Issuu

INSIDER Adult Protective Services Quarterly News

CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE Corinna’s Story

Employee

APPRECIATION

Fall 2020

Photo by Derek Wachter Wenatchee River, WA

FALL 2020 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Financial Exploitation Specialists

Social media fatigue

PHOTO CONTEST Winner Derek Wachter Investigator, Kennewick “I got into photography because my friend introduced me to the hobby. I enjoy it because it’s another outlet of self-care for me. After a long week of working cases and working through the stressors of the job, photography helps me unwind and experience the world around me in a different light.”

FROM OUR APS LEADERS As I wrote my message for the first edition of the APS Insider back in January 2020, I had no idea what this year had in store for us. Like many of you, I planned for a smooth year with clear deadlines, exciting opportunities such as the first Joint APS conference and more. However, we were thrown the curve ball of a lifetime with the COVID-19 pandemic. It forced us to change our business practices and lifestyles overnight. The perseverance, flexibility, integrity and creativity you all have shown solidified what I have known for a long time; we have a remarkable APS team that is resilient and exemplifies admirable dedication to serving vulnerable adults. Kathy Morgan APS Director

Words do not begin to encompass the pride and gratitude I feel for our people. On a “normal” day, our work with APS requires patience, persistence and a great deal of care for others. Those requirements have been amplified during this time and it’s amazing how people rose to the challenge to continue best serving others. I am so proud of my staff for continuously working to improve even during times of challenges. Even with the new strains of daily life, you’ve risen to the occasion and worked towards the best possible outcomes. Juggling home life and quality work has been no small feat. Feel proud in what you’ve accomplished and know we’re here to support you however we can. This edition, I wanted to focus on really showing appreciation for all that you do. I also want to encourage each and every one of you to continue tapping into your support system and practicing self-care. We’ve taken on a lot, and it’s critical that we remember to take care of ourselves before caring for others. Here are a few things I’d like to encourage you to try: • Take a break. Many of our vacations got canceled this year, but that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a break. Work with your teammates and find a day to use some annual leave time or your personal holiday. Unplug, relax and focus on what you need. • Reach out to others. The way we interact with our colleagues and support systems has changed. Send a Skype message to someone you haven’t talked to in a while or schedule an extra 10 minutes onto a meeting to just check-in with other people. Those kinds of connections help us collectively become stronger. The words “thank you” do not express the recognition you deserve, but it’s a start. I can’t thank you enough for the amazing work you do every single day. We’re here to support you in all aspects of your life and are proud to be surrounded by some of Washington’s best employees.

FROM OUR APS LEADERS By the end of March, we transitioned 98% of our team to working remotely full time. The abrupt transition presented challenges for us all as we learned to work from modified home areas, juggle family and work needs and learn new routines. The results have been overwhelmingly positive. Overall, we’ve continued to process intakes in a timely manner and conduct investigations within the allotted time frames.

Paula Hughes APS Deputy Director

I volunteered to be on the committee for ALTSA’s Safe Start return to the office plan, specifically regarding how to prepare for community and home visits. Our plan is still in progress in conjunction with DSHS and the state overall. Our plan focuses on serving our clients efficiently while prioritizing the health and safety of our staff and clients. We will continue to provide updates as we move through the plan. The future of APS will include a blend of in-office and remote work, depending on essential job functions. The challenges of this year have proven to us that we can adapt and adjust in order to serve vulnerable adults. Thank you for all that you do!

See your photo featured in the APS Insider! Do you enjoy photography? Do you have some cool pictures you’d like to showcase? Email your images to Amanda Williams at amanda.williams2@dshs.wa.gov to see your images in our upcoming editions!

Photo by Derek Wachter

Upcoming APS Events Coffee Break with Kathy

October 27

Roadshow Meetings with Kathy and Paula Region 2

October 1

Region 3

October 8

Region 1

October 14

Region 3

October 20

Region 2

November 3

Region 1

December 1

Transforming Lives Celebrating successes as we work to serve vulnerable adults and hold perpetrators accountable.

Photo by Derek Wachter Westport, WA

REGION 1: FROM SELF-NEGLECT TO SUCCESS We received a self-neglect referral for an individual who was depressed, refusing care and showing signs of potentially infected wounds. APS met with the individual and the person agreed to receive in-home services. The APS investigator helped facilitate an urgent referral. However, the individual moved to an unknown address before being assessed. The APS investigator utilized database resources and found a potential address for the person. The investigator conducted a home visit and noticed that the person was in medical danger. The investigator immediately called 911 and the person was transported to the hospital. The individual was diagnosed with severe wounds that required intensive medical treatment. The investigator’s diligence helped get the person necessary resources to heal.

