We are thrilled to invite members of our community to visit our brain injury community center in Tewksbury. The Incompass Safe Minds Community Center (SMCC) supports those who have experienced a brain injury. It empowers participants to maximize their level of independence, self confidence, and dignity so they can experience full lives in their communities.

Community members will have a chance to mingle with SMCC participants and their families, and learn about the impact that the program has had on their lives. RSVP here.

• Rose Fuegue, Intern Peer Leader & Clinical
• Miguel Camargo, Marketing
• Annette Forchoh, HR & Day Program
• Alice Obare, Strive2Thrive
• Julia Sebilian, Safe Minds Community Center & CBDS
• Gabrielle Victor, Strive2Thrive
• Anna Yang, CBDS
• Anna Wang, Safe Minds Community Center & CBDS

As always, it is an honor to welcome representatives of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to Omni Way for the annual graduation ceremony. DDS Commissioner Jane Ryder joined us along with her DDS colleagues:

• Gerald Scott, Recruitment Manager
• Tom Marshall, Area Director, Lowell Office
• Beverly McGovern, Assistant Area Director, Lowell Office
• Kelley Lawless, Regional Director, Northeast Region

This occasion was especially important because it marked the end of a new format for the UYCP, led by Community Recreation & Engagement Manager Brian Etheridge. This was the first summer where the program branched out of the day habilitation program, allowing students to also explore administrative departments at Incompass. In some cases, interns were able to split their time between two programs.

UYCP intern Julia Sebilian gave a heartwarming speech about her time in the program, the connections she made with fellow interns, and the impact individuals had on her. She was inspired by her observations while working in the Safe Minds Community Center, a new brain injury program offered at Incompass. Once she finishes graduate school, she hopes to get into program management in a human services setting. Hopefully with Incompass!!

The ceremony wrapped up with students presenting their legacy gift – a yearly tradition. Interns collaborated with participants in the day programs to create a beautiful art project. The marketing team nearly jumped out of their seats when they realized that it was a collage of art pieces forming the Incompass heart graphic. What a way to end the program! As always, we hope to welcome back these familiar faces next year, along with new ones. Thank you to everyone who continues to support the Urban Youth Collaborative Program. Learn more about the program here.

Actually, that is not entirely accurate. You see, we achieved a significant milestone by opening our first respite group home, catering to medically complex individuals across the Northeast region. Presently, we have three individuals staying with us, and it warms my heart to witness the support and care they receive from our compassionate staff.

As we step into a new fiscal year, we find ourselves eagerly embracing a fresh strategic plan – our first as an affiliate of NEHSCO – that will undoubtedly propel us toward greater heights. I am excited to witness the incredible strides our dedicated team will take in the coming months, and I can honestly say that the culture of our agency has never been stronger!

As you read this, I’ll be in Las Vegas, where our COO Kelly Trickett and I are attending The Arc of the United States, National Council of Executives (NCE) Summer Leadership Initiative. This event is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate, learn, and grow with leaders from various Arc chapters across the nation, inspiring us to further our commitment to those we serve.

This summer edition of our Insights newsletter fills me with immense pride, as we continue to be a beacon of innovation and compassion. Let me share with you just a few of the updates that have really risen to the top over these past few months.

Incompass Human Services was delighted to celebrate the recognition of two outstanding members of our team. Our COO, Kelly Trickett, was honored as a Distinguished Young Professional by the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce, a testament to her exceptional leadership and dedication. Furthermore, our residential manager, Claude Dossa, was honored as a workforce hero by The Arc of Massachusetts, reflecting the exceptional level of care he provides to our clients. Congratulations again to both Kelly and Claude!

Additionally, we’ve made considerable progress in refining our approach through collaboration. Our team of Care Champions recently came together to develop the yearly balanced scorecard, leveraging insights gained from our engagement with the esteemed London/Boston-based Clarasys Consultants. This collective effort ensures that we continuously grow our program portfolio and enhance the quality of services we provide while staying true to our founding mission and core values.

Our Chelmsford headquarters are also buzzing this summer with the arrival of our latest cohort of Urban Youth Scholars, who come from colleges including UMass Lowell, Yale, and Bowdoin College. Watching these students come together to work with our individuals is always a joy, and we’re fortunate that the Department of Developmental Services continues to support this vital workforce development program.

As we embark on this exciting journey, we are acutely aware of the immense responsibility we bear in enriching the lives of those who rely on our support. None of our accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our Care Champions, the trust and support of families and caregivers, and the resilience of the individuals we serve.

On behalf of the entire Incompass team, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your continued support. Together, we will continue to create a positive impact and empower individuals to live fulfilling lives. Here’s to a summer filled with progress, growth, and compassion!

With warm regards,

Jean Phelps

CEO, Incompass Human Services

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 

• Peter Orrall and Lisa Tulipani Orrall – Northeast Arc
• Judith Montes de Oca – NFI Massachusetts, Inc.
• Donald Duggan Jr., and Diana Slaney-Duggan – NFI Massachusetts, Inc.

We were honored to be joined by:

• Senator Joan Lovely (Second Essex District)
• Representative Dan Cahill (10th Essex District)
• Representative Kristin Kassner (2nd Essex District)
• Representative Sally Kerans (13th Essex District)
• Representative Tom Walsh (12 Essex District)

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!

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

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!