Transformation Times Summer 2022

Transformation Times Summer 2022

TRANSFORMATION TIMES A quarterly newsletter for Vinfen Employees Volume 16: Summer 2022

In this issue: Autism Support Center: Who We Are, What We Do, P1 & P3 An Exciting New Chapter for Vinfen, P2 Coming Soon: Professional Development And Learning Guide, P3 Congratulations 2022 Board of Directors Scholarship Recipients, P4 Goodbye, Kronos. Hello UKG!, P5 Welcome to Our New Director of Service, Amy Saunders, P5 The Journey from Intern to Employee, P6 New Employee Spotlights, P7 Kingsley Nwaise Charles Coleman Spring 2022 Transformers of the Quarter, P8

Autism Support Center: Who We Are, What We Do By Kenny Apanpa, HR Manager Vinfen offers several services and one of them is Autism Support at the Autism Support Center, which is being led by Sethany Griffin, the Director of Family Support Services and Patricia Middelmann, the Autism Supervisor. The Autism Support Center is designed to offer specific expertise and provide an array of information and referral services, resources, and supports to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder from ages 3 to 22 and their families. The collection of services and supports includes information and referral, trainings, access to the latest information on autism, consultative clinics, support groups, parent and peer networking and mentoring, and social/recreational events, among other activities. The Autism Support Center also engages in active outreach to share information with families and community organizations about the resources we can provide.

Additionally, the center supports families through an initiative called the Autism Waiver program. The goal of the Autism Waiver Program (AWP) is to help young children with autism using an intensive set of in-home supports and services to address the core deficits of ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) including social emotional reciprocity, communication, and restrictive interests. The Program provides one-to-one behavioral, social, and communication-based interventions. The AWP provides services for children up to the age of 9 years; children may enter the program at age three and remain until age 9. Children may receive up to three years of intensive in- home services, and potentially three years of step-down services. The maximum amount of time a child can participate in the Program is six years.

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An Exciting New Chapter for Vinfen By Sophie Santaella, MBA, Chief Operating Officer & Interim Chief Executive Officer

I want to start by thanking Dr. Bruce Bird again for his service to Vinfen and more personally for his mentoring and partnership with me over the years. Bruce brought me back to Vinfen to serve as Chief Operating Officer 3.5 years ago and from that point we have worked shoulder- to-shoulder to strengthen and build Vinfen into one of the largest and most complex human services organizations in New England. Bruce’s impact as President and CEO will be felt at Vinfen and throughout our industry for years to come. If you have not had the opportunity to read the most recent article on Bruce’s Legacy of Care, I encourage you to do so. I am proud and honored to serve Vinfen as its Interim CEO and with our talented leadership and committed staff we are well positioned to thrive during this transitional period. We will not be standing still - the care we provide

is essential and our business does not wait for organizational change! Vinfen will continue to

focus on delivering high-quality services and integrated care to the people we serve. We will lead with our values and beliefs to ensure we strive every day to empower people with disabilities and life challenges to live meaningful lives within their communities. Over the summer you can expect a host of exciting announcements about new contracts and initiatives coming our way soon including the expansion of our outpatient clinic in Lowell to be a Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC). This center will provide not only routine and urgent outpatient services but also mobile crisis intervention as well as crisis stabilization beds for adults and youth in the Greater Lowell region. We are very excited to be expanding Vinfen’s services in this way and for the opportunity to increase access to timely behavioral health care and provide people in these communities an appropriate alternative to an unnecessary emergency department visit or hospitalization. We are taking on this project with our colleagues at Advocates and Wayside – another example of Vinfen Transforming Lives Together . But despite my optimism we do face challenges. COVID-19 continues to impact people globally and we remain diligent in safeguarding and supporting the people we serve and all our staff. In addition, Vinfen, the human services sector, and the nation at large continue to experience the most challenging workforce crisis of our time. That is why we continue to invest in permanent pay increases and share savings directly with our staff through Gainshare Payments and Retirement Plan contributions. And we continue to be one of the most prominent and outspoken voices to advocate for living wages for our direct care staff. I’ve started attending New Employee Orientation each Monday to welcome new staff to Vinfen and welcome back returning staff, and it’s so inspiring to hear about the work experience and life experience of our new employees – a highlight of my week. I believe in Vinfen - the work it does, the people we serve, and the staff that come to work every day to do this challenging, but meaningful work. Together we really do transform lives and that will continue to motivate me as I work with the Board and the leadership team to usher in a new era for Vinfen.

