LIVE
2501 W. 26th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57105-2498
A Quarterly Publication for Families & Guardians of Those Supported by LifeScape • December 2015
2016 Legislative Preview
Upcoming Events In This Issue: • 2016 Legislative Preview • Safety & Security at LifeScape • Anne’s Message • Wellness Committee • Students Give Thanks • Relationship Class Graduates Meet our Staff: Jenette Merrill Dr. Kimberly Marso
January 15, 2016 • Skyforce Night for LifeScape Sanford Pentagon Tickets are $10 if you mention LifeScape at check out. Tickets available through the Skyforce box office 605-332-0605.
April 2, 2016 • Skyforce Night for LifeScape Sanford Pentagon Tickets are $10 if you mention LifeScape at check out. Tickets available through the Skyforce box office 605-332-0605.
January 29, 2016 • You Look Marvelous Edith Mortensen Theatre, Augustana This all-abilities children’s performance is based on “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
April 3, 2016 • Pancake Benefit Sioux Falls Convention Center Tickets are $5 in advance from staff members and on our website; $6 at the door.
February 6, 2016 • MallWalk Empire Mall Walk’n Roll for LifeScape. Get registered at LifeScapeSD.org/events
April 30, 2016 • TableScapes The Country Club of Sioux Falls This year will be an evening event starting at 5:30pm.
See more events and Free Parent Trainings at LifeScapeSD.org/events Showing Appreciation to our Community
Our volunteer services department recently organized a group of adults who receive day services to help deliver cookies and a special appreciation message to neighborhood businesses and homes. Businesses near our Louise Avenue, Western Avenue, and Inspirations facilities and neighbors living near the 26th street facility were thrilled to receive the yummy Cookie Cutter treats and to meet LifeScape friends. A few of them even got teary eyed. This will be an annual gesture going forward. We also provide Cookie Cutter treats to our city’s first responders (police, fire, and ambulance) a few times a year to show our appreciation for their service to our community and their responsiveness to the needs of the people we support.
Please consider making a financial gift to support the work of LifeScape. Just click “Make a Donation” at www.LifeScapeSD.org, or to donate to a specific project or discuss legacy giving, contact the LifeScape Foundation at (605) 444-9800.
LifeScape leadership has been actively preparing for the upcoming 2016 South Dakota Legislative session. We are working closely with our lobbyist to plan our policy platform for the upcoming year. At the top of our list is Medicaid funding, particularly as it relates to our workforce issues. Funding increases need to represent fair market adjustments, but also need to be great enough to impact staff wages and training to support our recruitment and retention efforts. Several Federal regulatory mandates that will have an impact on how we do business will also impact costs. We are hoping for a substantial base increase to our Medicaid services. Medicaid provides over 60% of LifeScape’s reimbursement for services. We expect legislation this year that would create licensure for certified Behavior Analysts in South Dakota. Last year, legislation was approved to mandate some insurance providers to cover Applied Behavior Analysis services (known as ABA services) for children with autism. Licensing these professionals, which LifeScape employs several of, is a key step in process of providing meaningful services to children with autism in this state. We will support this legislation.
We will be watchful of any legislation related to childhood immunizations. Because we support many children and adults with fragile medical conditions, we want to ensure that all children receive their immunizations as required by state law, and that no new legislation is passed that would weaken those laws or expand the current exemptions to the law. Finally, we will support legislation that will allow our state to implement the Federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act – which will ease financial strains faced by people with disabilities by making tax-free savings accounts available to cover qualified expenses such as education, housing, and transportation. There is always the potential for new legislation that could positively or negatively impact the people we support, families, employees, or our services. We will actively monitor all legislation and will support, oppose, or at times remain neutral – whatever is in the best interest of those we serve. If you have questions or would like to take a more active role in the legislative process, please contact Angie Brown, VP of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives at angie. brown@LifeScapeSD.org or by phone at 605-444-9516.
