How long has the agency been in operation?
Does the agency have a mission statement?
Is the agency
licensed or certified and by whom?
Is there a process
for families to report concerns?
Do families have
access to administrative staff if there is an issue that requires intervention at that level?
Does the agency
encourage family involvement by sponsoring events that bring families together?
Does the agency
track and trend incidents and can families review these reports?
Does the agency
have an internal process that assesses the individual's satisfaction with services?
What training do
new staff members receive?
Do experienced
staff receive 'refresher" training and how often?
For individuals
in residential programs, how does the agency handle personal funds?
Can I find out
the employee retention/turnover rate for the program I am interested in?
Can families and friends visit at any time? How much notice do family
and friends have to give before a
visit?
What and how does
the agency routinely report to families? How often?
What back up
systems are in place for medical or behavioral emergencies?
What are the
policies on medication and its administration?
How are services
individualized to meet the person's needs?
How are employees
screened for hire?
Who do I contact at The Arc of Schuyler County
if I have further questions?
1. How long has the
agency been in operation?
The Arc of Schuyler was chartered in 1978 as the Schuyler County
Chapter, NYSARC, Inc. We operate as The Arc of Schuyler, Glen Industries, and
Seneca Shine. Glen Industries is the vocational training division of The Arc of Schuyler, and includes Seneca Shine, an auto detailing training center.
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2. Does the agency have a
mission statement?
Yes. The Arc of Schuyler is committed to securing for all people
with developmental disabilities the opportunity to choose and realize their goals: where
and how they learn, live, work and play. This is accomplished by creating an environment
of independence, productivity and integration through individualized services.
The Arc is further committed to reducing the incidence and limiting the
consequence of developmental disabilities through education, research and advocacy, and
the support of families, friends and community.
Through the successful pursuit of quality and justice, The Arc
provides leadership in the field of disabilities and develops the necessary human and
financial resources to attain its goals.
The Arc also provides community leadership by participation
in a wide variety of activities that make our region a better place to live for all
citizens.
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3. Is the agency
licensed or certified and by whom?
The agency is licensed through the New York
State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). The programs
certified by the NYS OMRDD receive at least annual onsite visits by the Bureau of
Certification and Control. Glen Industries is also certified through the NYS Education
Dept. and VESID.
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4. Is there a
process for families to report concerns?
Yes. Individuals and their correspondents
(unless objected to) receive an "Objection to Services Suggested Protocol" as
well as addresses of state agencies which provide oversight. In addition, whenever there
is a plan to decrease or terminate service, the individual and their correspondent receive
at least 30 days advance notice of the proposed change and a procedure to state their
objection to the change. The agency also has a Director of Quality Assurance who can be
contacted if a person is not satisfied with other attempts to resolve conflicts.
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5. Do families
have access to administrative staff if there is an issue that requires intervention at
that level?
Yes. A list of administrative staff names
and contact information is provided to the individual and their correspondent upon
admission and annually thereafter. This information also appears on the agency's website, www.arcofschuyler.org. There is also an
administrator on call that can be reached evenings or weekends by contacting any of the
residential programs. The Arc encourages families to discuss concerns with administrative
staff as part of an ongoing quality improvement program.
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6. Does the agency
encourage family involvement by sponsoring events that bring families together?
Yes, examples are a summer family picnic,
community holiday dinner and the agency annual meeting. Many other recreational activities
occur throughout the year including, but not limited to, dances, a bowling program, and
Special Olympics and events where family involvement is strongly encouraged. The Arc's
Family Support department conducts periodic meetings on topics of interest to families.
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7. Does the agency
track and trend incidents and can families review these reports?
Yes, the agency has a Quality Assurance
department that tracks and trends incident reports both quarterly and annually. These
reports are available upon request. The agency provides the regional office of the NYS
OMRDD (Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office) a copy of our annual trend
report after being reviewed by a standing committee and the board of directors. An
individual's designated emergency contact person is notified of any serious reportable
incidents as they are occur and is given the option to receive additional information on
the incident as requested and it becomes available.
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8. Does the agency
have an internal process that assesses the individual's satisfaction with services?