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Autism Support Center: Who We Are, What We Do (Continued) I spoke with Patricia (Patty) Middelmann, Autism Specialist and Supervisor, and Sethany Griffin, Director of Family Support Services, to tell us more about the Center and what they do: Kenny: Can you briefly explain what the autism center is about? Patty: We are basically a resource for families that have autistic children or that the children just recently got diagnosed with autism. At times parents are overwhelmed and don’t know what they want and where to get help. So I listen to them, ask them what they need and then help connect them to the departments that can help them out and also support them in filling out forms if needed. Some parents just need someone to talk to. We also run a parent support group where parents support each other with our help. At these support meetings, we work with them on acquiring the skills they need in other to support their kids. Kenny: What does your role entail specifically when relating with clients families and the care providers? Sethany: So my role is more like the supervisor, Patty and the Outreach workers are those that work closely with the clients and families. Assisting them to get settled, applying for funds and getting started on how to support their children. Kenny: What are the challenges you have faced and how have you been able to overcome them? Sethany: Covid obviously is the same challenge that

everyone is facing especially when it comes to relating with clients, so we do that virtually. We used to go to clients houses before covid. Hiring staff has been difficult lately and we have recently lost some staff. Kenny: Is there any way Vinfen staff could support the Center? Patty: Yes, if they can share the word that we are here at Vinfen to support as much families as possible, that would really help.

Coming Soon: Professional Development And Learning Guide By Katherine Fox, Director of Training and Development

Coming soon is a new Professional Development and Learning Guide to support your education and career goals. This booklet will detail the many varied training and certification options Vinfen offers, training descriptions for all divisions, and information on how employees can obtain CEUs through our online learning system Relias for licensed professionals such as Nurses, Social Workers, Substance Use Counselors, Behavioral Analysts, and Human Resource Managers. This booklet also details many vehicles available to staff to fund their undergraduate and graduate degrees through state or federally-funded programs, Vinfen-sponsored tuition assistance and scholarships, college partnership discounts, and other cost-saving opportunities. Employees who are exploring opportunities to advance their career and education should look to the Professional Development and Learning Guide for important resources and tools. Visit the Training Department's Page on MyVinfen for details and information on all of these programs and more to continue your career goals and expand job opportunities.

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(Pictured left) Teresia Thuo and Sophie Santaella

(Pictured right) Brian Gregory and Sophie Santaella

Congratulations! 2022 Board of Directors Scholarship Recipients By Christina Broughton, Intern & Career Dev Programs Manager This year Vinfen is excited have two $5,000 scholarships to award to deserving staff. We had many wonderful applications this year highlighting dedication, drive, compassion, and passion for Human Services and Vinfen. After careful consideration, this year’s scholarship winners are Brian Gregory, Outreach Worker in Plymouth and Teresia Thuo, Program Director in Bridgewater! Brian started at Vinfen 12 years ago and is working to obtain his Master’s in Social Work from Salem State University. Brian started as an overnight worker, never having worked in psychiatric rehabilitation before but quickly learning and continually looking for ways to grow his career in human services. Brian’s own experiences during childhood around racism and oppression he credits as helping drive him in his work. His goal is to use his MSW to be a team clinician and continue to improve the lives of the people Vinfen supports. “ This scholarship means that I will be able to finance my degree through the support of Vinfen and have all the resources I need to acquire my master’s degree. In doing so, I will be able to continue my career at Vinfen in an entirely new role and become a team clinician. Just a few years ago, I would not have believed that this was possible. I have been encouraged by many people along the way; the director of service, my team leader, my assistant team leader, and my colleagues on my team have all played a role in my success thus far ”. - Brian

