APS Insider - Summer 2020 Edition

INSIDER Adult Protective Services Quarterly News

ASK THE EXPERTS Learn about our ACL Grant

Summer 2020

Plan a Summer STAYCATION

Mount Rainier, WA

SUMMER 2020 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Teleworking Tips

14

Staycation Ideas

05

03 | DIRECTOR'S WELCOME 04 | DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S WELCOME 04 | UPCOMING EVENTS 05 | STAYCATION IDEAS 06 | SUCCESS STORIES 08 | EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT 09 | EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 10 | ASK THE EXPERTS 11 | COMMUNICATIONS CORNER 12 | APS TRAINING TEAM 13 | COFFEE BREAK WITH KATHY 14 | TELEWORK TIPS 14 | REGION 1 STORY

PHOTO CONTEST Do you enjoy photography? Do you have an awesome picture showcasing the beauty of Washington State? Send us your original photograph to be featured on the front cover of the next edition of the APS Quarterly Newsletter!

Email your picture to Amanda Williams at amanda.williams2@dshs.wa.gov by September 10.

All images must be 300 dpi or larger.

Headquarters staff will select the image to be featured on the cover.

FROM OUR APS LEADERS It’s hard to believe that APS has officially been its own division for one full year. It seems like just yesterday that headquarters staff were packing their spaces for the move to Blake East and extensive work was being done statewide to transition to centralized intake. The last 12 months have been a whirlwind and a true testament of the innovation, expertise and strong work ethic of APS staff.

Kathy Morgan APS Director

The year was filled with many major moments. Some of my favorite events were Roadshows, the fall all-staff conference, leadership retreats and Coffee Breaks with Kathy. It’s been a privilege learning from each other, discussing areas of improvement and brainstorming ideas about how to best serve our clients and staff.

As a new division, we had a lot of flexibility to create a new work culture from the ground up. A few areas for improvement that we heard about repeatedly during staff engagement activities were the need for additional training, opportunities for modernizing the workplace, providing additional employee support, offering tuition reimbursement and recruiting the next generation of APS employees.

Staff have worked hard to improve upon these areas. We now have a designated training team at headquarters that is revamping the APS Academy and designing statewide curriculum. Work groups continue throughout the state to refine how we can offer options like teleworking and flexible schedules while maintaining quality service. Region 3 piloted the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program to provide additional support to staff and we hope to expand this effort into other areas of the state. DSHS has provided additional guidance on tuition reimbursement and our teams hit the road several times to attend college recruitment fairs. These are just a few of our successes. Check out our comprehensive Roadshow Update Document to see all the great work we’ve done over the past year.

The year has been filled with great strides forward and a few wildly unexpected curve balls. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly threw everyone’s plans off, but I am proud of how APS adapted quickly to continue protecting vulnerable adults in a safe and efficient manner.

Thank you for the continuous work you do to protect our state’s most vulnerable. While it’s fun to look back and see how far we’ve come, I’m excited to see our improvements come to life and think about how far we’ll go!

FROM OUR APS LEADERS These past few months have been challenging for all of us. Adapting to new ways of life while balancing work, family, unsettling media stories and reduced social interaction has not been easy. At times, things can feel overwhelming. We all work for APS because we genuinely care for others. However, it’s important to remember to also take time and care for yourself.

My challenge for you is to create a toolkit of go-to ways to practice self-care.

The activities don’t have to be elaborate, but it helps to have a reserve of ideas that you can tap into when you need to take a moment for yourself.

Paula Hughes APS Deputy Director

A few of my favorite activities to unwind are watching silly Netflix movies with my husband, spending tech-free time outside with my kids and calling up a friend to share stories and laugh hard.

These times haven’t been easy and some days are better than others.

Remember to be kind and patient with yourself. Find time for fun, connect with others in a fulfilling way and ask for help if you need it.

Upcoming APS Events Coffee Break with Kathy

July 28

Roadshow Meetings with Kathy and Paula Holgate

October 1

Vancouver

October 8

Tacoma

October 20

Spokane

October 21

Yakima

October 22

Everett

November 3

FOUR

Summer Staycation Ideas • Take a Hike: There are numerous ways to enjoy the beautiful summer weather in the Pacific Northwest. Hiking is a great activity to get up, get moving and reconnect with nature. With trail options of varying levels all throughout, there’s something for everyone not too far away from your own back door.

Check out this article and visit some of the lesser-known trail options!

