Last year, Incompass applied to participate in the inaugural national Community Life Engagement (CLE) in Action Community of Practice workgroup—a collaborative virtual forum where service provider organizations share ideas and resources to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in meaningfully engaging with their communities.
The CLE in Action initiative is a joint effort led by the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (IOD), the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston (ICI), and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). The program’s goal is to advance access to and participation in community life as part of a meaningful day for people with IDD. CLE activities may include volunteering, civic involvement, recreation, fitness, engagement with faith communities, and other inclusive pursuits that people with and without disabilities enjoy outside of their work lives.
As part of the application process, each participating organization was required to form a team consisting of a direct support professional, a front-line manager, and a senior leader. Representing Incompass in this yearlong workgroup are:
- Michael Bloom, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer
- Krystina Castillo, CBDS Program Manager
- Gillian Feld, Chief Operating Officer
- Brandon Hewitt, Direct Support Professional
- Emily Horn, Director of Day Services
Throughout the year, participating organizations have been invited to present challenging individual or organizational scenarios for collaborative discussion and problem-solving. At the May 13, 2025, session, Brandon and Emily volunteered to present a case that sparked rich dialogue and thoughtful feedback from the group. Notably, Brandon became the first direct support professional to lead a case presentation—a significant and well-received milestone that brought valuable frontline perspective to the discussion.
As the workgroup concludes its efforts in July, the Incompass team is eager to reflect on the insights and resources shared over the past year and apply them to enhance our meaningful day services moving forward.