REGION 2: TEAMWORK FOR PROTECTION We received a report alleging the physical abuse of an individual with developmental disabilities. The concerns were against the individual’s parent. APS worked with the individual and requested emergent medical attention. The individual was transported to the hospital and APS ensured that the person would not be discharged from the hospital or have contact with the parent until legal processes were in place to ensure the individual’s ongoing safety. This case required collaboration between APS teammates and is a great example of how working together to find solutions can help best serve vulnerable adults.

REGION 3: CREATING SAFE ENVIRONMENTS We received a report alleging the self-neglect of an elderly person who was increasingly forgetful. The person was displaying new, uncommon behaviors and was becoming violent. The person’s family didn’t know how to manage the new behaviors and needed assistance. The family attempted to work with specialists and support programs, but were unsuccessful. The person’s agitation continued, which resulted in numerous outbursts, injuries and a hospital admittance. APS worked with the family to discuss options for supportive services and provided educational materials to help the family understand the individual’s challenges. APS provided guidance and emotional support to the family when they needed to navigate the mental health court system and helped them develop plans to best care for the individual. The family is grateful for the patience and assistance from APS. They are grateful to receive help to create a safe and successful plan for their loved one.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT GIA GORDON has worked in the Whitman County, Colfax APS office since May 1, 2019. Whitman County consists of many small towns, each with their own financial institutions, nursing facilities, supported living homes, hospitals and police stations.

Gia Gordon Social Service Specialist 3 Colfax

Gia immediately began forming relationships with community partners in her assigned area. She goes above and beyond to work with the professional community members. She’s even been asked to come work for a professional partner since they were very impressed with her knowledge and work ethic! Gia remains dedicated to APS and her ability to build strong community relationships supports her ability to complete timely, thorough investigations. Well done, Gia! Thanks for all you do! MARK ROPER worked in the APS Renton office from April 2018 -2019. After a short hiatus to Tennessee, he returned to APS as a supervisor in the Bellingham office. He now supervises a unit of investigators in Everett.

Mark Roper

APS Supervisor Everett

Mark retired from the army after many years of active duty where he served in a variety of different roles. He also has experience working for the US Forest Service, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, Family Services in Tennessee and Volunteers of America. Mark is a team player who is extremely knowledgeable about protective services. We are glad Mark has found his home in Washington and continues to serve others in his role with APS. Thanks, Mark! DEBRA ARBUCKLE was one of the first people to take on the selfneglect project. She has learned a lot throughout the process and has proven herself to be a great leader and resource for self-neglect specialists. She is always available to discuss potential protective services that may benefit alleged victims and is happy to share her knowledge about self-neglect with others.

Debra Arbuckle Social Service Specialist 3 and Self-Neglect Specialist Vancouver

Debra openly discusses the challenges and benefits of the self-neglect project and offers suggestions about areas of improvement. Debra is a great team player and organizes a fun monthly Skype “potluck” to help build virtual community amongst the team. Debra is truly a great asset to the APS team!

ASK THE EXPERTS

emotional time for victims and families. The specialists have to successfully juggle the safety of the alleged victim while managing the demands from the other entities involved.

Q: What are financial exploitation specialists and what is their role within APS?

A: Financial exploitations

specialists are unique positions within APS that handle the most complex financial exploitation cases we receive. A budget proviso was passed in 2015 that required us to specially train staff to handle complex financial exploitation cases. Often, these specialists handle cases that include multiple accounts, large sums of money and guardianship disputes. The specialists are trained to closely review stocks, bonds, complex scams and wire transfers. These types of cases take hours to sort through financial records to determine exactly how much money has been taken and where it has gone.

Financial exploitation specialists operate similarly to other social service specialists, except their expertise is in handling cases of financial exploitation. They conduct the same style of investigations in accordance with the APS chapter, offer protective services and ensure alleged victim safety. Their work includes increased documentation review and use of mathematical skills. The specialists support the regions. One of the challenges of the position is dealing with unique cases that involve guardianships, power of attorney, family, friends and others. The team works with numerous different banks as well as various law enforcement agencies. As in all APS cases, dealing with financial exploitation is an

Each year, we receive an increasing number of financial exploitation allegations. Our specialists have developed relationships with financial institutions and law enforcement to increase awareness of the issue and have helped facilitate efficient evidence gathering and coordination.

