the-fly configuration to meet virtually any program or reporting need � Diverse standard reports which greatly ease reporting, compliance, and
reimbursement processes
Our customers tell us that when they use ETO, they are able to provide higher quality services, in less time, with fewer write-offs. ANCOR member organizations will have the added benefit of being able to participate in the nationally recognized Performance Excellence Initiative benchmarking project, through pre-defined templates and reports, without any additional overhead.
About Social Solutions:
Social Solutions, Inc. is the leading provider of performance management software for the human service sector. Thousands of organizations use our Efforts to Outcomes (ETO™) software to assist over four million participants with youth service, workforce development, family service, health, and other critical human service needs.
To Learn More About this Program:
Please email [email protected] or visit www.socialsolutions.com/ancor
P R O U D P A R T N E R
PLATINUM PARTNER
LINKS May 201020
21 May 2010 LINKS
by Diane McCombANCOR Liaison to State Association Executives Forum
This is a reprint of the 2010 Spring State Share presented at the Management Practices Conference in New Orleans last month. It focuses primarily on the recession; its impact on State budgets and federal funding, and the ramifications to community agencies providing supports and services to people with disabili-ties and their families. Several trends emerge from the 2010 Spring State Share survey of ANCOR members of community agencies and state associations.
The New Nor-mal
Most prominently, the policy wonks
are all talking about the “new normal,” but what does that mean to ANCOR’s member-ship. What is the “new normal?”
While Americans can take heart that the economy seems to be slowly healing, history tells us that states will continue to experience deep budget shortfalls for a year or two after a recession ends and that a full recovery can take years.1 We now know that every state in the country is experiencing lower revenues than in prior years. It will take years for states to return to a stable situation and the “new nor-mal” will not look anything like the immediate historical past of disability funding. Growth is much more likely to be at a rate of 2% to 3% per year rather than the 6% to 9% growth seen in Medicaid during the late 90s.
Funding for disability services is under attack, but it is not alone. Human service programs and educational funding are also being hit hard in all corners of the country. Unemployment remains high at 9.7%, down just .3% from six months ago. Some states continue to report job losses, although nationally March 2010 showed an increase of jobs created at 134,000.2 Appli-
1 Fehr, Stephen C., Christine Vestal, and Pamela M. Prah. How the Recession Might Change the States: 2010 State of the States. Issue brief. Ed. Diane Fancher, Lori Grange, and Barbara Rosewicz. Washington, D.C.: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2010. Print.
2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 03 Apr. 2010. <http://www.bls.gov/home.
cations for food stamps and medical assistance have increased exponentially.
State tax revenues declined in 39 of 46 early reporting states for which comparable, early data are available. Oklahoma reported the larg-est decline for the quarter at 26.9 % followed by Arizona at 17.1 %. However, in a sign of recovery, seven states reporting growth for the fourth quarter were: Arkansas, California, Mas-sachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.3
State Strategies to Balance Budgets States have resorted to previously unimagi-nable cuts to restore bal-ance to their budgets in the latest legislative sessions. While some states are in better shape than others, quite a few states have slashed hu-man service programs to historic levels. South Carolina cut programs by
htm>.
3 Dadayan, Lucy. Final Quarter of 2009 Brought Still More Declines in State Tax Revenue. Issue brief. Albany: Rockefeller Institute on Government, 2/23/2010. Print.
over 25%; Kansas cut all Medicaid funded programs by 10% (disability waivers were restored in exchange for cutting state only funded programs); and Oklahoma is looking at a 7.5% cut, to name a few. The renewal of the FMAP funding for the balance of FY 2010 clearly salvaged many state programs across the country for the current year.
States’ Budget StatusOver 80% of ANCOR members report their states having a current budget deficit (up from 60% last fall) which is translating into hard times for agencies supporting people with disabilities. Thirty-six % of the states
responding indicate that their state legislature and governor have adopted a budget for FY 2011, with most other states on their way to passing the required balanced budget. The extension of the FMAP provision for an ad-ditional period allowed many states to scale
back, and in some cases, even eliminate severe cuts to human services during the im-mediate budget year. However, once the FMAP extension and the ARRA funds expire, states will again face tough decisions, especially in states where
revenues continue to lag.
When asked how their states are balanc-ing their budgets, 48% of ANCOR members report rate reductions specifically to disability programs; 42% report an across-the-board reduction to all state funded programs as well
State Association View2010 State Share
Diane McComb
See States, page 22.
