Of the North Shore and Cape Ann, Inc.
A Vision for the Future
Revised
2004-2006
Submitted By: The Strategic Planning Committee
Pat Barry, Strategic Plan Committee
Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director
Assistance provided during development & FY ’01 - Fall FY ’02:
The Executive Service Corp
Bill Carruth, Consultant
Edward Stevens, Consultant
Adopted by the Board of Directors on August 15th, 2001
Revised and presented to the ILCNSCA Membership at the Annual Meeting, held October
16th, 2002; Revised September 2003 and reviewed by Board.
Revised September 2004 for review by Board at September 2004 meeting.
Revision approved at November 2004 Board meeting.
Tables of Contents
NORTH SHORE OFFICE (Main Office)
27 Congress St., Suite 107
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
(978) 741-0077 V
(978) 745-1735/TTY
(888) 751-0077 V Toll free
Fax: (978) 741-1133
Web Address: www.ILCNSCA.org
Email: Information@ilcnsca.org
CAPE ANN BRANCH OFFICE
Addison Gilbert Hospital
298 Washington Street, Room 4
Gloucester, MA 01930 (978) 283- 4000 Ext. 366
Staff (updated 09/2004)
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director
Kathy O'Brien , Associate Director
Shawn McDuff, Director of Access & Advocacy
PROGRAM STAFF
Ian Milgram , IL Peer Guide
Pat Wilson, Fiscal Data Specialist
Steve Cohodas, Access Advocacy Assistant/IL Peer Guide
Marj Nagle, IL Peer Guide
Kelly Anderson, Information Specialist
Volunteers : Donna Garber, Kristen Broughton, Pam Correnti,
History
The Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann Inc. (ILCNSCA) incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1987 "to provide social services, information and referral, peer counseling, advocacy and independent living skills development services for individuals with severe physical or mental disabilities residing in the North Shore and Cape Ann areas of the Commonwealth." Federal Tax Exempt 501© (3) Status was granted in December of 1987.
ILCNSCA emerged from the North Shore Self Help Association, which began in 1980 as a local chapter of the Project in Self Advocacy of the Commonwealth. Self Help brought disabled individuals together to share experiences as peers, and to advocate for their rights to participate freely in the community.
When the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission sought to create new Independent Living Centers in the mid-1980s, members of Self Help responded quickly to insure, improve and expand the delivery of services to the disability community of the North Shore and Cape Ann. The group's many valuable learning experiences are reflected in the Mission of the Center today.
What is independent living? Essentially it is living just like everyone else – having opportunities to make decisions that affect one’s life, able to pursue activities of one’s own choosing – limited only in the same ways that one’s non-disabled neighbors are limited.
Independent living should not be defined in terms of living on one’s own, being employed in a job fitting one’s capabilities and interests, or having an active social life. Theses are aspects of living independently. Independent living has to do with self-determination. It is having the right and the opportunity to pursue a course of action. And, it is having the freedom to fail – and to learn from one’s failures, just as non-disabled people do.
There are, of course, individuals who have certain disabilities that may affect their abilities to make complicated decisions, or pursue complex activities. For these individuals, independent living means having every opportunity to be as self-sufficient as possible.
Information and Referral is a service provided to the disability community and the general public about current disability-related issues and resources by knowledgeable staff or volunteers of the ILCNSCA Information and Referral provides current and accurate information necessary for consumers to participate fully in their communities.
The general public can take advantage of Information and Referral resources to increase their understanding of people with disabilities, to gain knowledge about Independent Living Centers and improve access to community services.
Information and Referral is an accessible service provided from the resource libraries of the ILCNSCA. This service is available by telephone, mail, or personal contact. Callers are referred to appropriate community agencies or as appropriate, served directly by the ILCNSCA.
Independent Living Skills Training is an instrumental service designed to build skills that will enhance independent living. Skills training focuses on the acquisition of specific knowledge and ability in goal areas defined by the consumer in his/her Independent Living Service Plan (ILSP). Skills training can occur in a group or individual sessions; the consumer determines the end, when he/she achieves the desired goal or chooses to re-evaluate and redefine the ILSP with the staff. Some examples of goals in skills training include: acquiring personal care attendant services; learning how to obtain and use public transportation services, and career and vocational assistance.
The IL Peer Guide who provides independent living skills training is a person who has attained disability-related knowledge and experience and uses individualized teaching methods and communication skills.
