Mental Health Association Annual Report 2011

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Our Community Responds

Our staff,management and employees meeting the challenge,

during times of crisis...and everyday

Strengthening independence through quality care and housing solutions

MHA employees respondedto the June 1 tornado by con-

necting with MHAparticipantswho found emergency shelterat the MassMutual Center


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On the coverMental 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, LisaGelinas, 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 howhe 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.


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Executive Directors ReportMHA 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


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Board Presidents ReportIt 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


5/12Annual Report 201

The Key to Our Success Our Employees

MHA has had the benefit of both long-time employees withmany 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 thespectrum in advancing MHA as an organization and in meet-ing its mission.

Linda Kloss serves as Directorof Developmental Services,overseeing MHAs contracts.This division operates sixassisted living residences in theHolyoke/Chicopee andSpringfield/Westfield regionswhere MHA provides service.Under her division about 25

individuals are served in resi-dential settings and another 60live independently with servicesprovided by MHA staff.

Closing in on 20 years at MHA,Linda started her MHA careeras a weekend staff person, then became a case managerand 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 somuch opportunity to improve lives. The outreach programallows participants to live independently with support servicesprovided by MHA. Over the past 20 years more individuals

are able to participate in the outreach program where MHAis helping them to function independently, making their livesbetter.

Mel Maldonado, MHAs new Director of Mental HealthServices, 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 gonefrom a residential assistant at an MHA respite site, to a supervisors assistant position and now issupervisor of the Williams Street residential program in Longmeadow under MHAs DevelopmentalServices division.

The demands of motherhood and her career growth at MHA have only temporarily put on hold herplans 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 workswith. According to Cynthia, The moment I started this job I knew this was what I wanted to do. Imvery 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 arehappy. I love working with them and meeting their needs. I feel a sense of accomplishment when Iam 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 HappenLinda Kloss and Mel Maldonado

ing for a large human services agency and is the son of amom and dad who both had long careers in New York State

in the mental health arena. So, while he is a newcomer toMHA, he brings a perspective that is informed by his experi-ence and the mentors who influenced him.

He comes to MHA with a highawareness of the work, but it isone thing to see an agency fromafar and another to work in aleadership role with its employ-ees day-in and day-out.

Mel says, MHA has an incredi-bly talented resource, which isour staff. These are knowledge-able and compassionate individ-

uals. The staff that we haveworking in our residential pro-gram are people who are dedi-cated to treating our participantswith respect and preserving theirdignity, no matter what their indi-vidual needs are.

Mel oversees what is known as community-based supportservices for those with mental illness. These can be in resi-dential settings, of which there are about 42 participants, orthe approximately 140 persons living independently butrequiring 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 itdevelops for residential participants. Living in a neighbor-hood, with a backyard, in a nice setting lends itself to betteroutcomes, which is what we see with our residential partici-pants. The difference is palpable and you see our residentstaking pride in their surroundings.


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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 didntget 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


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An Eyewitness Account from anMHA ParticipantDavid, an MHA participant, was watching Telemundo from his fourth floor

apartment at 145 Union Street in Springfields South End when he noticeda 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 downthe 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 nowdoing 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 waslike a warzone inthe SouthEnd.

It waslike a warzone inthe SouthEnd.

Annual Report 201



MHA launched a newsletter designed to tell more about thework we do to a wider audience. The newsletter was sent toall employees and also to elected and local officials, businessleaders and area media outlets.

What Was New in 2011

MHA acquired three homes in 2011, allowing us to better serve ourexisting client population. MHA purchased homes on SunriseTerrace in Springfield and Westernview Drive in East Longmeadowto serve individuals whowere living in congregatehousing in Wilbraham.The moves promoteincreased individualizedsupport services transi-tioning from one site totwo locations. Each of the

homes will provide resources to fourindividuals. The Department ofMental Health for the Commonwealthof Massachusetts provides fundingfor the individuals served.

MHA also bought a third home on Maple Street in Springfield that will serve asa site for a Youth in Transition program funded by the MassachusettsDepartment of Children and Families.

In both cases, MHA is moving clients

from residential sites that were beingleased by the organization. By termi-nating the leasing arrangements andacquiring new properties, MHA isrealizing significant savings andmuch greater efficiency over thelong term.

New Residential Properties

Communications

Employee and Family/Guardian Feedback

As part of an effort to improve two-waycommunication with employees andthe families and guardians of our pro-gram participants, MHA provides anannual satisfaction survey. This year anew feedback form was developed topost and share with respondents.



Financials

The Senior AdministrativeTeam (SAT) meets on a

monthly basis. From left,Mel Maldonado, Linda Kloss,

Linda Williams, Lynn Greguoliand Cathy Bodley.

Funding Sources

DDS28%

DCF6%

Municipalities7%

Donations/Grants/Misc7%

Investments1%

HUD6% Client Fees

8%

Mass Rehab Commission3%

DMH34%

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

13.213.5



2011 Service Awards

Officers 2010 2011

25 Years

Mark Cook

20 YearsEstee 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 YearsLisa 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

PresidentJohn Odierna

Vice PresidentCharlene Mazer

TreasurerBrian Dillon

SecretaryMichael Donahoe

Kathleen BachettiPatricia Barkyoumb

Anne Diebold

Marjorie GuessJeffrey Oldenburg

Robin Olejarz

Kip RabidouAdele Rapp

Julie Robarge

Joellen LeGrand,

Finance Chair

Charlene Mazer,

Personnel ChairJulia Powers,

Governance Chair

Directors at Large

Human Rights Committee

Patricia Bagnall

Tyrone Belcher

Elizabeth Benedict

Hillary Diebold

Catherine Rossi


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Notes


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Mental Health Association, Inc.

995 Worthington Street Springfield, MA 01109 www.mhainc.org

Mental Health Association Annual Report 2011

Documents

Transcript of Mental Health Association Annual Report 2011