LINKS May 201022
as a reduction of actual service provision. A combined 18% talk of provider furlough days and instances of delayed payments to provid-ers. Over half report that state employees have been furloughed. Cuts are cited in educa-tion, state institutions, state workforce layoffs and hiring freezes, the elimination of case
management, all state-only funded services and personal care assistance. Twenty-one percent of State Share respondents report state cuts that will result in the elimination of a program funding category at the state level (e.g., a waiver service, respite care, state-gen-eral-funded services, etc.) that will reduce or eliminate supports to people with disabilities, with another 18% pending.
Thirty-seven percent report their state’s waiv-ers being frozen to new admissions. Seventy-five percent report that their states have sig-naled the possibility of future cuts in services
or rate reductions during FY 2011, pending the outcome of revenue shortfalls or other mitigat-ing circumstances.
Impact of Litigation in StatesWhile over half the states report no litigation occurring, 3% report suits related to Medicaid cuts, 6% related to program eligibility changes,
and 9% related to waiting lists. However, the bulk of those facing litigation identify a myriad of reasons -- 40% of respondents identified a number of other areas of litigation such as challenging the methodology states used to reduce services to people with disabilities, includ-ing the implementation of tiered waivers; on-going Olmstead law suits related to institutional closures and/or lack of adequate community funding to secure community placements; and
concerns related to Medicaid fraud and abuse targets and mis-interpretation of billing rules.
Grassroots Advocacy Remains SuccessfulSeventy percent of members report that grass-roots advocacy remains their most effective strategy within legislatures and governors’ offices. States reported success when working closely with parents and advocates. Although final outcomes are not yet known, there is a sense that legislatures have renewed and/or increased commitment to attempt to preserve funding for disability services. Many as-sociations have joined with others to advocate through town hall meetings to inform/ educate the public about some of the outcomes of funding cuts. Several states met with success by working with consumers and families to descend upon their state house engaging in one-to-one interaction with legislators and gubernatorial staff. Finally, many report their success in terms of not receiving cuts, but holding even with the last year.
ANCOR kicked of a year of celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a cake-cutting
celebration during the Management Practices Conference in New Orleans.
Thanks to Aflac for sponsoring the event, in part.
Thanks also to the individuals and organiza-tions that sent anniversary greetings to via the ANCOR Connected Community.
The anniversary celebration continues for the rest of 2010. Look for emails and LINKS arti-cels for opoportunities to get involved.
The cake
Enjoying the celebration, l. to r. are ANCOR President Peter Kowalski, Ken Hannan, Aflac; Wendy Sokol, ANCOR VP, Renee Pietrangelo, ANCOR CEO; and Ross Setlow, Aflac/SEFCU
ANCOR Celebrates 40 Fantastic Years!
States, from page 21.
23 May 2010 LINKS
LINKS May 201024
By Joni Fritz
This article is the third in a special anniversary series on the early years of ANCOR.
In the first article about the founding of ANCOR we mentioned that funding support
was received from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now Health and Hu-man Services) in the form of a grant to identify all out-of-home living arrangements in the U.S. for children and adults with intellectual dis-abilities. No such survey had been performed previously. This was a daunting task.
CEO Manny Hall began by enlisting the aid of a professional in each state, called the State Project Director, who identified lists of providers serving this population in their states, including specialized foster care homes. (These lists were later used as a foundation for research conducted by the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois at Chicago when those entities sought to identify all out-of-home placements.) A questionnaire was developed and it was sent to every home or institution identified. Extensive follow-up
was conducted by mail and the Project Direc-tors made personal contacts, as well. Visiting the states also gave Manny an opportunity to speak to providers, identify their concerns and share information about the new National Association of Private Residential Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (NAPRFMR, now AN-COR), which was addressing provider concerns at the federal level.
Manny’s first assistant was Patricia Garza. When she left in late 1972, she was replaced by Joni Fritz. Joni had no prior experience
ANCOR: The BeginningANCOR: Early Outside Resources, Part I
in association management, public policy or the field of intellectual disabilities but Manny had a hunch she would be a quick learner. He introduced her to people in Washington who could help their development of what is now ANCOR.
U.S. Department of LaborIn March 1973 Manny and Joni met with the Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Depart-ment of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division to
See Beginning, page 27.
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25 May 2010 LINKS
LINKS May 201026
Joni Fritz
By Joni Fritz, Labor Standards Specialist
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has ruled that payments to respite care providers are tax-able under federal law, regardless of whether the respite care provider is certified by the State as a “qualified foster care provider.” While an IRS memorandum does not carry the weight of a Department of Labor opinion letter, and cannot be cited as precedent, it neverthe-less offers excellent guidance in decision-making.