• Host a Backyard Movie Night: Nothing says summer quite like a drive in movie! Why not bring the good ol’fashion fun to the comfort of your backyard! There are numerous affordable options for projectors. Check out online retailers to find one that works for you.

Looking for a simpler solution? Grab your laptop and a pile of blankets and hunker in for a featured flick.

• Visit Northwest Trek: Northwest Trek is changing things up! For the first time in park history, you can drive your personal vehicle through the wildlife areas and get an up close and personal look at amazing animals! The Wild Drive Premier Tours offers everyone a window seat experience.

• Create a Cook-Off Competition: Grab your family, pick a food theme and see who can cook up the tastiest concoction! There are lots of ideas for friendly competitions including dessert making contests, BBQ contests, best re-created fair foods and more!

If you’re looking to kick it up a notch, plan a Food Network style competition and see who can get most creative with crazy ingredients.

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

Forks, WA

REGION 1: PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE APS received an initial report several years ago about an individual with a developmental disability. The individual was a victim of sex trafficking and APS worked with law enforcement to get the individual back home into a safe environment. This was the first of many reports to APS about the individual.

In the following years, the individual married a person who became the alleged perpetrator in numerous APS investigations involving allegations of neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, personal exploitation, financial exploitation and mental abuse. The couple gave birth to a few children that were all removed from the family

by Child Protective Services.

The most recent report involving the individual was related to self-neglect. The investigator took time and built a connection with the individual and has made significant progress in the past few months.

The individual left the spouse and returned to live with family. APS has worked with the family to provide connections to resources for victims of sex trafficking, the Developmental Disabilities Administration and free legal services to pursue a divorce from the alleged perpetrator.

REGION 2: IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIVES APS received a report about two elderly people that were in dire need of assistance. One person was bedridden and unable to speak. The other person was malnourished and weak. The perpetrator in this case had not only interfered with the health and well-being of these people, but also financially exploited them for many years.

This case had many complexities due to the nature of the case and the relationships of the involved people.

A team comprised of multiple investigators and a supervisor worked together to provide multiple protective services that improved the wellbeing of the individuals.

The investigator visited the individuals during a follow-up visit and reported that both individuals’ condition improved greatly. The bedridden individual is now able to speak and uses a wheelchair to take many field trips. The other individual has put on healthy weight and exudes an overall sense of happiness.

REGION 3: GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND APS work often involves going the extra mile to serve others. An investigator visited an alleged victim’s house on an emergent visit and learned that the individual was staying with a neighbor. The individual had forgotten how to use the home’s heating system and the house was too cold to live in.

The investigator assessed the situation and provided additional support by turning the heating system on and teaching the individual how to use it. The investigator did not leave the house until the home was at an appropriate temperature and the individual felt confident operating the system. The investigator went above and beyond to make sure the individual is okay. These acts of kindness help build bonds between the community and APS and showcase our exemplary services.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT BOB CRAIG is an honest and thoughtful employee who takes time to engage in a meaningful way with those around him. He handles the investigative process with expertise and compassion and has a knack for proving to clients that he truly cares.

Bob is a team player and is known for his leadership. He helps train numerous new employees and is a great resource who’s willing to share his expertise.

Bob Craig Social Worker Yakima

Bob has protected vulnerable populations for almost 26 years. He began his career with Child Protective Services and transitioned to APS in March 2012. Thank you, Bob, for being an excellent role model and mentor to the team.

ERIN STEWART started with APS in April 2020.

In a little over a month, Erin has excelled in her training and has been assigned investigations sooner than anticipated. She has filed her first guardianship and substantiated on two investigations.

Erin has also assisted her colleagues in writing finding summaries and is a great addition to our team.

Erin Stewart Social Worker Renton

CASSIE TABERY has a big heart and is always thinking of others. Cassie works diligently to support not only her colleagues in Tacoma but all staff in the region.

Cassie used her own resources to arrange for cloth face coverings to be made and delivered throughout the region to help protect against COVID 19.

Safety of all staff is at the forefront of her mind and she is a leader with a heart of gold.

Cassie Tabery Program Manager Tacoma

EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Helping Others Helps Yourself

Read the original article on Psychology Today.

What drives us to act generously? There are numerous factors that motivate us to behave altruistically, including feeling a sense of duty to do the right thing and personal fulfillment.

Research shows that acts of kindness, no matter how big or small, not only feels good but also does us good.

Generous acts give us a sense of meaning and purpose that helps increase happiness hormones and reduce feelings of depression.