Advocacy is an empowerment process that leads to social, economic, and political change for individuals with disabilities. Board, staff, and consumers of ILCNSCA initiate or participate in activities geared toward change through self-advocacy, individual and/or group advocacy.
Self-advocacy is the ability to speak or write in support of one’s own needs. The knowledge and skill to be a self-advocate can be derived from the skills training and peer support.
Individual advocacy provides assistance for persons who experience discrimination or have difficulty in accessing or securing services that are disability-related, through representation by an informed specialist.
Community and system advocacy is an issue-specific effort that targets a need and strategy for social, economic and political change. This group process can employ a number of strategies including: providing public information; community involvement; and support in collective action by people with disabilities aimed at positive social change, the elimination of discriminatory barriers, and the creation of a supportive fully accessible community environment.
Peer Counseling is a service that facilitates problem solving and decision-making through mutual sharing of personal disability-related experiences between two or more people with disabilities. Peer counseling facilitates the awareness of independent living options and opportunities. It stresses the effects of external and attitudinal barriers on the quality of life and is supportive of consumer’s choices through the realization of individual goals. Some examples of goals in peer counseling include the following: feel better about oneself and more confident, cope with disability: feel more comfortable in public.
The IL Peer Guide who provides peer counseling is a person with a disability who has obtained disability-related knowledge, experience and coping skills, acts as a role model and uses appropriate communication skills when interacting with consumers.
INTRODUCTION
This plan has been developed to provide a clear focus and direction for the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, Inc. (ILCNSCA). It is intended to serve as a guide for organizing our efforts now, for assessing our progress in the future and for determining what changes need to be made along the way. The Strategic Planning Committee, members of the Board of Directors, and the ILCNSCA Executive Director, continue to discuss and develop the goals and objectives for the Center. Our initial endeavors in accomplishing the ILCNSCA goals are proving to be successful and they have given us new events and undertakings that will be built upon and strengthened during the upcoming year. The choices made regarding programs and services continue to reflect the changes in community demographics and the plan continues to steer the center toward growing in inclusive and intergenerational ways. The priorities for each of the goals have, as expected, shifted due to opportunity and circumstance, but the commitment over the life of the plan is to make significant gains in all areas identified as goals for ILCNSCA.
This plan was reviewed and accepted by the Independent Living Center of the North Shore & Cape Ann Inc. Board of Directors at their August 15th, 2001 meeting. It was then revised and updated for the Annual Meeting held October 16, 2002 and presented to the membership. The hope of the strategic plan is to help us to continue to build the ILCNSCA community. The goals serve as a guide to the Center to reaffirm its core values, charts new directions and strive to fulfill its mission with creativity and a commitment to the power and dignity of persons with disabilities to achieve their plans and dreams.
This plan was revised in September 2003 and reviewed by the Board in Fall meetings but deemed not in need of revision at that time. It has been revised again and will be resubmitted at the September 2004 Board meeting.
Revisions to the Mission Statement and the Name of the Center
Mission
The North Shore Independent Living Center Inc. (NSILC) is a service and advocacy center run by and for people with disabilities, which supports independent living and full participation in the community.
( R evisions adopted by the Board of Directors on 8/15/01). The Executive Director will determine the details and timing of the public dissemination of these revisions.
’02 Revision The Board of Directors voted (November, 2001) to abandon a name change due to the increased name recognition the ILCNSCA has received over the past year, and the public confusion that a name change may cause.
Addendum to the Mission Statement
Statement of Principles
The Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann Inc. (ILCNSCA) supports the struggle of people who have all types of disabilities to live independently and participate fully in community life. The ILCNSCA pursues this mission through a combination of self-advocacy services and community action. Self-advocacy services are designed to enable participants to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve personal independence. ILCNSCA also organizes and supports collective action by people with disabilities aimed at positive social change, the elimination of discriminatory barriers, and the creation of a supportive and fully accessible community environment.
The Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the staff and its members commit themselves to seek opportunities to expand the IL Center’s influence and build on its fine reputation, while they continue to strengthen and enrich its existing successful core programs.
The Strategic Goals
Accomplishments
Currently ILCNSCA serves consumers who come from Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Lynn and Salem. There are underserved/unserved in the following cities and towns of our services area: Essex; Hamilton: Ipswich; Lynnfield: Manchester; Nahant; Peabody; Rockport; Rowley; Saugus; Swampscott; Topsfield, Wenham and Middleton.