Safety & Security at LifeScape Random acts of violence are becoming all too common, even right here in our own state. Although we don’t always know why these things happen, it is a harsh reality that no one or no place is immune. We want you all to know that the safety and security of our staff, the people receiving supports, and our volunteers is of utmost importance to us. After an incident in Harrisburg, SD this last fall, we solicited the advice of our local law enforcement and began to carefully review the current security at our facilities and will be implementing some changes within the next 30 to 45 days. One such change will likely be limiting entry into the facilities by locking some entrances. This has already been in practice at our 26th Street location
because of the nature of the services and by hospital/ school industry practices. As new policies and practices are implemented, we will ensure that the people we support, families, volunteers, employees, and guests have an awareness of these practices through communication, training, and facility signage. We can never feel truly “ready” for a random act of violence in our facility, or in any setting in our community that we may happen to be in, but we must do whatever we can to be prepared. Please look for further communication in the near future, and do not hesitate to contact your family’s support person or any LifeScape supervisor if you have questions or specific concerns.
A Message from Anne Dear LifeScape Families and Guardians,
As you likely know first-hand, LifeScape is not immune to the workforce issues that have impacted our city, state, and region. Since our business is built around the strength of our staff, this workforce challenge has been our number one priority. Our focus is keeping the employees that we have and finding (and then keeping) new employees to fill our open positions. Our Board of Directors recently approved a workforce plan, which was just implemented, that we believe will have an impact on both retention and recruitment. One part of this plan is increasing starting and current wages for several different positions, with the largest groups being direct care staff and front line supervisors. We are also investing in staff training, career development programs, and cutting edge technology to provide for a well-trained, experienced, and stable workforce to carry out our mission. You may wonder what resources we are using to support the changes in starting wages and the other pay adjustments being made. We laid out a detailed sustainability plan to the Board Finance Committee. The adjustments will largely be paid for by reallocating the resources we are now spending on overtime, hiring and other incentives we have put into place to address our staffing challenges. Additionally, the LifeScape Foundation team will be facilitating a Workforce Fundraising Campaign so we can continue to confront our workforce issues through the training and technology components of the proposal. Since the implementation of the plan, we have gotten some very encouraging feedback from our staff. I thought you’d enjoy seeing these: “I was so excited when I received the letter in the mail regarding the recent wage increase. This change has made my position really feel like a career. I hope to quit my part time job outside of LifeScape due to this change and focus more on my full time job here.” “I am very thankful for the wage increase. More pay means more security at my job. I love working for LifeScape, but I have to be honest…. I was looking at possibly going somewhere else. That will not happen now. Thanks so much.” “Thank you so much for the raise. This makes life easier for me knowing I will now be able to make it financially on this wage and not have to worry about a possible second job.”
Thanks for your continued understanding and patience as we work to get ahead of this issue. Although a lot of work remains, it feels like this “boost” in wages really will make a difference, as will our increased focus on training, technology and positive organizational culture. We are honored to be working with your family member and living our mission to empower children and adults with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives! Blessings to you this holiday season – from the LifeScape family to yours!
Anne Rieck McFarland, LifeScape CEO
Wellness Committee Members Needed
It is the Wellness Committee’s mission to work collaboratively in implementing the new LifeScape wellness policy and to create an environment that promotes healthy life styles. Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight require access to healthy food, knowledge of nutrition, and appropriate amounts of physical activity. The wellness committee is actively trying to find ways to engage people supported, families of those we support, and employees in opportunities to be active and live a healthier lifestyle through family fun nights and other promotional “events” throughout the year. Currently, the committee is made up of members who are capable of adapting activities and events to meet the unique circumstances of the people supported at LifeScape. We are actively looking for a community member and a parent to fill chairs we currently have open. If you have any interest in becoming a member of our group, please contact Robert Beringer at 444-9642 or email at Robert.Beringer@LifeScapeSD.org.