Some respite services are provided in the home of the respite provider while others perform services in the homes of foster care provid-ers. In some states respite may be reimbursed directly by the State and in others the services are reimbursed by the foster provider.
Section 131 of the U.S. Tax Code provides a tax exemption for foster care payments when all of the following conditions are met:
• Payments are made in behalf of a “quali-fied” foster individual to pay costs associ-ated with living in a foster family home;
• Payments are made pursuant to a foster care program of a State or political subdi-vision of the state like a county or city;
• Payments are made by either: a. A State or a political subdivision or the State or b. By a qualified foster-care place ment agency.
• The qualified foster care placement agency must be licensed or certified by a State or political subdivision of the State, or by another entity designated by the public agency to make such placements and payments for the foster care program.
“Difficulty of care” payments are also tax exempt. These are additional payments made to provide care to a qualified foster individual (child or adult) who lives in a foster home, who has disabilities and who the State has deter-mined needs additional support requiring these supplemental payments. These payments must specifically be designated as difficulty of care payments.
Ruling on Respite Care PaymentsThe IRS concluded that payments to respite care providers are not excludible from gross income under section 131 because they do not meet the above requirements. In particular, a governmental agency or qualified foster care placement agency does not place the individual in foster care with the respite care provider. Such payments are therefore taxable income to respite providers.
We can fairly comfortably assume that other types of payments like payments for habilita-
tion services made to providers who are not di-rectly providing foster care in their own homes would also be considered taxable income by the IRS.
A natural extension of this ruling would treat payments for habilitation services provided in either the home of the habilitation provider or the foster care provider as taxable income.
AUTHOR LINK: Joni Fritz is a Labor Stan-dards Specialist whose guidance is free to ANCOR members and to those who attend a Wage and Hour Workshop or participate in a teleconference that she has conducted. Any ANCOR member who wishes to make arrange-ments for consultation or workshops with Joni must first contact Jessica Sadowsky, ANCOR Associate Director, Government Relations, for a referral at (703)535-7850 or [email protected].
FEDERAL WAGE AND HOUR GUIDANCEIRS Rules Respite Care Payments Are Taxable
Aflac honored outgoing ANCOR President Peter Kowalski during the Manage-ment Practices Conference with a gigantic Aflac duck, complete with Kowalski-style facial hair.
27 May 2010 LINKS
learn first-hand about laws and regulations that affected the staffing of community living arrangements. They were told after the fact that a brief article written for the “NAPRFMR Newsletter” about their findings from the meet-ing were used successfully in a court hearing regarding a member agency’s labor dispute. As they say, the rest is history.
Over the following years the Association obtained more than a dozen formal letters of interpretation and influenced the development of enforcement policies that would facilitate the expansion of small group living arrange-ments. ANCOR eventually conducted wage and hour seminars in all of the 48 contiguous United States. At the time of Joni’s retirement in 2000, she was speaking almost daily to members around the country who had ques-tions about the enforcement of federal labor law, and she continues providing such guidance and conducting workshops to this day.
Consortium Concerned with Developmental DisabilitiesManny received a letter in May 1973 inviting the Association to participate with 18 other national organizations with headquarters in the Washington, DC, area in a newly form-ing consortium that would develop consensus regarding federal public policy affecting people with developmental disabilities. The organizations would then work together to assure that federal laws and regulations had a positive effect on the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Since Manny was often working in the states and Joni had no experience in developmental disabilities, Board member Terry Allen Perl drove down from the Baltimore area to accompany Joni to the monthly CCDD meetings and to promote the position of private providers on public policy. He continued to do this until the end of 1974. By this time Joni was secretary of the CCDD, enmeshed in public policy and familiar with provider concerns. Terry remained available for her to consult with when questions arose about positions the Association should take relative to federal policy.
The importance of involvement with the CCDD should not be underestimated. It greatly enhanced the education and involvement of our Association staff and members at the federal level, and gave us a forum for influencing the positions taken by other national associations whose focus was developmental disabilities. The leadership of CCDD, particularly Chair Paul Marchand, who was Director of Govern-mental Affairs for what was then the National Association for Retarded Citizens; Robert Gettings, CEO of the then National Associa-tion of Coordinators of State Programs for the
Mentally Retarded; and E. Clarke Ross, who was at that time with the United Cerebral Palsy Associations, was highly influential in the progress of ANCOR’s growth and influence. ANCOR continues its relationship with what is now the Consortium for Citizens with Dis-abilities. When the CCD became incorporated in 1999, Joni was elected its first Treasurer.For more than three decades ANCOR members have testified before Congressional commit-tees, first on behalf of the CCD and eventually presenting testimony in behalf of ANCOR itself.