Teresia has been working at Vinfen for 21 years and is obtaining her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Springfield College. Throughout her time here Teresia has been dedicated and driven to helping empower the people she serves. She’s grateful to the many wonderful mentors she’s experienced here at Vinfen and pays it forward by regularly mentoring and supporting her coworkers. She’s excited to use her education to continue helping her peers and persons served. “ I am deeply grateful to be a recipient of the generous Vinfen Board of Directors Scholarship. This financial assistance will help me pay for my educational expenses and allow me to focus on studying. I will work hard to earn my master’s degree and give back in any way I can to the Vinfen community. Thank you so much for investing in me and my career. ” -Teresia Don't Miss Out! Learn about scholarships, education benefits and professional development opportunities online at MyVinfen:

Professional Development Home

Tuition Assistance and Scholarships Partner Schools and Grants Nursing, Direct Care & Management Certifications Internships

Manager Training Series Training Department Home

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Goodbye, Kronos. Hello, UKG! By Kathy Krysiak, SVP of HR Vinfen is making some big changes this fall. Vinfen will say goodbye to Kronos and hello to UKG, our new human capital management system, officially on September 25, 2022! This means that Vinfen will no longer use Kronos for its

timekeeping system. Also going away are the personnel action form system (PAFs), ADP iPay, the certification report, and ADP Payforce. This Won't Work without Your Help! Success with these tremendous changes requires cooperation and work on the part of all employees. Vinfen asks the following of each and every employees: 1. Stay informed: Read the emails that come out from now until go-live so you know what is going on. 2. Get well trained: When you are asked to take a online class or training, do so on time and with full attention. 3. Use the resources provided: Vinfen is developing extensive resources for employees and managers to use. Want a sneak peek? Look here: UKG Training & Support (sharepoint.com) 4. Be patient: Like any new system, there will be glitches. We will work them out and at the end of the day enjoy a great new system!

Introducing Amy Saunders, PR DOS By Michelle Fraser, Director of Employee Relations There has been a lot of changes in PRD ACCS Leadership this year as we have promoted three new Directors of Service (DOS). One of them is Amy Saunders. Amy joined Vinfen 9 years ago after graduating with her MSW from Boston College. She began working in the Cambridge/Somerville area as a CBFS Substance Abuse Coordinator and then moved to a CBFS Clinical Coordinator, CBFS Clinical Specialist and moved into an ACCS Team Leader in 2018. She moved into the DOS for the PRD Northeast area in March of this year. Amy said that after an informational interview with Vinfen’s former Clinical Director for PRD, Colleen Byrnes, she instantly fell in love with community mental health. She described her new role as exciting, challenging (in a good way!) and innovative, with a focus on problem solving and engaging.

Amy Saunders

Amy said the biggest challenge her new role has been moving to a new service area and learning about the new programs she is responsible for. But Amy also said that has been very exciting and that it has been great to be a part of the roll-out of the young adult program ATARP and the new Safe Haven program. She has been learning every single day and is working on gathering knowledge from a lot of wonderful staff who have been in the Northeast area for a long time. Amy described the challenges as rewarding and exciting. Amy hopes to foster encouragement and to help create an environment where staff enjoy coming to work and remember why they work in the field in the first place. She speaks towards her desire to continue to build staff and boost morale. Amy’s advice to staff is to hang in there, everything is a season, and this too will get better- there is so much to learn and so many wonderful things about this work. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions and know that you have a supportive team behind you. Outside of work, Amy loves to cook, the summer and the sun, (fun fact, Amy is originally from sunny California!) spending time with her husband, friends and last but most certainly not least, her dog Salem.

