Our staff, management and employees meeting the challenge,
during times of crisis...and everyday Strengthening independence through quality care and housing solutions MHA employees responded to the June 1 tornado by con- necting with MHA participants who found emergency shelter at the MassMutual Center On the cover Mental Health Associations property at 145 Union Street was devastated by the June 1, 2011 tornado. Eleven MHA clients living in the building had to be relocated and due to the quick action by MHA staff, their move to new quarters was seamless. Pictured on the front are MHA employees Yolanda Godard, Lisa Gelinas, Kim Hurtado and Chris Bergeron who all rushed to the Mass Mutual Center where the Springfield emergency shelter was established to house those displaced from their homes in the immediate aftermath of the tornado. No MHA residents, participants or staff were injured and staff was able to locate all of the MHA program par- ticipants. In this annual report one of the residents of 145 Union Street, David, tells the harrowing story of how he survived in his top floor apartment when the tornado tore through the top of MHAs four-story Union Street building, and how MHA has been there to help him. Executive Directors Report MHA experienced a flurry of activities and events this year, some were anticipated and others, unpredicted. Both necessitated extraordinary efforts to result in suc- cessful outcomes. The year 2011 was challenging in a number of aspects; weather events in particu- lar, tested our organization and our employees who provide direct services to our participants. I am happy to report that our community of workers, supervisors and managers responded with flying colors. Record snowfalls and extreme cold created challenges for us to provide staff coverage in residential settings and to reach those who live independently but require MHA support services. As the cities and region closed down many days due to winter storms, our jobs expanded and became more demanding. Additional staff was needed to cover day shifts when we would typi- cally be closed (since many participants were homebound due to the storms), and public transportation and taxis were often unavailable. The additional loss of power at some sites added to the challenge. But in all cases we were able to provide service and kept disruption to our clientele to a minimum. For that I am deeply grateful to our staff. The June 1 tornado cut a huge swath through Western Massachusetts and MHA was not spared. Our Union Street apartment building was devastated and did not survive the storm. However, I am pleased to share that all eleven tenants were evacuated safely. In this annual report we tell a tornado survival story through the eyes of one of our residential participants and how our staff responded to the challenge. This year I want to give special thanks to every- one who helped us accomplish our planned goals and addressed the unexpected. Together as a team we accomplished laud- able actions. Our experience this year reinforced something our senior manage- ment and board have always known that our employees and supervisors are up to any challenge or any crisis we are confronted with. In this report we also share information about a new communications effort launched in 2011 and about our efforts to improve the collection and sharing of employee feedback. As always, our financials and a listing of our service awards for the year are shared. I appreciate the effort of all who have made this most challenging year a success. Linda Williams Executive Director Annual Report 2011 Board Presidents Report It has been my privilege to have served on MHAs Board of Directors for over 20 years. I have witnessed firsthand the growth of the organization as it continues to evolve. MHA continues to respond to the needs of its participants in appropriate and effective ways, always looking for strategies that improve outcomes. Our senior management and front line employees are to be commended for the work they do, and particularly this year for overcoming the many challenges faced due to the extreme weather of this past winter and the June 1, 2011 tornado. Operating more effectively and efficiently is also important and senior staff is always looking for improvement in this area. The acquisition of three new homes this year allows MHA to offer more individualized services and will provide savings long term as we are able to discontinue several leasing arrangements. Over the past year we have reviewed our by-laws and have continued to implement the goals of our strategic plan. We have an engaged board, atten- dance has been good and our committees are functioning well. MHA is strong due to the commitment and dedi- cation of our board, our management and entire staff. We continue to meet challenges and explore opportunities that will enhance the agencys diver- sity while maintaining stability and remaining true to our mission. John A. Odierna, J.D. Board President Annual Report 2011 Annual Report 2011 The Key to Our Success Our Employees MHA has had the benefit of both long-time employees with many years of experience and those who have recently joined the organization who bring a new perspective. Linda Kloss and Mel Maldonado represent both ends of the spectrum in advancing MHA as an organization and in meet- ing its mission. Linda Kloss serves as Director of Developmental Services, overseeing MHAs contracts. This division operates six assisted living residences in the Holyoke/Chicopee and Springfield/Westfield regions where MHA provides service. Under her division about 25 individuals are served in resi- dential settings and another 60 live independently with services provided by MHA staff. Closing in on 20 years at MHA, Linda started her MHA career as a weekend staff person, then became a case manager and support worker. Eventually she was promoted to a super- visory position until becoming program director and eventual- ly rising in the ranks to her current position. What is she pas- sionate about? MHAs outreach program, where there is so much opportunity to improve lives. The outreach program allows participants to live independently with support services provided by MHA. Over the past 20 years more individuals are able to participate in the outreach program where MHA is helping them to function independently, making