National Fire-Safety RequirementsIn the 1970s, ANCOR also played an instru-mental role in the development of new, flexible life-safety requirements specifically targeted at small homes for people with intellectual disabilities. What was then the National Bureau of Standards (NBS, now the NIST, National In-stitute of Standards and Technology) undertook a project that would, six years later, address the specific needs of a broader range of housing for not only people with intellectual disabilities but also for those with mental illness and those who were aging. Those populations were also increasingly moving to smaller community residences.
ANCOR’s second president, Don Boyer, from Iowa, and Joni Fritz served on the Joint Con-sulting Panel on Board and Care Homes for the life of the NBS project. Member Bob Murray, from Texas, later joined the Consulting Panel. Project staff from NBS visited member agen-cies in Iowa and Minnesota near the beginning of the project to see for themselves the ability of well-trained people with intellectual disabili-ties to take action for self-preservation in times of emergency.
The result of the project was “A Fire Safety Evaluation System for Board and Care Homes” that was presented to the National Fire Protec-tion Association (NFPA) to modify for inclu-sion as a new chapter in its Life Safety Code 101. A later ANCOR President, Peter “Skip” Sajevic, became a member of the NFPA Tech-nical Committee on Board and Care Homes and Joni Fritz served as an alternate, attending most of the meetings. Several years later David Ray Kiely (at the time an ANCOR Board member from New York) became ANCOR’s representative, and today Cindy Mahan from Arkansas represents the Association on the NFPA Technical Committee. Twice, at the fi-nal meeting held to adopt a new Code, ANCOR has successfully spearheaded a vote to overturn proposed changes in the Code which would add onerous and unnecessary hardware require-ments. The most recent of these was in 2009.
As Cindy will tell you, this type of intervention is difficult and unusual in the history of NFPA.
Outside Resources Working on the InsideSome outside resources really worked on the in-side. Perhaps the most valuable to ANCOR was the service provided for several years by The Chimes’ CEO Terry Allen Perl and his assistant Cecil Fox. When Terry became Treasurer of the association he and Cecil decided after one look at the recordkeeping system that something far more formal had to be instituted immediately. Not only was a bookkeeping system installed right away, but for several years all ANCOR bills were paid by Cecil. This continued until an accounting firm with offices next to the ANCOR headquarters was hired to perform these duties. Eventually Marge Griggs joined the staff and performed these functions in-house, with oversight from the accounting firm. Today Cindy Allen de Ramos is ANCOR’s Finance Manager.
Thanks to MannyWe would like to close this chapter of the early history of ANCOR by crediting Manny Hall with using his people skills and instincts to give the association a firm footing. Without his introductions to people in CCD organizations, federal agencies and leading providers in the states, Joni Fritz could not have succeeded in running the association after his departure.
In the next installment, we will continue our discussion of ANCOR’s involvement in national programs and resources that influence supports for people with disabilities.
AUTHOR LINK: The author, Joni Fritz, is a former CEO of ANCOR.
Beginning, from page 24.
Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.
--Stephen Covey
LINKS May 201028
2010 ANCOR Events CalendarMay
5 Webinar:NationalFactsandFiguresfromANCOR’sPerformanceExcellenceBenchmarkingProject.RegisterHere.
19 Webinar:NationalFactsandFiguresfromANCOR’sPerformanceExcellenceBenchmarkingProject.RegisterHere.
June
2 PartIofIV--BestPracticesWebinarSeries:TopPerformingAgenciesShare ModelPractices,PoliciesandProcedures.
9 PartIIofIV: BestPracticesWebinarSeries:TopPerformingAgenciesShare
ModelPractices,PoliciesandProcedures.
16 PartIIIofIV: BestPracticesWebinarSeries:TopPerformingAgenciesShare
ModelPractices,PoliciesandProcedures.
23 PartIVofIV: BestPracticesWebinarSeries:TopPerformingAgenciesShare
ModelPractices,PoliciesandProcedures.
September
12-14ANCOR’sGovernmentalActivitiesSeminar Washington,DC IncludingDSPstoDCandANCOR’sAnniversaryParty
October
21-22TheTenthAnnualColemanInstituteConferenceonCognitiveDisability andTechnology,withANCORandNCCBHTechnologyLeadershipSummit
Westminster,CO
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