Status : Negotiations with MRC and BCIL are still underway to increase the ILCNSCA geographic territory. The expansion may include servicing to the Medford, Malden and Melrose area. The implementation of additional services is dependent upon receiving adequate funding and the hiring of new staff. ILCNSCA has stated unequivocally that until MRC allocates sufficient resources for additional operating costs of a new branch office with additional staff that ILCNSCA was not interested in expansion of our service area. A cost analysis follows of what would be needed by ILCNSCA for opening this new branch office:
- adolescents transitioning to adulthood;
- parents of special need children;
- and, for those over 55.
Currently ILCNSCA primarily serves adults between the ages of 23 and 55. There are underserved/unserved children and adolescents as well as adults over 55.
Status : All superintendents of schools in the ILCNSCA area that could participate in TAP have been identified and a model letter asking for their support has been drafted. A draft TAP grant application has been started. State TAP grant funding may become available. The ILCNSCA will continue to develop an adolescent program grant application and pursue the grant. Linkages have increased with ILCNSCA and area senior service providers; workshops and information sessions have been offered throughout the year. ILCNSCA has been a supporter and participant in the Aging and Disability Resource Center federal grant and will be a key player in FY’05 when that grant moves from Merrimack Valley to the North Shore and Cape Ann cities and towns. ILCNSCA has been working closely with the PACE program, NS Elder Services, as well as the Community Partners of the ADRC grant and will be hosting a meeting between NS and CA senior services/human services agencies with the ADRC group in late Fall/early winter ’05.
Currently ILCNSCA serves English-speaking consumers. Underserved/unserved are folks whose primary language is Spanish.
Status : ILCNSCA had hired a bi-lingual English/Spanish IL Peer Guide who was working to provide information and outreach services to the community. She had attended national minority outreach training, which was to provide ILCNSCA with some new ideas and approaches in outreach to Spanish speaking consumers. Unfortunately she left the Center in ’03 and although we recruited a new staff who also was bi-lingual English/Spanish that staff left in ’04. We have not been successful as of yet recruiting additional bi-lingual staff.
The mission of agency is strengthened by the intent of these initiatives, they increase the participation and opportunities for unserved and under served consumers and consumer groups in the ILCNSCA service area. We will implement improved service delivery methods, and policies and procedures based on the results of the consumer satisfaction survey, reports from our automated consumer database, and input from the ILCNSCA staff, its Board of Directors and the communities we serve.
Objectives
Determine how best to reach and target consumers:
Expand communications with all consumer groups via the newsletter and other media types, and work to develop additional large print format materials. Use current Cape Ann branch office to its fullest, await MRC decision on additional geographic communities to be served by ILCNSCA coupled with funding, and continue outreach efforts in un-served and underserved communities. Seek out and actively participate in special initiative projects, such as the ADRC federal grant, that would have appeal to the three consumer groups that we would like to reach and offer services.
Provide outreach and services to adolescence, young adults & families’ of special needs children:
Apply for a TAP grant (Transition to Adulthood Program) that will provide the Center with the necessary funding to expand services and programs to this population. Draft is still in process.
Develop outreach and resources to consumers over age 55 :
Provide targeted information sharing on accessible social & recreational opportunities. Provide informational workshops and literature on the MassHealth pharmacy program, obtaining housing resources through the Housing Registry listings and housing modification under Title 7B and the Home Modification Loan Program, and obtaining durable medical equipment, especially under the new Assistive Technology Loan Program. Identify and apply to some funding sources for services and programs that have appeal to this population. Promote ILC visibility in the community by putting ILC announcements and articles in Senior newsletters.
Develop outreach program to Spanish speaking consumers:
Hired a Bilingual English/Spanish IL Peer Guide who left in ’03, hired Biligual English/Spanish IL Peer Guide who left in ‘04. Will continue recruitment efforts when positions open. Develop additional literature in Spanish, and promote ILC visibility in the community by putting ILC announcements and articles in the Spanish newspapers. Provide Spanish adolescences, young adults and their families’ access services training, as part of the Transition to Adulthood Program when that program grant is completed and funding secured.
Increase ILC visibility : Assure that all communities on the North Shore and Cape Ann know about ILC services and programs. Revison of the ILC brochure to include expanded municipalities (Middleton) did occur in ’04 with new phone line listing for TTY as separate line. All stationary changed to reflect above in ’04 as well. Press releases continue to go out a few times per month on our events to local and Greater Boston newspapers, TV and radio stations. Our web page is updated frequently with our newsletter, staff changes and advocacy alerts.