What’s New with

TIVA2

In July, we implemented some changes based on recommendations from staff: • Added a new “completed” section to the services tab to simplify the documentation of when services are offered and accepted. • Added a “request date” section to the supervisor dashboard on pending approvals. • The address displayed on the investigation participants page will update to display the selected primary address. • September: Staff can access TIVA2 and reference case information on their state iPhones or laptops when VPN is unavailable.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Combating Social Media Fatigue Original article posted on Psychology Today. Social media is a great way to stay connected to family and friends, especially during the age of social distancing. However, the platforms are often also saturated with strong opinions and negativity. The constant access to information and opinions adds to the overall noise in our lives. Too much exposure can cause fatigue, frustration and a negative outlook on the world. It’s important to check-in with yourself and assess your personal social media use. How much time do you spend on social media each day? What kind of people are you engaging with on social media? What kinds of conversations are you having? How do you feel while you’re using the apps? How do you feel once you log off? If you’re noticing that you’re spending too much time or that your usage is causing negative feelings, it’s time to take a break. In a world that’s constantly connected, it’s okay to give yourself permission to disconnect. A simple way to give yourself a social media break is to remove the distraction by putting your phone in another room. By removing the temptation physically, you’re allowing yourself space to engage in the present and disconnect virtually. You can apply this technique by creating “phone free zones” in your house, like at the dinner table or the bedroom. You can also take it one step further and designate phone free days. Phone free days provide you with opportunities to connect with family in person or focus on nature. Reducing social media usage doesn’t mean you need to reduce your interaction with others. There are certain conversations that may be even more meaningful if done off line. In a world where text messages, posts and emails are abundant, a phone call where you can hear someone’s tone can go a long ways. Social media only provides us with a snapshot of the world, and it’s not always an accurate or positive representation. Reduce your usage and see how it impacts your overall happiness. Maybe this is the break you need right now.

YOUR

VOTE MATTERS Election Day Tuesday, November 3, 2020 Learn more about voting in Washington State.

Client Perspective:

Corinna’s Story Corinna is a self-proclaimed social butterfly who loves meeting friends for coffee dates, hosting girls’ night at her home and working on group craft projects. She’s known to greet everyone with a warm smile and a big hug. “Since all of my favorite activities include hanging out with other people, this pandemic has been hard,” said Corinna. “My friends and I continue to host zoom calls where we chat, but it’s just not the same. I can’t wait to have everyone in the same room where we can talk and laugh together for hours!” Corinna and her husband recently celebrated 14 years of marriage. They are baseball season ticket holders and their favorite date night is a trip to the movies. The couple loves to travel and hopes to one day visit Hawaii for a tropical getaway. When I congratulated Corinna on her many years of marriage, she chuckled and wisely said, “It hasn’t always been easy. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs over the years. But together, we’ve dealt with the good, the bad and everything in between. I’m lucky to have him as a partner. We’ve really helped each other through a lot.”

When she’s not off having fun with her family and friends, Corinna works as a self-advocacy coordinator for The Arc of Snohomish County. She is also on the board of directors with People First, where she mentors advocates, provides guidance for shaping policies, hosts social events and works to educate others about people with disabilities. Corinna has served as a member of the selfadvocate community for more than 25 years. Corinna understands the challenges of having a disability, as she has cerebral palsy. She and her husband live independently and receive part-time assistance from a caregiver. Over the past several years, she’s had to work with Adult Protective Services (APS) on a few different cases.

Working with Adult Protective Services “I was really nervous the first time I was contacted by APS,” said Corinna. I didn’t know much about the organization and didn’t understand why they were at my house. It’s not something people really talk about until you need them.”

Her nerves settled after she met with the investigator and learned more about the process. Each time investigators came to visit, they treated her respectfully and seemed to really care about their job. She noted that each time APS visits, it’s a little bit unsettling, but she knows that they are there to help protect her rights and keep her safe in her own home.

“Communication is very important to me,” said Corinna. “I know that APS is only allowed to share certain information, but sometimes I feel lost in the process. It would be great if people could explain to me what the steps are and why they can’t share certain information with me. I also think it would be helpful to know when a case has closed just so I can close that chapter in my life.”

“I appreciate the work of APS,” said Corinna. “It’s important to have people looking out for people with disabilities to make sure they are safe. In my experience, it seems like some investigators may not be familiar or comfortable working with people with disabilities. I think there are some great opportunities for us to learn from each other about how to best work together.