their lives better. Mel Maldonado, MHAs new Director of Mental Health Services, spent nearly 30 years prior to coming to MHA work- Springfield native Cynthia Santiago, a single mother of two young boys, in four short years has gone from a residential assistant at an MHA respite site, to a supervisors assistant position and now is supervisor of the Williams Street residential program in Longmeadow under MHAs Developmental Services division. The demands of motherhood and her career growth at MHA have only temporarily put on hold her plans to complete her education at Holyoke Community College in human services. She likes the flexible hours available in doing her job and enjoys the participants and staff she works with. According to Cynthia, The moment I started this job I knew this was what I wanted to do. Im very happy with my decision to come to MHA. Her efforts have been recognized as she works her way up through the organization. What she likes about her job: The best part of my job is when my consumers let me know they are happy. I love working with them and meeting their needs. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am helping them. Career goal: I hope to become a director at MHA one day. A Rising Star Cynthia Santiago Experienced and New Leadership Making It Happen Linda Kloss and Mel Maldonado ing for a large human services agency and is the son of a mom and dad who both had long careers in New York State in the mental health arena. So, while he is a newcomer to MHA, he brings a perspective that is informed by his experi- ence and the mentors who influenced him. He comes to MHA with a high awareness of the work, but it is one thing to see an agency from afar and another to work in a leadership role with its employ- ees day-in and day-out. Mel says, MHA has an incredi- bly talented resource, which is our staff. These are knowledge- able and compassionate individ- uals. The staff that we have working in our residential pro- gram are people who are dedi- cated to treating our participants with respect and preserving their dignity, no matter what their indi- vidual needs are. Mel oversees what is known as community-based support services for those with mental illness. These can be in resi- dential settings, of which there are about 42 participants, or the approximately 140 persons living independently but requiring outreach services. These services include assis- tance with acquiring education, employment or housing. According to Mel, MHA has a lot of pride in the homes it develops for residential participants. Living in a neighbor- hood, with a backyard, in a nice setting lends itself to better outcomes, which is what we see with our residential partici- pants. The difference is palpable and you see our residents taking pride in their surroundings. Staff Responds at a Time of Crisis Chris Bergeron and Kim Hurtado were just finishing their shift at MHA in the late afternoon of June 1 when the deadly tornado touched down in Western Massachusetts, eventually destroying an MHA property at 145 Union Street that housed eleven MHA program participants. Lisa Gelinas saw that there was already damage being reported in West Springfield and a call from a support worker indicated that an MHA house in that community had suffered some damage. Yolanda Godard worried about the safety and whereabouts of David, an MHA participant living on the fourth floor of Union Street. Calls and text messages to Davids phone didnt get answered or didnt get through in the chaos right after the tornado touched down. Events that afternoon led them, and others from MHA, to begin contact- ing MHA residents one by one to see if they were safe and to assist them with any needs including shel- ter, clothing, medications and per- sonal care items. One MHA resi- dential participant found his way to MHAs administrative offices on Worthington Street where workers there helped administer the insulin he needed to regulate his diabetes. All four MHA staff members, Chris, Kim, Lisa and Yolanda, converged early the next morning to see if any participants had gone to the office. Soon after, with a few still unaccounted for, the four headed to the emergency shelter at the MassMutual Center. There they identified five MHA participants and made swift arrangements for them to move to other MHA residences or with family. Staff drove all of those displaced to their new residences. The quick response to the crisis shown by these staff members made a difference in the lives of those displaced something that occurs every day with those MHA serves. Annual Report 2011 An Eyewitness Account from an MHA Participant David, an MHA participant, was watching Telemundo from his fourth floor apartment at 145 Union Street in Springfields South End when he noticed a weather alert crawl along the bottom of the screen. He quickly tuned into local television coverage to learn that a tornado had touched down in Westfield and West Springfield and was heading to Springfield. Within minutes winds started to violently whip a tree just outside the win- dow in Davids living room. Feeling that this was more than just a passing storm David instinctively went into a closet, closed the door and sat on the floor in the back of the closet for protection. He heard windows shattering and felt his ears pop from the pressure in the apartment. Water started to pour through the light bulb on the closet ceiling and under the door and into the closet. In an instant, it was calm again and David opened the door to find only a cloudy sky above his head. The storm had ripped off the roof of the building, destroying his apartment. I put on some boots, walked down the stairs and saw many people in the streets in survival mode, feeling the loss of their homes. It was like a war zone in the South End. Eventually I went to an MHA home on Avon Place, where I previously had spent some time and where I knew the people there and felt safe, David said. David was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome as a result of his experience in surviving the close encounter with the torna- do. MHA has helped me with encouragement. Without them, I would not be here right now doing well. The Union Street apart- ment building was just one of over 350 residential dwelling units in Springfield that have been deemed uninhabitable as a result of the tornado.