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The Journey from Intern to Employee By Christina Broughton, Intern & Career Development Programs Manager

Vinfen has been building and expanding internship opportunities across the company over the past few years. With only a small handful of interns back in 2019, today Vinfen hosts dozens of interns throughout the academic year. Our teams value the diversity of experience and skills the interns bring with them, and interns gain a rich learning experience working directly with our teams and persons served. We regularly talk to and survey our interns to make sure they had a valuable time working at Vinfen. But nothing speaks towards the success of our internships better than the relationship now-intern, future- employee Kristi Cosgrove has with her team and clients. Kristi started as an unpaid intern at the Haverhill Clubhouse this winter, working to obtain her Associate's degree in Human Services with certificates in Drug and Alcohol Counseling and Children's Behavioral Health from Northern Essex Community College (NECC). After working here a few months, Kristi felt Vinfen was the place for her. After completing her internship requirements this summer, Kristi will be moving to a full-time position at Vinfen in the Communication Arts Social and Recreation Unit. " Haverhill Clubhouse aims to combat isolation and the stigma associated with mental illness. What they are doing as a community is just that." - Kristi Cosgrove

Kristi Cosgrove, Intern, Haverhill Clubhouse

Kristi was encouraged by her experience as an intern to pursue full-time employment. We are thrilled that Kristi will be starting as a Residential Counselor at the Haverhill Clubhouse later this summer!

" Members and staff welcomed me with open arms the moment I stepped through the door, and my experience has been incredible. I have learned more than I could have hoped throughout my internship, and I look forward to continuing at the club. " - Kristi Cosgrove

And her team members hold similar thoughts of Kristi:

" Kristi has been an asset since she began at our clubhouse. Her motivation to learn new tasks and projects has been infectious for new staff and members. She has been a great role model. I could praise her all day long." - Julia Morison, Program Director Haverhill Clubhouse As we continue to grow and improve our internship programs, we hope to help more students find exciting opportunities to intern at Vinfen. We also support Vinfen employees who need internships for their academic programs. To talk more about Vinfen's internship programs, email [email protected] or visit the internship page on MyVinfen.

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Kingsley Nwaise, Program Director of ALTR Houghton Road in Wilmington, MA came to Vinfen in April of 2016. His journey in Human Health Services began a few years prior as a Direct Care staff working with troubled teenagers at the Department of Children and Families and then as an Assistant Director for Elliot Human Services. When he was hired as a Program Director for Vinfen he came with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, experience in Human Health Services and a willingness to learn. Knowing that he wanted to advance his career and grow within in Human Services, he decided to go to graduate school and received a Master's in Healthcare Management this past February. Knowing the importance coaching and mentoring can make on a staff’s skills set, Kingsley makes sure to work with his staff so they can grow in their careers. He feels it important to always support his staff to make sure they are succeeding at their jobs. Currently at ALTR Houghton road, there are 4 individual’s served at the program and Kingsley makes sure that he and the staff provide a home- like environment and activity-filled experience. Celebrating everyone’s birthday is a very important, planned event. Also, on weekends he makes sure that there are many outings where staff take individuals bowling, to the movies, or to the flea market. Individuals provide places that they would like to go and Kingsley and staff make it happen. MA Spotlight: Kingsley Nwaise, Program Director, ALTR Houghton Road, MA DS By Julie Jones, HR Manager

Staff work hard and together as a team for the success of the program. Kingsley’s approach is to foster a team that listens to individuals served which in turn creates a strong bond of trust between staff and individuals.

Charles Coleman, Program Director, South Main Street, CT DS By Ronnell Walker, HR Manager Charles has been a dedicated employee within Vinfen and has taken on numerous roles for over 18+ years; from Relief, Lead Staff, Manager, to Program Director. He has truly run the tables with Vinfen, gaining valuable experience throughout the journey. He is famous for his endless patience and ability to really listen and hear what is being communicated to him by his peers and the individuals he supports. Charles started his career working in banking, food service and retail. He heard of Vinfen through a friend, who said this place is all about purpose and meaning. This sparked his interest in the company. He describes his 19 years at Vinfen as a journey. “ One thing that has always stood out about Charles, is his incredible calm and even-keeled demeanor. Even in the midst of a crisis, he never appears stressed or off his game. Charles is a model of integrity as well, his honesty and openness are refreshing, and he puts the best interest of others first, before himself. Charles has great relationships with everyone he works with - individuals, staff, co-workers, he is well loved" explains Robert Crane, Executive Director/VP of CT Operations. Charles demonstrates a true love for his work. He is valued and appreciated. He is one of Vinfen’s shinning stars. As his journey continues deeper into the wells of compassion, we know his light will continue to lead Vinfen in transforming lives together.