Recent studies suggest that we benefit from all types of pro-social behavior, including helping others regulate their emotions. Social regulation of emotion is a key component of our relationships. Whenever we navigate children through a tantrum, help a friend through a hard time or rely on our partner after a challenging day, we’re engaging in social regulation of emotion.

The results of the study showed that helping others to regulate their emotions predicted better emotional and cognitive outcomes for those participants who were giving the help. Moreover, because heightened levels of self-focused attention are common in depression, the more people helped others, the more their helping behavior predicted a reduction in their own depression.

Next time you find yourself helping someone with regulating their emotions, consider how your efforts may be providing you with an opportunity to practice for future situations at a distance and improving your emotional well-being.

What's New with

TIVA2

TIVA2 1.7 launches July 9th. Here are some highlights • Participants address and phone number will update on the investigation page from person management.

• The “Services” section will now have a column to help track when “Services Accepted” have been completed.

• When a piece of work is restricted, the lock icon will display on all folders related to the piece of work.

ASK THE EXPERTS

of informational interviews with other APS programs across the nation to determine best practices in the field. After initial research was complete, draft copies for the safety and risk assessments were developed and meetings took place with headquarters and field staff to coordinate training curriculum, policies, current practices and strategic planning.

Q: What is the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Grant?

A: The Administration for

Community Living provides federal grant opportunities to states. In September 2019, Washington APS received the ACL grant specifically to enhance adult protective services program and practice statewide.

This grant represented an opportunity for APS to receive federal funds to support largescale enhancements that are part of the strategic vision for APS. Additionally, it provides an avenue to help build partnerships with APS programs across the country and tap into the knowledge-base of ACL as technical assistance resources.

Victoria Gawlik joined the APS team in February, 2020 as the ACL Grant Administrator.

The grant encompasses five main objectives, including: • The development of training curriculum specific to self-neglect and financial exploitation • Development and adoption of both a safety and risk assessment • Financial exploitation investigation support • Enhancements of TIVA2 for the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS)

As we move through summer and into the fall, regional staff will meet to review the content and structure of the assessments and the financial exploitation support. The products will be pilot tested with opportunities to gain feedback from users.

Additional demographic indicators have been submitted as TIVA2 change requests to comply with National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) and the team will continue to explore how behindthe-scenes changes would improve case component data.

Victoria is a born and raised Washingtonian from Steilacoom.

She has recently taken up vegetable gardening and is proud of her radishes!

• Increased collaboration with external partners.

Victoria has spent the past several months conducting background research in the form

Meet Victoria!

COMMUNICATIONS CORNER

North Bend, WA

The new year started strong with plans to continue attending college career fairs and expanding recruitment efforts to veteran career fairs and community events. As with all areas of life, the COVID-19 pandemic created a wrinkle in plans and the team had to quickly shift gears.

The ALTSA communications team transitioned into the role of public information officer at the Long-Term Care Incident Command Team (ICT) in the Blake East building in Lacey. The ICP was constructed in early March and initially was comprised of first responders and law enforcement representatives that are welltrained in disaster response. The team quickly identified immediate areas of action and developed systems for procuring and distributing PPE, monitoring infection control in facilities and developing accurate information for ALTSA employees, long-term care workers and families.

After several weeks, the ICP team transitioned their roles over to ALTSA staff to keep operations running smoothly. The ICP continues to evaluate the imminent needs related to COVID-19 and act accordingly.

APS specific communication has continued. Adult Abuse Awareness Month was in June. Posters were emailed to local offices upon request and a toolkit was shared with AAA offices. We’re working with the Department of Health Falls Prevention Unit to develop resources and training opportunities for mutual constituents. Our APS webpages are in the process of being re-designed to provide a more user-friendly experience for the general public. Staff engagement continues as does the redevelopment of important products such as PowerPoint presentations and the APS brochure.

Meet the New Organizational Development Specialist: Edgar Rivera Home and Community Services (HCS) partnered with Adult Protective Services to recruit a full-time organizational development employee who will work on improving our organizational effectiveness, maximize employees’ potential, work to create positive change and more.

Edgardo (Edgar) Rivera started in this role in early winter. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic began,he was dispatched to the ALTSA Incident Command Team (ICT).

As he transitions back to his role from the ICT he will be focusing on key initiatives for the two divisions, including re-establishing routine employee safety and awareness training, coaching staff on how to be successful when working remotely and assisting supervisors and managers with developing tools for providing quality leadership remotely. Please welcome Edgar to the team!

Meet Edgar!