It was like a war zone in the South End.
It was like a war zone in the South End.
Annual Report 2011
Annual Report 2011 MHA launched a newsletter designed to tell more about the work we do to a wider audience. The newsletter was sent to all employees and also to elected and local officials, business leaders and area media outlets. What Was New in 2011 MHA acquired three homes in 2011, allowing us to better serve our existing client population. MHA purchased homes on Sunrise Terrace in Springfield and Westernview Drive in East Longmeadow to serve individuals who were living in congregate housing in Wilbraham. The moves promote increased individualized support services transi- tioning from one site to two locations. Each of the homes will provide resources to four individuals. The Department of Mental Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides funding for the individuals served. MHA also bought a third home on Maple Street in Springfield that will serve as a site for a Youth in Transition program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. In both cases, MHA is moving clients from residential sites that were being leased by the organization. By termi- nating the leasing arrangements and acquiring new properties, MHA is realizing significant savings and much greater efficiency over the long term. New Residential Properties Communications Employee and Family/Guardian Feedback As part of an effort to improve two-way communication with employees and the families and guardians of our pro- gram participants, MHA provides an annual satisfaction survey. This year a new feedback form was developed to post and share with respondents. Annual Report 2011 Financials The Senior Administrative Team (SAT) meets on a monthly basis. From left, Mel Maldonado, Linda Kloss, Linda Williams, Lynn Greguoli and Cathy Bodley. Funding Sources DDS 28% DCF 6% Municipalities 7% Donations/Grants/Misc 7% Investments 1% HUD 6% Client Fees 8% Mass Rehab Commission 3% DMH 34% Annual Revenue In Millions 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 7.8 8.3 9.2 9.8 11 11.7 12.1 12.6 13.2 13.5 Annual Report 2011 2011 Service Awards Officers 2010 2011 25 Years Mark Cook 20 Years Estee Blue Kathleen Boehm Adrienne Caulton Lynn Greguoli Cathleen Mulcahey 5 Years India Anderson Janet Andugu Michelle Barnes Arlene Brown Anna Maria Colacci Bethzaida Cruz Denise Galvagni Ruth Guzman 15 Years Edward Zuckerman 10 Years Lisa Bull Treslan Williams Sandra Haigh Tara Hillios Princess James Kishana Johnson Tiffany Jones Welvank Sefakor Kalepe Janet Malavi Margaret Marshall Dineen Meabon Lynnette Mireku Ellen Owusu Dana Roberts Carmen Serrano Shavonne Smith Kimberly Vaughn Board of Directors Charles Rucks, Audit Chair Standing Committee Chairpersons President John Odierna Vice President Charlene Mazer Treasurer Brian Dillon Secretary Michael Donahoe Kathleen Bachetti Patricia Barkyoumb Anne Diebold Marjorie Guess Jeffrey Oldenburg Robin Olejarz Kip Rabidou Adele Rapp Julie Robarge Joellen LeGrand, Finance Chair Charlene Mazer, Personnel Chair Julia Powers, Governance Chair Directors at Large Human Rights Committee Patricia Bagnall Tyrone Belcher Elizabeth Benedict Hillary Diebold Catherine Rossi Notes Mental Health Association, Inc. 995 Worthington Street Springfield, MA 01109 www.mhainc.org