"I was immediately drawn to helping and making a change for the individuals. I try to treat our individuals how I would like myself to be treated - with Kindness, Patience, and Respect." - Charles

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Greny Bartelus, PD Res I MA DS - ALTR Green St 2 Victor Binali, ACCS GLE SIE Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS Highview Ave Jessica Bisson, Ld Res Cnslr CT DS - CLA Forset Rd Shaniqua Brock, Res Cnslr II CT DS - CRS Belaire Cir Carla Charles, ACCS GLE SIE Ld Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS Palmer Ave Krista Demarkis, ACCS OW MA PR - EN ACCS Team 4 Denise DeSanto, Club Cnslr II MA PR - CLUB Point After Abass Dieng, ACCS OW MA PR - CS ACCS Team 2 Zikora Eze, ACCS GLE SIE Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS Larchmont St Kimberly Fall, Per Diem Direct Care MA PR - CS Per Diem Pool Amy Fallon, PT MA DS - DayHab Brighton Core Transformer of the Quarter Winners: Spring 2022 Each quarter Vinfen awards several outstanding staff with a Transformer of the Quarter Award. Below find the Spring 2022 winners, all going above and beyond for the people they support and their colleagues. If you have an exceptional coworker you'd like to nominate, keep an eye out for the next time nominations are released later this summer. And don't forget to congratulate any winners you know! Duane Fox, Asst PD Ops Admin MA DS - OPS Admin Svcs Reanna Giles, ACCS LD Peer Splst MA PR - ACCS EN Team 3 Judith Jackson, ACCS GLE SIE Ld Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS J.B. Dr Marie Jocelyn, AON Res Cnslr MA PR - ALTR Tremont St Mitchell Krigest, ACCS Team Clin MA PR - MMHC ACCS Team 6 Bridgette LaMontagne, Res Cnslr MA DS - ALTR Pelham Rd Markenzi Lubin, ACCS GLE SIE Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS Beacon St 1 Ashton Liptrot Mayshack, ACCS GLE SIE PD MA PR - ACCS Old Post Rd Paul Mbimeh, Per Diem Direct Care MA DS - MB Per Diem Pool Jane Mene-Madison, ACCS GLE SIE Ld Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS West Washington St Patricia Middelmann, Autism Spt Broker SprVsr MA PR - FamSprt Autism Cntr Teresa Miller, ACCS GLE SIE Ld Res Cnslr MA PR - ACCS Merriam St Adrienne Mooney, Site Mgr I Day Hab MA DS - DayHab Rockland Core Winfred Mutisya, AON Res Cnslr MA DS - ALTR Liberty St Farra Pierre, Club Cnslr II MA PR - CLUB Webster Marie Regan, Clin Care Mgr RN MA IC - OneCare Clinical Care Mgmt

Madeline Roussey, Prog Splst CT DS - Day VVTC Wendy Russell, Res Cnslr MA DS - ALTR Loon Hill Rd

Erica Sarro, ACCS ATL MA PR - CS ACCS Team 1 Ernest Small, Res Cnslr MA DS - ALTR Malvern St Simon Peter Ssewalya, ACCS IMGLE CNA MA PR - ACCS Woodland St Julissa Torres, ACCS Admin Asst MA PR - Lowell ACCS Team 2 Regina Wanatu, Res Cnslr II HI MA DS - ALTR Totten Pond Rd Taylor Wood, Ld Res Cnslr CT DS - CRS Belaire Cir

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