St Gerard House - Strategic Plan 2023 [INTERNAL]

St Gerard House - Strategic Plan 2023 [INTERNAL]

Strategic Plan 2021-2023

Leadership Message

We are honored to share our new strategic plan with you!

St. Gerard House (SGH) has developed this strategic plan to inform and guide our important work over the next three years. We want our community and our stakeholders to know that we hear you and most importantly are committed to serving you. The process of conducting strategic planning has allowed us to proactively assess the external and internal environment for emerging trends, expectations, and barriers. The resulting plan builds on and enhances our capacity to nurture a culture that humbly supports health, wellness, and community responsibility for taking care of each other. Our strategy over the next three years will not only focus on Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy and education services but transforming how those services are delivered in order to improve outcomes, client satisfaction and the efficiency of delivery. We see our role as working to dismantle barriers and achieving equity for the Autism community. We take pride in the initiatives highlighted in this report, and we extend our deepest gratitude to our dedicated staff, board members, and community partners for the role they all play in our continued success. We are excited for what’s to come and to look forward to increasing our services to meet the growing demands of the communities we have come to know and love.

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - Francis of Assisi

With My Deepest Gratitude,

Caroline Long Executive Director

St. Gerard House is a charitable organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

About Us The mission of St. Gerard House was born out of love and passion to help families navigate the complex course of autism. Founders Caroline Long and Rachael Cushing-Cook experienced the everyday trials of autism in their own families and set out to offer quality services for other WNC families. With the help of family and Fr. Nick Mormando, they opened the doors in 2010 for preschoolers up to age 6. In response to an outcry for help from the region, SGH quickly expanded programming to include therapy for school aged children, teens and young adults.

Our main programs are:

The Grotto Therapeutic Center supports individuals ages 3-21 by providing intensive 1:1 intervention and small group instruction based on the science of ABA therapy. Feed the Need tackles the growing number of young adults aging out of support programs by teaching pre-vocational, community living and social skills to foster independence and productive integration into the community. Connect Drama Club is a summer day program for ages 6-19 seeking social and behavioral support. A lack of intuitive social ability is a hallmark of autism and interferes with the ability to connect and build relationships. Discovery Group is designed for school aged children who have graduated from 1:1 therapy to group learning and academics. Family Group Night is a free, monthly meeting (virtual or in person) for families experiencing special needs. In addition to an educational program, families have an opportunity to enjoy a meal, share resources and fellowship

Mission, Vision & Values The Strategic Planning Team reviewed the current Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization and recommended making minor changes to the statements to represent and describe St. Gerard House’s current and future purpose.

Over the years, St. Gerard House has seen an increasing need for our services among individuals affected by autism. In order to more fully meet the needs of our community, we have intentionally broadened our mission and vision to be more inclusive of these individuals and the community. Serving the autism community continues to be at our core and will continue to be our priority in our future.

To help individuals with autism and their families experience more joy and achieve meaningful life outcomes by providing evidence-based therapies, innovative programs and continuous advocacy.

Mission

Vision

Families and individuals realizing their full potential.

Values

Excellence. We believe that providing high-quality, humble, person-centered services achieves positive outcomes. Collaboration. We believe that the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within our community and team create opportunities to achieve more for our families. Integrity. We believe honest, transparent, and respectful communications are the cornerstones of our organization.

Equity. We believe every human being is important.

Advocacy . We will work to ensure that our families have a voice in all matters that impact their well-being. Stewardship . We will make careful, responsible decisions about the human talent and financial resources that have been entrusted to us. Joy. We believe that every challenge and triumph will be celebrated to reflect the love that God shares with all of us.

Our Approach

In developing this strategic plan, St. Gerard House examined our current organizational state and our communities’ needs for services, to establish our desired future position. The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to set and document goals and strategies for the organization. The goals and strategies are directed at the programs and services that will better serve the needs of those individuals with autism, their families, and the community. St. Gerard House remains clearly focused on improving the well-being of those we serve. The governing board, leadership team, and staff will use the strategic plan initiatives to direct programs and services to meet and exceed our expectations for accessibility, quality, and person-centered services. The Strategic Plan also supports the professional aspirations of our valued employees and volunteers. St. Gerard House’s mission and vision reflect a conscious decision by the organization to advance our clients potential through quality academic, social, and behavioral support services. The perpetual focus of the organization is to develop programs and services with humility and competence, to best meet the needs of those with autism who may be experiencing barriers to achieving their best life. We believe for strategic planning to be effective it is critical that it is conducted in the context of the community it serves and not in a vacuum. This is particularly important in today’s human service environment, where change is dynamic and occurring at a rapid pace. The Board and staff will continue to evaluate, assess, and adjust the strategic plan on a regular basis, creating a “living” document that is responsive to the changing needs of the autism community.

Our Process

The Strategic Plan was developed with input from a wide variety of constituents as well as a review of available, relevant >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19

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