Meet the APS Training Team The APS training team was established to develop and implement consistent, thorough training for all APS employees across the state. In the past several months, the team has been hard at work on the following projects: • Development of the new APS Training Academy • Modification of trainings for virtual facilitation • Creation of self-neglect interview example videos, in coordination with the University of Washington, to use in academy trainings • Updating the APS SSS3 training guide • Updating the supervisor academy curriculum to be utilized by supervisors when onboarding staff • Coordinating for the implementation of a new learning center that will replace LMS in November 2020 • Working with the ACL Grant administrator to develop new tools for staff.

The team has rapidly made progress towards centralized training and has numerous additional projects on the horizon, including: • The implementation of the new APS academy in fall 2020 • Testing new training tools • Training and implementation on how to use the new learning center • Developing additional phases of APS academy and ongoing staff trainings.

If you’d like to request assistance from the training team, please contact your regional chain of command to funnel the request to headquarters. Communications from the regional points of contact will be sent to the training team general email address at APSHQtraining@dshs.wa.gov.

Dave Beacham

Shawn Matthews

Arielle Finney

Rebecca Mead

Kelsey Cato

Training Program Manager 19 years with APS

Training Program Manager 13 years with APS

Policy and Legislative Program Manager 3.5 years with APS

Training Program Manager 3 years with APS

Training Program Manager 2 years with APS

Coffee Break with Kathy

July 28| 9:00 AM

Grab a cup of coffee and call-in to chat with APS Director Kathy Morgan!

This casual chat is the perfect opportunity to learn about what’s new with APS and ask any question you’d like!

Want to learn more about employee engagement, training, roadshow updates or Kathy’s favorite restaurant? Ask away! She’s happy to chat about anything.

Send your topic ideas or questions to amanda.williams2@dshs.wa.gov by July 20.

Teleworking tips to keep you successful

Pictured from left to right: Front Row: Cynthia Hawn, Nichole Garcia, Linda White, Brandi Hutzler, Marini Fox, Pat Stickel, Melissa Steele, Joana Zarate, Bertha Garza, Curt Crush, Angie Enderton, Erin Scheideman, Zara Knight, Jason Hays, Dona Cameron, Sheri Konsonlas and Lisa Porter. Not Pictured is Scott Hinton

Region 1 Advisory Committee Makes Strides In the summer of 2019, Regional Administrator Sheri Konsonlas and Deputy Regional Administrator Pat Stickel looked to Region 1 for feedback from APS members, which they self-titled as “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Tour.” Their endeavor led to the establishment of the Region 1 advisory committee.

This committee has been incredibly helpful on their mission to implement regional changes that were important to their staff.

During their “tour,” the staff gave honest feedback to Konsonlas and Stickel and provided suggestions on how to make needed improvements. Volunteers across disciplines and areas participated in the Regional Employee Ideas Advisory Committee, consisting of 9 APS Investigators, 4 APS Supervisors, 1 Program Manager, 1 SHPC and 1 Paralegal.

The advisory committee used Lean tools to organize the ideas Konsonlas and Stickel collected. They prioritized the 59 ideas based on level of impact and degree of difficulty. Based on their prioritization list, the committee selected nine ideas to start with and developed subcommittees to develop a plan.

Although this project is still in its early stages, the advisory committee has been very beneficial to Konsonlas and Stickel. “We appreciate all the feedback our APS teammates have provided and continue to provide as we continue on our quest for improvements in Region 1,” says Konsonlas.

It’s easy to get distracted when working from home. With chores, television, pets and comfy couches all within reach, it’s important to develop routines and boundaries to help keep you on track. Here are a few reminders that will help keep you on track!

1. Create a Designated Work Space: Whether you have a huge home office or a spare corner in your kitchen, it’s important to differentiate a special space for work. This will help you get in the work mindset and reduce distracting urges.

2. Set Boundaries: Try to maintain a regular schedule similar to the schedule you had in the office. Designate specific work times and don’t forget to take your regular breaks.

3. Get Organized: Clean up your desktop, organize your digital folders, clean up your workspace and create detailed to do lists. Organization can help you feel in control and focused when things are out of the norm.

4. Reduce Distractions: It might be tempting to stream Netflix in the background as you work. However, reducing additional distractions will help keep you focused and in “work mode.”

APS Roadshow & Staff Engagement Ideas in Action

We’ve been hard at work reviewing staff recommendations and making improvements to APS! Check out the Roadshow and Staff Engagement Updates document on SharePoint to track our progress!

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

Spokane, WA