Now that
the presents are open, the tree is put away, the last Christmas cookie has been
eaten, and New Year resolutions have been made (and broken and made again), here is a recap of 2012 and layout what 2013 might look
like for us here at Civitan Services.
But before
we look at 2012 and ’13, I think it is really important for us to review our
Mission. As you
read the Mission Statement for Civitan Services don’t just read the words… look
at each statement and reflect what this means to you. This is not just the
company’s mission statement, it became YOUR mission statement when you began
working for Civitan Services.
Civitan
Services provides quality educational and life skills training for people with
developmental disabilities. We strive to make an impact in the lives of our
clients and their families through specialized services and support offered in a
safe, compassionate environment. We are committed to providing a facility and
staff that will always meet the needs of people with disabilities in our
community. Our ultimate objective is to help each person served maximize their
potential for independence and become productive members of
society.
2012 was a
record year for enrollment in all three areas… Preschool topped out at 109,
Adult Services ended up with 118 on roll and Waiver Services has a record 44
individuals receiving services daily. With this growth we have seen our
employee numbers skyrocket to 145 employees.
2012 has
been a year of planning and laying the ground work for our future. We have
purchased new vehicles to ease the burden of transportation, purchased
curriculum for both preschool and adult classrooms and have made great strides
in meeting the needs of our clients (the proof is in the enrollment numbers!)
Awnings were built over the walkways connecting the preschool buildings. Our
biggest project has been the hiring of an architect firm to design a new adult
service’s center in Bryant. These are just a few items that come to
mind.
With 2013
we hope to see several projects completed that will affect the way we do things…
The two most notable will be moving the adult program into their new building in
Bryant and CARF Accreditation. The plans for the building are being finalized
and we are preparing to hire a contractor to start the building process. In
addition, we will be kicking off a fundraising campaign for this building and
future renovations to the existing building. Our plans are to be in the new
building by the end of 2013. This will ease the overcrowding issue that we are
currently experiencing but at the same time it will create additional problems
related to having two campuses.
Though we
have talked about CARF for years now, this is the year that we will actually
pursue the accreditation. Our plan is to submit a request for certification in
February and plan for the actual survey in September. We have completed a lot
of work on this project already, but we still have a ways to go. Part of this
process has been the completion of a Strategic Plan. This plan lays out the
roadmap for what our agency plans to work towards in any given year. Some of
our goals are as follows for 2013:
1.
Obtain CARF
Accreditation
2. Obtain
Better Beginnings status – Phase II and Phase III
3.
Optimizing
the space we have for services
4. Build the
Adult Services building
5.
Increase
the Health and Wellness of our clients
6.
Increase
staff retention and training opportunities
7.
Develop
marketing and fundraising opportunities
8.
Increase
opportunities to meet the needs of the individuals we
serve
9.
Improve
communication, transportation and quality of services.
As you
begin preparing for the New Year, I hope that each of you will take into account
where we have been and where we are going. As one close friend stated in her
New Year’s Resolutions… she planned to “Enjoy and take in every second that she
has at Civitan and serve the clients to the best of her ability” this coming
year. I hope you will do the same. Happy New Year!
