Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change
Individual Support Systems, Inc
3615 SW 29th, Suite 201

January 12, 2006
Meeting Summary

In Attendance:
Bonnie Duden, Sarah Emrick, Doloris Engel, Dan Hermreck. Marcie Grace, Pattie Knauff, Bobbie Keller, Tracy (Melte) Price, Loretta Shelley, Gary Merklein, Kelly Smith, Kathy Stiffler, Kathy Olson, Brian Bolen, Sarah Williams, Pattie Dumovich, Patty (Black) Moore, Amy Hewitt, Tim Lister, Melanie Smith, Sheila Bosch, Renee Hall

Introductions
Kathy Stiffler led an introductory activity and welcomed four KADSP planning group participants. TARC, DSNWK, ISS, and LakeMary are commended for bringing DSP representatives. Tim, Melanie, Sheila, and Renee contributed to the KMFC meeting before adjourning to meet to discuss KADSP.

Review of Year Three KMFC Workforce Data – Continued improvement seen!
Year 3 Data was reviewed. Improvement in the direction desired was seen in most areas. Data was not available from all of the original participating service providers. The smaller sample of agencies providing data, make it difficult to generalize these outcomes to the status of the Kansas DSP/FLS workforce.

Although statewide generalizations should not be made, summary data reflects positive movement. Data indicates:

Decreases in:

• DSP (direct support professional) turnover,
• FLS (frontline supervisor) turnover,
• FLS vacancy rate,
• percentage of DSPs leaving with less than 6 months tenure, and
• percentage of organizations curtailing services to newcomers due to workforce shortages.

Increases were reported in:

• wages for both DSPs and FLSs

Negative changes seen include:

• increases in DSP vacancy rate and percent of budget spent on overtime

Portfolio Reviews
Fourteen Ad Astra Candidate portfolios from DSNWK and ISS were reviewed on 1-11-06. Nine individuals completed all requirements for the Certificate of Initial Proficiency. The portfolios reflected a great deal of work and growth of DSPs.

Discussion with Amy Hewitt regarding progress and the Moving Mountains Award.
As part of her final site visit for the project, Amy met with participants to review activities since the end of formal project funding. Activities related to collaboration, training, apprenticeship and advocacy were reviewed. Success and challenges were discussed.

Amy will provide a revised Realistic Job Preview for the project participants at the next meeting.

The Moving Mountains Award
The Moving Mountains Award will be presented in San Diego at the Reinventing Challenges Conference on February 12th  -14th. KMFC is one of four recipients. Kathy, Dan, Sarah, Patty, Shelly will attend.  Kathy Stiffler will make the acceptance speech.  Everyone will assist with the presentation. Dan will coordinate the effort.  As a result of a drawing Kathy Stiffler and Patty Dumovich will receive the complimentary registrations for the conference. Other state policy leaders attending the conference will be invited to join in the award activities (award acceptance and recipient dinner). Kathy Stiffler will assure that Kansas’ representatives from SRS are invited to accept the award.

Update – Shelly May will not be attending. Donna Beauchamp, DD Council Chair, hopes to attend the conference.

The award will be in the form of a large trophy.  Since we are geographically dispersed and don’t have a “home base’ for the award, the group decided to make a presentation to the governor if possible. We will look into how to use receipt of the award as a public relations opportunity to garner support for KMFC.  Kathy Olson will explore with members how to make this happen.

Update – Bonnie Duden and Loretta Shelly are working with Public Relations representatives from the department of commerce to publicize the award and to assist with its presentation.

College of Direct Support
The College of Direct Support is not in the Governor’s budget request. Although we were not successful in putting this training in the request in the budget, member efforts in writing letters, in getting support from InterHab, ACT (Advocates in Community Teams of South Central Kansas) are appreciated and others.

The College of Direct Support remains a priority. CDS is a keystone in the apprenticeship program, offers access to essential training for DSPs and frontline supervisors.  KMFC will continue to explore possibility of getting funding. Kathy Stiffler and Brian Bolen will examine SRS options.  Bonnie and Loretta will advocate within the Department of Commerce. Kathy Olson and others will continue to explore all other options.

Report of Kansas Alliance of Direct Support Professionals

See notes below.

Dan Hermreck has agreed to be the KADSP state contact.

Plans for other goals were deferred until the next meeting.

Next KMFC Meeting –
The Arc, 2919 West 2nd
Wichita, Kansas
April 13th   10 am – 3 pm
           
Thanks to Kelly Smith for making the meeting reservations.

Partial list of accomplishments since last meeting:

• The yahoo chat room was established (Thanks Dan).
• DSPs representing local service providers attended a state KADSP meeting
• InterHab and ACT identified CDS as a priority.
• Representatives made plans to accept the Moving Mountains Award
• 14 Ad Astra candidate portfolios were reviewed.
• Year 3 Data was collected.
• KADSP website was updated

Kansas Alliance of Direct Support Professionals – State Meeting
1/12/06
Individual Support Systems in Topeka

Melaine Smith, Lakemary, Tim Lister, TARC, and Sheila Bosch, DSNWK. Sarah Emrick and Dan Hermreck (facilitators)

To facilitate discussion, background information was provided by Marcie and shared by Dan and Sarah.

Information shared with this group included copies of the slide presentation developed by the initial group a couple of years ago and the handout on Strategies for Building a Regional NADSP Coalition that came from the national level as well as newsletters and items reflecting work on the national level from Amy.

How can interest in KADSP be promoted? What would be helpful?
- promote KADSP online
- have a core group to present KADSP to CDDOs and other agencies (identify specific person at agencies, get marketing support)
- highlight the importance of DSP recognition (all who do direct support i.e. paras, other types of aides)
- get agency support
- use email addresses for residential coordinators

How to get agency support:
-quarterly meeting to hear from DSPs (issues, ideas)
-develop core group from that; find DSPs to bring to that group

For example, TARC - has a SWAT group - Staff Wellness and Appreciation Team, an in-house email group could get info out to staff at TARC

How to start within organizations:
- Must answer to what can you (KADSP) do for me

Information to be dispersed could include what's happening at state level from DSP perspective, general information of the agency, how things impact DSPs.  Also be able to look at local issues on state level i.e. policy effects that we don't control.

What's in it for agency:  investment, commitment, recognition and responsibility

Importance of facilitator /leadership for this type of work group (KMFC) need to involve DSPs in this type of group.  Needs to be the same representatives to state meetings, not someone different each time.

Importance of CDS with educational piece (i.e. positive supports, rights issues).

Plans for the future:

• Next state meeting will be held at the same time and place as the KMFC meeting.
• Dan will be a contact for persons interested in KADSP