Moving forward, Corinna would like to continue sharing about her experiences with APS to help inform both APS employees and other people with disabilities to improve working relationships that best fit everyone’s needs. She believes there’s always room for improvement and the best way to learn is by talking with each other.

Corinna explained that additional information about tools used by people with disabilities may be important context for APS staff. She also noted the importance of using person-first language and asking questions if you’re not sure how someone would like to be addressed.

“I think the most important thing to remember is that no matter who you’re working with, we’re all human and we all have the same feelings.”

Corinna’s Favorite Things

SUMMER STAFF APP Region 1 THANK YOU

Region 1 hosted two virtual events. The events included a video titled “Transforming Lives” that showed different employees throughout the region sharing their experiences. We played games, hosted a guest speaker, announced the winners of our region-wide “share your telework space” contest and listened to a presentation from our RA about last year’s stats, accomplishments and our goals for the next year. View a message from Kathy Morgan!

Region 2

Region 2 hosted an employee appreciation event that was designed to serve as a social hour with opportunities to engage with others. The event included break out groups to discuss seven different questions as well as thought provoking videos. We also played music to help keep things entertaining! Staff appreciated the opportunity to connect with teammates they don’t usually work with directly. Check out our staff video here.

PRECIATION EVENTS Region 3 THANK YOU

View Region 2 videos

Region 3 hosted a virtual employee appreciation events for Vancouver/Kelso, Tumwater/Centralia and Tacoma. Each event included a series of team building games and breakout sessions with individual units. The staff participation and creativity was great! In Vancouver, each team chose a color and shared an item that represented the color from their telework environment! It was a great, fun way to connect and recognize everyoneâ€™s hard work! We hope to do more virtual appreciation events in the future.

View Region 1 video

Meet the APS Leadership Team Kathy Morgan - APS Director My summer was filled with work in the office and on my property! I chipped away at several projects around the house and one of my big accomplishments was refinishing a chair (which was a much bigger job than I anticipated…). Luckily, I was able to take a trip to Hawaii last January before the pandemic hit. I keep looking back on my time zip lining through the rain forest and can’t wait to go back again!

Paula Hughes - APS Deputy Director We cancelled our “big” vacation plans and instead took small trips locally! The summer weather was perfect this year and my family and I took the opportunity to go fishing in rivers up north. We also visited lakes locally in the South Sound and hiked around the state while enjoying the views of the mountains and beaches.

Sheri Konsonlas - Regional Administrator, R1 We improvised our summer plans and made the most of it! My husband, Rob, and I mainly enjoyed time in our backyard with our two granddaughters, Charley Rae (3) and Sophia (5 months). We made a late summer road trip to Boise to visit our oldest daughter, Alexis, and enjoyed time with her fishing and rafting.

- What did you do this summer? Anita Canonica - Regional Administrator, R2 A little over a year ago, my husband and I bought a little beach house fixer-upper in Seaview (Long Beach), WA! It was a mess and was infested with termites. We tore everything out right down to the dirt! We are finally able to stay in the house and it turned out just as we had hoped. This is what happens when you watch too much HGTV!

Theresa Espana - Deputy Regional Administrator, R2 I spent a week at the Semiahmoo Resort in July! My husband and I opted for this location since we had to cancel our original plans to visit Whistler. This was our first time at the resort. We enjoyed walking along the beach, sitting by the fire watching the sunset and eating s’mores (provided by the resort!) This was a heavenly way to unplug and relax!

Tara Fairfield - Regional Administrator, R3 We packed up our car and took a road trip to Yosemite National Park! The park was restricting the number of visitors allowed each day and we got to experience the wonder of this beautiful place without crowds! My family made memories hiking and laughing. It reminded us to slow down and appreciate being in the moment.

Jill McCarl - Deputy Regional Administrator, R3 This was the summer of tackling projects at home! I started by clearing out blackberry bushes in my backyard… ouch! I spent a lot of time and realized what getting puppies into training lessons is very important. My family and I took a couple excursions to Washington beaches and I began to paint the outside of my house (which appears to have been an over commitment). It was a productive summer and I’m looking forward to fall!

LET US KNOW! Do you have content ideas or success stories for the next quarterly APS Magazine? Let us know! Send your thoughts to amanda.williams2@dshs.wa.gov

Photo by Erika Parmelee Nisqually, WA