Happening At Carey Services – Page 5

6Nov, 2018

Agency Receives 3-Year CARF Accreditation

Carey Services officials have announced the agency successfully completed a major accreditation, receiving a maximum three-year accreditation achievement through CARF International. The accreditation validates the high quality of services the agency provides to individuals with disabilities in several Indiana counties.

This is the ninth consecutive three-year accreditation Carey Services has received from the Committee on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, an international accrediting body. This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to CARF standards.

“We are very pleased to receive CARF’s highest level of accreditation,” said Jim Allbaugh, Carey Services’ president and chief executive officer. “As an agency, we strive every day to be the best we can be for the individuals we serve and those communities we impact. It is great to have that daily work recognized and validated with a CARF seal of approval.”

Carey Services received the accreditation for the following program areas:

Community Employment Services: Employment Supports
Community Employment Services: Job Development
Community Integration
Organizational Employment Services
Supported Living

The three-year accreditation will extend through Nov. 30, 2021. To obtain the accreditation Carey Services completed a rigorous three-day professional peer evaluation in October. Carey Services demonstrated to the survey team the agency’s commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable and of the highest quality.

The accrediting body’s final report specifically notes some highlights of the survey team visit:

“Carey Services has exceptional staff members who truly value the work that they do. They want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the consumers. Their care and compassion are evident in all that they do.”
“Families and guardians of the consumers served by Carey Services are very pleased with the services provided to their loved ones. They express that the services are top notch.”

CARF International was founded in 1966 and establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, visit the CARF website at www.carf.org.

6Nov, 2018

#GivingTuesday Donations to be Matched

6Nov, 2018

Family/Caregiver Quarterly Meeting Nov. 15

Carey Services works hard to provide the best possible care and create meaningful opportunities for those individuals we serve. As you undoubtedly know, the world in which we operate continues to change, with those changes potentially impacting many of the ways in which we operate and provide services.

With those environmental changes in mind, we want to encourage you to attend the first of what will become a quarterly informational meeting on Nov. 15. The meeting is designed to provide information for the individuals we serve and their families and caregivers. Light refreshments will be provided.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Building B on our Marion campus. We’ll start the evening with an informational session from Marion attorney Teri Pollett-Hinkle, who will talk about important aspects of powers of attorney, guardianships, healthcare representative and representative payee. We’ll also have an agency staff member talk about state and federal regulation issues that could impact consumer services, including recent changes that define community integration. We also will spend time talking about what’s new and exciting within Carey Services.

We plan on these meetings becoming regular, quarterly events, and we look forward to your input on topics that would be of interest for that opening portion of the evening.

We hope you will join us on Nov. 15.

29Oct, 2018

Carey Services President/CEO Honored

2Oct, 2018

Fall Fest Will Be October 3

Carey Services and the Early Head Start Program will participate in the annual Fall Fest on Oct. 3 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the YMCA in downtown Marion.

The free annual event is sponsored by Little Giants Preschool – Head Start and the Early Head Start program. The event is designed for families with children from birth to 12 years old who live in Grant or Blackford counties.

Numerous community organizations will be at the festival to provide information, developmental screenings and car seat inspections. Games and prizes for the children also will be available.

10Sep, 2018

CARF Accreditation Visit Oct. 3-5

Carey Services will have surveyors from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities visiting our facilities and interviewing staff, clients and other interested parties Oct.3-5.

CARF accreditation is one of the highest accreditations that agencies in Carey Services’ industry can receive. The accreditation is voluntary, but Indiana requires agencies who work with people with disabilities to obtain one of several permissible accreditations. CARF surveyors can recommend up to a three-year accreditation at the completion of their survey time; Carey Services has received a three-year accreditation for its operations at the end of each of its surveys.

As part of the survey, CARF surveyors will interview people who receive agency services, their families, agency staff members and others in the community. Some typical questions might include:

Do we provide a clean and safe setting?
Do you receive the services you need and want?
Are you treated with respect?
Do you take part in planning your services?
Are you told what you need to know about your services?
Are your questions answered in a way your understand?
So you know where to go with questions or concerns?

Interested people also can speak with surveyors. If you are interested in talking with a CARF surveyor during this visit, call Carey Services at (765) 668-8961. You may also contact CARF International directly (520) 495-7001 or feedback@carf.org.

16Jul, 2018

New Early Head Start Director Begins Work

Beth Wickham has joined Carey Services as the director of the agency’s Early Head Start program, replacing longtime director Cathy Queen, who recently retired.

Wickham has more than 20 years of experience in Head Start programming. She began her Head Start career as a teacher and eventually became site director and education coordinator with the Community and Family Services program in Portland, Ind. She is a Gas City native and Mississinewa High School graduate who currently lives in Marion. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Ashford University and plans to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood education.

“I’m excited to be joining Carey Services and the tremendous team that has demonstrated much success over the years through the Early Head Start program,” Wickham said. “I’m passionate about helping children and helping them start off life on the right footing so they can be successful as they grow.”