LifeScape Students Give Thanks Written by Trevor
Following school activities related to Thanksgiving, the students gathered for a Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday, November 24th. Student volunteers decorated the family style tables in the school gym for the occasion. Many student’s family members joined us, to add to the enjoyment of the meal! A slide presentation played during the mealtime displaying the many things our students and staff are thankful for. Robert and Michelle are thankful for family and health. Wayne is thankful for working with LifeScape students. Many of the students said they are thankful for family, teachers, movies, and sensory toys.
Proud Graduates of Relationships Class
Fifteen people recently graduated from a Relationship Class taught by Laura May, a Wellness Advocate at LifeScape. This 10 week course addressed self-esteem issues and helped people determine personal boundaries. Those who graduated attended all 10 weeks. The class uses the Circles Curriculum to teach about different kinds of relationships. Explained by Laura May, “We define different kinds of relationships with colors on a circle. This helps participants learn about boundaries, strangers versus friends, how to know what to say or do depending on what kind of relationship you are in, and the sequence of changes that happen when getting to know someone.”
MEET OUR STAFF Jenette Merrill
Food and Nutrition Services Coordinator
As the Food and Nutrition Services Coordinator, Jenette’s day is fulfilled by working with several of the children at LifeScape and providing them nutritional support. “On a daily basis, I assess the nutrition status of about half of the children here, I develop individualized meal/snack plans to promote a positive growth trend and I manage enteral nutrition for the children who need those supports,” says Jenette. But Jenette doesn’t stop there. With the help of others, her goal is to further expand the nutritional services at our adult facilities as well – ensuring that all are receiving proper nutrition for health and wellness. Amy Kubal, a fulltime Dietician, joined Jenette’s team in October and shares her time between adult and children services. Jenette explains “with the addition of Amy, we are now able to complete adult nutritional assessments, provide more support to the nursing and food services staff at our Western Ave facility, and offer more nutrition education.” Another enhancement under Jenette’s leadership is the food service staff at 26th street now provides meals to three of our adult supported homes. “We were asked to provide meals to these homes because many of the adults need their food texture modified and preparation was becoming too big of a task for each home to handle on their own. We provide approximately 13 staff meals and 33 adult meals each evening, 7 days a week,” says Jenette. Jenette has been employed with LifeScape for 6 years and has an office at the 26th street location. She and her husband have 2 sons and 2 cats.
Dr. Kimberly Marso Chief Operating Officer Sioux Falls native Dr. Kimberly Marso knew at an early age that this was the field she wanted to work in. While earning undergraduate degrees in special education and psychology from the University of South Dakota, she worked as an overnight staff in a residential facility supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. After graduating, she worked as a case manager for a local Community Support Provider before starting her graduate work at the University of Illinois-Carbondale. At UI-C, she earned a master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), and a doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Administration. She joined the LifeScape staff in 2002 as Director of Residential Services (for Children’s Care). Now, as Chief Operating Officer at LifeScape, Kimberly is responsible for the overall leadership, guidance, and strategic direction for our program operations. This includes licensure, accreditation, customer satisfaction, policies, procedures, quality assurance, and health information management, in all of Adult and Children’s Services (adult residential, day services, supported employment, specialty school, children’s residential (ICF), specialty hospital, outreach, outpatient, and Rehabilitation Medical Supply) in accordance with our Mission/Vision/Values and person-centered practices. She is also the administrative liaison to the Medical Staff and Medical Directors, to help ensure excellent delivery of medical services. Her big-picture goals are to have a stabilized workforce and be the employer of choice. This will help LifeScape achieve its ultimate goals, to support every person in the way they want to be supported, and to have them be fully integrated into their community. “When we affiliated, it was a dream come true to have the entire spectrum of services for people,” says Kimberly. “It’s important to me that we make a difference in the lives of people every day,” Kimberly has three children, Joshua, 15; Julia, 12; and Nicholas, nine.