Board Development : Identify and recruit Board members that will help the ILC achieve its goals and objectives. We were able to recruit and nominate a parent of a disabled child that has worked with the schools and service providers to help their family for the ’04 ILCNSCA Board; we are still looking for an educator who knows about developing educational and independent living plans (Chapter 688 and 766), a public relations expert; a Mass. Senior Action Council representative, an Hispanic leader or representative knowledgeable about the interests of disabled Hispanic consumers.
For the ’05 Board we have recruited an experienced fundraiser and wife of a disabled vet, as well as a community advocate who copes with her vision disability.
Timelines
FY 04 – FY 06
Begin: 7/01/03
Action :
Executive Director, Board of Directors (Executive Committee)
Target Date
On-going
’04 Status : Results aggregated during beginning of ’04.
Action :
Responsibility
Executive Director & Board of Directors
Target Date
January 1, 2002 and on-going quarterly report
’04 Status: Expanded visibility via an ILCNSCA web site. Initiated additional public service announcements via radio, cable, local newspapers and links with senior services. Started monthly informational sessions at the Center, which were tried for over a year and not well attended. This will not continue in ’05.
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director and Board of Directors
Target Date
July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2006.
’04 Status : Many older consumers have become members of RASP in ’04. Additional restaurants have been added. Initiated wraparound services with complaints/concerns or technical assistance referrals to CAAT (Consumer Access Advocacy Team). There are over 14 consumers are participating in RASP and the same number participating in CAAT.
Timelines
FY 04 – FY 06
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors (Finance Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
On-going
’04 Status : Initiated funding or reimbursement from the following funding sources: NS Self Help Group gave us funds for RASP and a RASP booklet, as well as additional funds for the North Shore Self Help Group Fund which assists persons with mobility disabilities for expenses associated with returning to work and for setting up new homes, as well as for costs associated with work clothing, and work transportation. City of Salem Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) obtained again. ILCNSCA received funds for the second year in a row from the Salem Five Savings bank which assisted with costs of our social/recreational events.
Action
5.Board of Directors strategic nominations that help ILC pursue its goals .
Responsibility
BOD (Board Development/Nominations Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
September 1, 2001, October 2002, on-going
’04 Status: The ’05 nominees recruited include: wife of a disabled vet who has fundraising experience; long-term disability and human services advocate known both on the North Shore and Cape Ann. In ’03 we were fortunate to have as new board members a CPA, a clinical social service worker and an attorney to assist with fund raising, the finance committee, strategic plan committee, housing rights and advocacy, and disability access as well as the parent of a child who has disabilities. All of these folks served admirably on the ’04 Board and intend to stay on for the ’05 Board.
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & Board of Directors (Executive Committee)
Target Date
October 31, 2006
’04 Status: Pending state funding for TAP.
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors (Finance Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
Report Monthly
’04 Status : Fund raising events planned for ’04 included a Walk-a-thon, calendar, sale of Entertainment Books, and an Auction. The Walk-a-thon was rained out, the calendar did very well, the Entertainment Books were not all sold and thus there was a loss, and the Auction never got off the ground. ILCNSCA received funds again from City of Salem for CDBG and NS Self Help Group Fund additions and RASP funds, and Salem Five Bank.
Timelines
FY 04 – FY 06
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & Board of Directors (Executive Committee)
Target Date
Extended to December 1, 2006
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
Extended to March 1, 2007
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors (Finance Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
Ongoing, BoD meetings
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
BoD Monthly Meeting
’04 Status: We have been serving a wide array of community groups. We have begun to provide at least one outreach per month in Cape Ann and at least one per month in the North Shore part of our service area.
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
Extended to June 30, 2006
Timelines
FY 2004 – FY 2006
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors (Finance Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
June 30, 2007
’04 Status: Pending negotiations with MRC and BCIL for territorial expansion and additional funding resources. See budget needs above.
Action
recommendations to the Board of Directors for modifications, if necessary.
Responsibility
BoD Appointees
Target Date
Ongoing & Report assessment by June 30, 2005
’04 Status: The Board and in particular the Strategic Plan Committee assessed progress throughout FY 04 and will continue its assessment in FY 05.
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & BoD (Executive Committee)
Target Date
Extended to July 1, 2006
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
January, 04 BoD Meeting
’04 Status: Executive Director revised the staffing pattern for the FY 04 budget to increase the number of IL Peer Guides and increase the usage of volunteers via the volunteer program. With the leaving of the Director of Services in the beginning of ’04 there was a major gap in staffing. Responsibilities of the Management Team were reorganized and the position of Director of Services eliminated. Director of Services resources were put into a new position, Information Specialist as well as increases in direct service staff positions to improve recruitment options.