Yes, the agency uses an assessment tool
titled the Personal Outcomes Survey, as developed by The Council on Quality and Leadership
in Supports for People with Disabilities. The council is a diversified quality enhancement
organization with an international focus in the field of human services. An annual report
is completed and discussed by our Board of Directors and is available upon request.
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9. What training
do new staff members receive?
The agency has a 3 week (120 hour) staff
orientation training which includes classroom instruction plus on the job training for all
newly hired direct support staff. In addition, supervisors and managers are offered
opportunities to participate in Professional Development Courses and Seminars available
through onsite training consultants or training programs offered by our State Association,
NYSARC Inc., and other trade associations or State agency seminars.
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10. Do
experienced staff receive 'refresher" training and how often?
Yes, the agency has several courses that
require yearly updates, i.e. medication recertification, abuse prevention, protection and
reporting. Other training areas such as CPR and Defensive Driving require 3 year
recertification.
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11. For
individuals in residential programs, how does the agency handle personal funds?
The agency can only become representative
payee for someone who resides in one of our certified residences and only if requested by
the individual or their correspondent. Personal fund allotments, as defined by the issuing
state agency, are made available to the individual within 3 days of receipt. Personal
funds managed by the agency are subject to regular audits including quarterly program
audits of daily ledgers that detail all transactions. Quarterly statements of expenditures
and balances are also sent to the person's correspondent. A detailed statement of charges
and services is provided to the individual and their correspondent upon admission and
annually thereafter.
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12. Can I find
out the employee retention/turnover rate for the program I am interested in?
Yes, the agency completes an annual report
which is broken down by program. For the year 2001, controllable turnover agency-wide
decreased compared to the previous year. This report is available upon request.
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13. Can families
and friends visit at any time? How much notice do family and friends have to give before a
visit?
Yes, families and friends are encouraged to
visit. No, you do not have to give prior notice but it is encouraged to ensure the person
will be home and has not gone on a recreational outing. The agency also does require staff
to request identification as a safety precaution if they are not familiar with the person
wishing to visit. For the same reason, the agency requests that the individual and family
keep an updated list of visitors at the house.
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14. What and how
does the agency routinely report to families? How often?
It is important that the
family/correspondent discuss with the program coordinator/service coordinator the types of
communication and frequency you are most comfortable with. At a minimum there are
semiannual program plan review meetings which the correspondent is encouraged to
participate in. Plan review meetings may be requested more often and as needed if there is
a change in plans requested. The correspondent is contacted any time the emergency room is
utilized and if there is an incident reported. Each family is encouraged upon admission to
discuss with the program coordinators what and how often they want to be notified.
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15. What back up
systems are in place for medical or behavioral emergencies?
The agency has a registered nurse on call 24
hours a day. The agency also contracts with the local hospital for 24-hour services.
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16. What are the
policies on medication and its administration?
Staff can administer medications only after
attending a 4-day medication course with a curriculum set by the NYS OMRDD. The staff then
must pass a practicum that is supervised by the registered nurse.
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17. How are
services individualized to meet the person's needs?
The Arc believes in person-centered
planning. The person's program plan is written to define the person's desired outcomes.
This is completed with input from the person, their family or correspondent and/or
involved staff who know the person. These plans can be modified at any time to reflect the
person's choices.
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18. How are
employees screened for hire?
The Arc of Schuyler follows these
steps regarding the hiring of new employees:
- All potential employees must complete and submit a written
application.
- A two or three step interview, which may include a site
visit for some job classifications as part of the interview.
- At least two references must be contacted and information
must be verified. There is a 90-day probationary period after hire.
- Certain positions require fingerprinting, criminal
background checks, and random drug and alcohol testing.
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19. Who do I contact at The Arc of
Schuyler if I have further questions?
If you have questions about supports and services, you may
contact Cara Furiosi-Clarke by telephone at (607) 535-6934 or via
e-mail
There are other managers listed on this website who are able to answer questions
relative to employment issues, organization issues, etc.
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Copyright ©
2001 The Arc of Schuyler County. All Rights Reserved
The Arc of Schuyler County
203 12th Street
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
USA
Phone: (607) 535-6934
Thank You for Visiting.
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Last Updated
03/03/2008
