Money raised during Days of Giving goes towards funding a range of important initiatives that are essential to our mission.
Incompass is a proud co-founder and affiliate of the New England Human Services Collaborative (NEHSCO).
In this episode, Shared Living Coordinator Kwasi Asamani answers some of the most commonly asked questions prospective providers have about their homes. He says you don’t have to own to be a provider, and you don’t need to be in a single-family home to be eligible either! Watch the episode below or click here.
To the Incompass community:
I hope you’re as pleased as I am to read this latest edition of Incompass Insights! The fact is that our agency continues to grow and innovate, as we just welcomed The Arc of Opportunity as the newest Incompass affiliate within the New England Human Services Collaborative. But one of the things I’m most proud of is – and always will be – our Care Champions! Just look at the number of people we’ve been able to promote to more senior positions internally just in these past few months, along with the recognition they’re receiving, and I think you’ll agree we have a special culture at Incompass!
There is one story that I want to call your attention to this month, and that is Incompass’ participation in the annual Northeast Human Services Legislative Breakfast. The event theme this year was “The Weight of Waiting” focusing on the people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are (still) waiting to receive critical services and supports they need to thrive and the burden that wait has placed on their families, caregivers, and loved ones. While recruitment and retention efforts are having more effect the pace remains slow due to insufficient rates of reimbursement, high inflationary costs and the limited availability of staff and other resources. As the public health emergency due to the pandemic is now coming to a close, the challenge may be even greater to address longstanding unmet needs.
It is essential now that we take stock of the progress we have made and identify the areas where we need to focus our future efforts. At Incompass Human Services and across the New England Human Services Collaborative, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care and support to those we serve, but we cannot do it alone. We need your help through advocacy to ensure that our programs and services are fully funded, staffed, and equipped to meet the needs of all the people we serve.
The pandemic magnified the longstanding challenges facing the human services field, by accelerating the issues associated with recruitment for our workforce. Without systemic reforms this problem will only worsen with time as there are a record number of people who will be turning 22 and entering the system over the next few years. While we were enthused by Governor Healey’s initial budget proposal in February, it is imperative that we act now to address this issue and invest in the future of our field.
Therefore, I am calling on all of you to join us in advocating for the fiscal investment needed to hire the necessary staff to get our programs – and others across the Commonwealth – back to full capacity. We must work together to ensure that the voices of those we serve, and their families are heard and that they receive the care and support they need and deserve.
If you click here, you can instantly send an email to your legislators in support of the bills aimed at increasing capacity in these critical programs and ensuring everyone gets the support they deserve. As an affiliate chapter of The Arc of Massachusetts, Incompass encourages you to join us in our advocacy campaign!
In closing I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the elected and appointed officials who joined us at the “Weight of Waiting” legislative breakfast event. Your support is appreciated and valued and means more than you know. Let’s all continue to shine a light on the critical issues facing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families across the Commonwealth.
With gratitude,
Jean
The “Weight of Waiting” video was part of the Northeast Advocacy Legislative Breakfast that Incompass hosted with a coalition of other human service agencies on March 31, 2023. These are but three stories of countless ones just like it across the state and even within Incompass.
On Friday, March 31, Incompass Human Services joined eight other northeastern MA human service agencies to hold an advocacy breakfast, calling on legislators to meet the growing demands in human services. The event’s theme was the “Weight of Waiting,” which aimed to demonstrate how the lack of access to critical human services is having detrimental effects on individuals and families in the Commonwealth. The quality of life and livelihoods of the vulnerable population we support are being threatened, and we must do better.
We were honored to be joined by:
An enormous thank you to everyone who attended and all those who continue to advocate on behalf of the population we serve. Our collective goal as part of this breakfast was to advocate for support of Governor Healy’s proposed budget and the continued need for more resources to address the needs of human services organizations and those we serve, many of who are still waiting to return to services after the pandemic.
Though events like these only happen a few times a year, advocacy never stops. Agencies like ours can’t afford to take a break while we are hearing cries from families while simultaneously coping with a staffing crisis.
Senator Joan Lovely had this to say, ” I’m honored to offer remarks at the Northeast Human Service Providers Legislative Breakfast on behalf of the #NorthShoreMA delegation to thank our human service workers for their dedication to the critical work helping assisting our most vulnerable residents. I will continue to advocate for improved wages for these valuable workers.” Her support of the bills on Beacon Hill that will lead to a living wage for all of the human service workers in the state means so much!
Incompass CEO, and event MC, Jean Phelps offered some profound words on the “Weight of Waiting” and the “profound impact of being a caregiver.” Representative Sally Kerans echoed those same sentiments while sitting on the legislative panel, “We value the legacy of people who care for our loved ones.”
The highlight of the morning was the premiere the “Weight of Waiting” video that highlighted three families from Northeast Arc, and NFI Massachusetts, Inc. There wasn’t a dry eye in the building as the families shared their struggles. Our advocacy efforts are that much more impactful when we can highlight real life stories. We are incredibly grateful to the families for sharing such vulnerable moments with us. The video will be shared separately, so be sure to check it out!
I’ve been a Board member with Incompass for over a decade now, and I can’t recall a time in our history when I’ve been prouder of the work we do, and more excited for what’s to come. I know you’re used to hearing from our CEO Jean Phelps, so don’t tell her that I’m stealing her above-the-fold message this month!
First, I speak for every member of the Board when I say just how thrilled we are about the caliber of people working at Incompass Human Services. We are so fortunate to have such highly skilled and passionate Care Champions who are making a difference in the lives of the individuals and caregivers they support throughout Greater Lowell and Greater Lawrence. It’s not an easy job – and the challenges over these past few years have been like nothing we’ve ever seen – but we value each one of you. The stories we hear in our Board meetings are an important reminder to us to never waver on our mission to empower the people we serve to live their best lives.
And while she isn’t the best at taking praise (show me a human services leader who is!), I can’t say enough about the visionary leadership that our CEO Jean Phelps brings to the table. Jean has spent her entire career in the human services field, dedicating her life to helping others. She is a sought-after expert around the country in nonprofit leadership and is now also serving as the president of the New England Human Services Collaborative.
I’d be remiss too if I didn’t recognize the outstanding leadership team that our CEO has assembled. There is an exceptional group of accomplished women and men with truly complementary skill sets who actively collaborate on key strategic initiatives that enable Incompass Human Services to thrive even in uncertain times. Look no further than our new COO Kelly Trickett, who was just nominated for an Outstanding Young Professionals award by the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce.
We are just completing our very first post-merger strategic plan, a period where we opened new group homes, welcomed our acquired brain injury program participants, launched a new brand, and centralized all of our facility-based programs at Omni Way. I am eager to begin the next strategic planning process and continue growing our agency and expanding our reach, as the people we serve truly benefit from the impact we have on our community.
I hope you share my confidence in the agency, its leadership, and Care Champions who truly define Incompass Human Services. I look forward to working together to set ambitious goals and continue our path to becoming the premier provider of lifelong human services needs for people at all stages of their lives.
With gratitude,
Tim Allen, Chair
Incompass Human Services
About the “Give-A-Click” Program: Every quarter, the Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union’s We Share A Common Thread Foundation donates $1,500 to a worthy area non-profit organization, through the “Give A Click” program. Vote for one of this quarter’s featured organizations, and the non-profit with the most votes will receive $1,500 from the Foundation.
Incompass Human Services is a finalist in JDCU’s “Give-A-Click” Program and we need your help to win! Visit the website below to vote for Incompass. It’s easy!
https://www.jdcu.org/community-about/our-foundation/give-a-click/
Share with friends and family too!