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & BoD (Executive Committee)
Target Date
June 30, 2005
Timelines
FY 04– FY 06
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & Board of Directors (Executive Committee)
Target Date
June 30, 2007
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & BoD (Executive Committee)
Target Date
Ongoing & Reported assessment by June 30, 2005
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors & Executive Director (Finance Committees)
Target Date
Ongoing & Report assessment quarterly at the BoD Meeting
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director & BoD (Executive Committee)
Target Date
October 15, 2005
Action
Responsibility
Board of Directors (Finance Committee) & Executive Director
Target Date
Ongoing and Report December, 2004 BoD Meeting
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
Ongoing
Timelines
FY 04 – FY 06
Action
recommendations to the Board of Directors for modifications, if necessary.
Responsibility
BoD Appointees
Target Date
Ongoing & Report assessment by October 2004 BoD Meeting
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
Extended to July 1, 2007
Action
Responsibility
Executive Director
Target Date
Ongoing
ILCNSCA Financial Position and Contract Deliverables
At the September 2004 Board meeting the Center’s auditors provided the Board of Directors with the Massachusetts Uniform Financial Report, which includes the financial statements and the audit report. The auditors reported that operations is good and all accounts are in balance. The Center has successfully developed a strong financial system and revenues and expenses are in accord.
See the following chart of ILCNSCA ’04 IL Contract Deliverables Set and Met,
Guidelines for Annual ILCNSCA State IL Report FY 2004
July1, 2003-June 30,2004
INDIVIDUAL SERVICES |
||||
Contracted Units |
Services Provided |
|||
| Type of Service Provided | Hrs of service |
# People |
Hrs of service |
|
Information and Referral |
378 |
|
601 |
|
| Intake/Assessment | 287 |
315 |
308 |
|
| Peer Counseling | 574 |
236 |
335 |
|
| Individual Advocacy | 287 |
73 |
65 |
|
| Skills Training | 586 |
244 |
334 |
|
| Emergency Intervention | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Service Coordination | 72 |
112 |
78 |
|
| Totals | 2184 |
1721 |
||
COMMUNITY SERVICES |
||||
Contracted Units |
Services Provided |
|||
| Type of Service Provided | Hrs of service |
# People |
Hrs of service |
|
| Trainings/ Workshops | 89 |
439 |
129 |
|
| Public Information | 264 |
1651 |
222 |
|
| Outreach | 253 |
356 |
128 |
|
| Community Advocacy | 215 |
417 |
435 |
|
| Community Involvement | 133 |
267 |
173 |
|
| Technical Assistance | 80 |
15 |
28 |
|
| Research/materials Dev | 576 |
19 |
1660 |
|
| Totals | 1610 |
2775 |
||
|
|
|
ILCNSCA State IL Report FY 2004 |
|
|
July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004 |
|
|
(A) |
Under 6 |
0 |
(B) |
Age 6-17 |
3 |
(C) |
Age 18-22 |
6 |
(D) |
Age 23-64 |
183 |
(E) |
65 & Over |
9 |
(F) |
Unknown |
0 |
201 |
||
Sex |
# Cns |
|
(A) |
Female |
99 |
(B) |
Male |
102 |
201 |
||
Race |
# Cns |
|
(A) |
American Indian or Alaska Native |
3 |
(B) |
Asian |
1 |
(C) |
Black or African American |
7 |
(D) |
Hispanic or Latino |
8 |
(E) |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander |
0 |
(F) |
White |
172 |
(G) |
Unknown |
10 |
201 |
||
Disability |
# Cns |
|
(A) |
Cognitive |
12 |
(B) |
Mental/Emotional |
33 |
(C) |
Physical |
35 |
(D) |
Hearing |
1 |
(E) |
Vision |
2 |
(F) |
Multiple Disability |
118 |
(G) |
Other |
0 |
201 |
||
As this chart displays, ILCNSCA exceeded the contracted deliverables for the state Independent living Contract with MRC by 702 units of service. Staff served individually 201 consumers in ’04. The Board appreciates this extraordinary performance by the staff of the Center.
ILC Financial Development
The Financial Development Committee plans the following initiatives to raise revenues for the Center:
Respectfully Submitted:
Pat Barry, Chair, Strategic Plan Committee
Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director
September 2004