Super Hero of the Month for October, 2018!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Anna Knott, who is a Coordinator for our Host Homes Program.

Anna was nominated by her coworker, who wrote:

Anna has been a huge help since she started, and is always so willing to reach out to providers and guardians. I have worked on a difficult case for the last 5 years with a lawyer’s office, and have not been able to work out a solution.  Anna immediately stepped in and said that that was not acceptable since we are the Representative Payee, and it was important for us to access what we needed to complete paperwork. Anna instantly stepped in and started working with the lawyer through both email and phone, and was able to reach a solution that everyone was comfortable with. While waiting for the paperwork to come in the mail, Anna kept her eyes out and made sure that when it arrived I got it right away.  On top of all that, I had several other issues that I needed help on during the process, and she didn’t even hesitate to help. It is great to have her around. She really cares for the individuals on her team, and wants to go the extra mile to make sure they are all getting what they deserve.

If you see Anna around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Super Hero of the Month for September, 2018!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Paris Aguilar, who is a Primary Residential Counselor at the Boulder Charles Smart Home.

Paris was nominated by her supervisor, who wrote:

I wanted to nominate Paris Aguilar for Super Hero of the Month. She has been a fantastic addition to the Boulder Charles Smart Home.

Paris has only been at Boulder Charles for a short time, but has made a huge impact.  Staff and residents alike are always happy when Paris is on shift.  She comes to every shift with a positive attitude and is eager to get things done.  I know that when Paris is around things will be smooth, no matter the circumstance.  Paris frequently picks up shifts to help out her team and is even willing to make adjustments to her schedule to benefit the house.  Paris connects with each resident on a personal level and finds ways to include them in group activities.  Recently, Paris helped several of the residents design and make their own fun T-shirts.  She goes out of her way to ensure that everyone is happy and getting their needs met.  She frequently plans outings and does her best to get everyone out of the house.  It is easy to see that Paris really cares about the individuals at Boulder Charles.

If you see Paris around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Imagine! Excellence in Customer Service Award Winner!

Each month, Imagine! presents the Excellence in Customer Service award to an employee who embodies one or more of Imagine!'s Customer Service Values:

1. We provide a culture of support that relies on respect, open and timely communication, and integrity.
2. We achieve results through continual improvement and creativity.
3. We actively engage in and promote community.

This month, the award was presented to Isaac Marin, who is the Site Supervisor at our Charles Family SmartHome.

Issac's nomination included the following praise:

Isaac has been working through some very challenging behaviors with our daughter, and I have been impressed with him, and appreciative of him, every step of the way. In his words and his actions, he exhibits integrity, kindness, and tenacity. He has advocated creatively for things he believed our daughter needed in order to work through her challenges, and he continues to do so. In addition, I have witnessed first-hand as he trains new staff members. He is terrific at modeling respectful, adult communication with the SmartHome residents, and simultaneously treats the new staff member with respect while teaching him about all of the intricacies involved in working with each individual. He is upbeat and clearly passionate about his work, and as a parent, I am eternally grateful for his presence at Imagine!.

Congratulations on this honor, Issac! We're lucky to have you here at Imagine! Innovations. 😊

Innovations and the Imagine! Leadership Development Group for 2018-19

Our first company value here at Imagine! is that "our workforce is our number one asset."  That means we do our best to support our employees, and give them opportunities to learn and grow.  Each year, several exceptional employees are selected to be a part of the Imagine! Leadership Development Group.  The purpose of this group is to help develop the knowledge and skills of up-and-coming leaders here at Imagine!.  This year, one of the participants selected is Innovations Group Home Site Supervisor Paula McCormick!

If you see Paula around, please congratulate her on this prestigious honor!

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Click here to read CEO Mark Emery's post on this year's Leadership Development Group.

You can also watch the short video below to learn more about Imagine!’s Leadership Development Group.

Super Hero of the Month for August, 2018

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Kent Vogel, who is a Primary Residential Counselor at the Foothills Group Home.

Kent was nominated by his supervisor, who wrote:

Kent is passionate about his work with the residents at Foothill,s and has outstanding work ethic. He works so efficiently that he often picks up extra tasks to help out his coworkers. A shift with Kent always seems to run smoothly. While the Residential Assistant Site Supervisor and the Site Supervisor were both on vacation, Kent stepped up and helped complete additional responsibilities to help the house. He made the weekly menus and ordered the groceries, which really helped the house and other staff. Kent always has a friendly attitude while at work, and enjoys helping the team strive. His presence is much appreciated by both the staff and residents.

If you see Kent around, please congratulate him on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Imagine! Customer Service Award Winner!

Each month, Imagine! presents the Excellence in Customer Service award to an employee who embodies one or more of Imagine!'s Customer Service Values:

1. We provide a culture of support that relies on respect, open and timely communication, and integrity.
2. We achieve results through continual improvement and creativity.
3. We actively engage in and promote community.

This month, the award was presented to Chelsea O'Day, who is the Residential Assistant Site Supervisor at our Foothills Group Home.

Chelsea's nomination included the following praise:

Chelsea has developed genuine friendships with the residents at Imagine!’s Foothills Group Home. When she walks through the door, it brightens their day. Chelsea has been practicing a Johnny Cash song with one of the residents for a long time. She helped him learn the lyrics and then brought in her personal recording equipment to record him singing. She provided background music with her ukulele. Check it out below.