Carey Services is the Early Head Start provider for Grant and Blackford counties, working with 130 children and families from pre-natal care through 3 years old at any given time. In 2017, more than 235 children and families participated in some facet of Early Head Start programming.

“Beth brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Carey Services and to the Early Head Start programming,” said Jim Allbaugh, Carey Services’ president and chief executive officer. “She’s already hit the ground running getting acquainted with her staff and the families we serve, and she will be a great person to continue the quality of care those we serve have come to expect from Carey Services.”

13Jul, 2018

State Treasurer Visits Carey Services

State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell visited Carey Services on July 13 to celebrate the first anniversary of INvestABLE Indiana. After a discussion with Carey Services’ officials and a tour of the agency’s facility, Mitchell spoke with agency employees and clients, family members, and community members about INvestABLE Indiana, the newest program in the treasurer’s office.

“During these beginning years of the program, it is vital that we reach out to the community and share the news of this program,” Mitchell said. “I want to thank Carey Services for hosting this informational session for their employees and the community here in Marion.”

During its inaugural year, the Indiana ABLE Authority has seen extraordinary growth and use of the plan. Nearly 200 accounts have been opened, and more than $559,000 in assets are under management. The average account balance is more than $3,000.

“INvestABLE Indiana is a great avenue to allow individuals with disabilities in Grant County to have savings, while protecting their benefits that they need to thrive and assure their needs are met over the long haul,” said Jim Allbaugh, Carey Services’ president and chief executive officer. “We are very thankful Treasurer Mitchell joined us today at Carey Services, and we hope this event will yield multiple ABLE accounts being set up in Grant County.”

INvestABLE Indiana offers seven investment options, including a checking account option with a debit card. Up to $15,000 a year can be saved in an account, with a maximum account balance of $450,000. An individual receiving Social Security benefits can save up to $100,000 in their INvestABLE Indiana account and not risk losing their monthly benefit. Money can be withdrawn and spent on qualified expenses, or INvestABLE Indiana account holders can choose to grow their finances and create long-term savings with tax-free earnings.

To qualify for an ABLE account, the account owner must have the onset of disability or blindness before the age of 26 and qualify for Social Security benefits. If they do not qualify for Social Security benefits, but still meet the age of onset disability requirement, they must have a condition listed on the Social Security Administration’s List of Compassionate Allowances or be able to provide a physician’s certification that the disability is expected to last at least a year.

Learn more at www.in.savewithable.com.

9Jul, 2018

SplashABILITY Event July 25

The inaugural SplashABILITY event for people with disabilities will be July 25 at the Marion Splash House.

The event is geared for folks with all abilities, including people with disabilities, their loved ones and their caregivers. The event will be 7-9 p.m. with a discounted entrance fee of $3 for each person (regardless of ability). The public is invited, and the event will have some special features, including:

Music and volume levels selected with people with disabilities in mind
Briefer duration waves in wave pool
Full access to pool in areas otherwise designated for small children
Wheelchair lift capability
Concession stand open on main, pool-deck area (puree equipment will be available)
Outdoor games and activities also will be available to those who don’t want to be in water

5Jul, 2018

State Treasurer to visit July 13

Kelly Mitchell, Indiana state treasurer, will visit Carey Services on July 13 to celebrate the first anniversary of the INvestABLE Indiana savings plan.

The treasurer will meet with local residents and community leaders at 11 a.m. in the Building B multi-purpose room on Carey Services’ Marion campus, 2724 S. Carey St. She will provide updates on the program’s first year. The savings plan is the state’s version of the national Achieving a Better Life Experience account program.

This plan allows for the creation of tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities to save for their future and pay for disability-related expenses without endangering the person’s disability benefits. This will help those with disabilities by easing financial burdens and allowing for financial savings to cover qualified living expenses including, but not limited to, education, transportation, housing and medical needs.

INvestABLE Indiana offers seven investment options, including a checking account option with a debit card. Up to $14,000 a year can be saved in an account, which can have a maximum balance of $450,000. Individuals receiving Social Security benefits can save up to $100,000 without risking losing their monthly benefits.

Money can be withdrawn and spent on qualified expenses, or INvestABLE Indiana account holders can choose to grow their finances and create long-term savings with tax-free earnings. Contributions and earnings in INvestABLE Indiana accounts are not subject to federal or state income tax if spent on qualified expenses, similar to a 529 College Savings account.

To qualify for an ABLE account, the account owner must have the onset of disability or blindness before the age of 26 and be receiving Social Security benefits. If they are not receiving Social Security benefits, but still meet the age of onset disability requirement, they may still be eligible if they meet Social Security’s definition and criteria regarding significant functional impairment, and can provide a letter of certification from a qualified physician.

To learn more about the INvestABLE Indiana savings plan, visit in.savewithable.com.

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