Congratulations on this honor, Chelsea! We're lucky to have you here at Imagine! Innovations. 😊

Super Hero of the Month for July!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Katy Pape, who is a Primary Residential Counselor at the Timber Ridge Satellite Apartment Program.

Katy was nominated by her supervisor, who wrote:

Katy is the only Primary Residential Counselor for the Timber Ridge site. During the month of June, her Supervisor was away on paternity leave and the Timber Ridge Residential Assistant Site Supervisor was also away on vacation. With just me filling in for the supervisor and not yet knowing all the routines, personalities, particularities, etc. of the Timber Ridge individuals, Katy basically coordinated and stayed on top of everything for all six individuals for about three weeks. She scheduled and coordinated follow-up for all medical appointments, she spent a number of days and long hours getting one of the individuals unpacked and moved into their new apartment, and she kept up with outings, shopping trips, and cooking activities for all the individuals. She consistently worked late, well after her shift should have ended, to ensure everyone had what they needed and the proper information was communicated to the right people. Katy also answered a lot of questions for me while I was still getting settled in and was very flexible with what she was asked to do when she needed to rearrange things in her regular routine if I had meetings or wasn’t able to be at the site.

Timber Ridge is a small site and quite off the grid from other Innovations programs and it’s not often that the staff there get the recognition they deserve for their dedication and hard work. Katy’s work ethic, how visible it is that she cares deeply for the people we serve, were inspiring and a model for me as I got to know the Timber Ridge individuals and begin to build relationships with them. She’s very good at her job and sets a high standard of excellence for anyone working in direct care.

If you see Katy around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Super Hero of the Month for June!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Andorra Turner, who is a Primary Residential Counselor at the Santa Fe Group Home.

Andorra was nominated by her supervisor, who wrote:

Andorra is an amazing Primary Counselor.  She continuously strives to improve the lives of the individuals at Santa Fe, and she is an amazing advocate.  Recently, Andorra took it upon herself to help one of the individuals at Santa Fe rearrange their room.  She worked with the person to ensure that their room was rearranged the way that they wanted, while making the room less cluttered and more organized.  She also made it easier for the individual to find all of their preferred items and helped construct a mini “everything in its place” (EIP) for all of the individual’s small items that get easily lost.  This has made a positive impact on the person’s room and their life.

If you see Andorra around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Super Hero of the Month for April!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Chris Black, who is a Residential Counselor at the Foothills Group Home.

Chris was nominated by his supervisor and assistant supervisor, who wrote:

I’d like to nominate Chris Black for the Super Hero of the month. He’s our newest staff member, and a stellar addition to the team. Throughout the training process he’s been diligent in letting me know his training hours, and keeping me updated on where he is with all of the required training. He stepped in right off the bat with a person-centered approach, and a clear compassion for serving people. He has asked brilliant questions throughout the training process, and continues to bring details most people don’t mention, as well as suggestions to my and the assistant supervisor's attention. We are so lucky to have him here as part of our team, and I feel like he will make a huge impact on the quality of life of the residents, the flow of the house, and even the administrative side of it all. I’d really like him to be aware of our appreciation of his hard work so far and be recognized for it.

Additionally, he works hard and is able to prioritize tasks efficiently at Foothills. There is a lot to learn and he is definitely a fast learner!  I’m impressed by his skills at working with challenging behaviors. He is naturally person-centered, positive, curious, and a great employee. I enjoy working with him, and I hope he sticks around for a long time.

If you see Chris around, please congratulate him on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Appreciating our Innovations Volunteers!

This week is National Volunteer Week, and Imagine! Innovations has two wonderful volunteers at our administrative building who we want to thank!

Christina and Beth have committed many hours per month over the last year, and their time and talents have made a real difference here at Innovations. The Innovations staff wanted to recognize their hard work, and did so by throwing them a little shindig complete with cake, gifts, and a giant poster filled with well-deserved “thank you's!”

A HUGE thank you to Christina and Beth for your help in volunteering at Innovations-- we appreciate all that you do!

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Are you interested in volunteering at Imagine!, or do you know someone who might be? Click here to learn more about our volunteer opportunities here at Imagine!

Super Hero of the Month for March!

Each month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Matt Barnert, who is the Systems Architect for Innovations.

Matt was nominated by his coworkers, who wrote:

Matt is such a great resource to staff in so many areas.  Recently, a supervisor asked him to do a cross QA on one of her residents to help prepare for survey.  He obliged without hesitation.  I’ve often come to him with questions that I’m unsure about pertaining to regulations and he always chats with me to flesh out the issue, find a resolution, and is so thorough to make sure that we’ve thought about the situation from every angle.  He has such an upbeat attitude every day, and is always more than happy to help anyone in any way that he can.  I can’t imagine this place without him!

Matt’s support and expertise with Financials, Surveys, State status/info, Programmatic Documentation, MANE issues, Regulations, Policies/Procedures, etc. is more appreciated than I can say. It makes everyone in the office, sites, HHs and throughout Innovations feel supported and brings a comfort level to these areas that is essential to our success. We all feel in very good hands with Matt supporting these important areas of our program.

If you see Matt around, please congratulate him on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Imagine! Customer Service Award Winner!

Each month, Imagine! presents the Excellence in Customer Service award to an employee who embodies one or more of Imagine!'s Customer Service Values:

1. We provide a culture of support that relies on respect, open and timely communication, and integrity.
2. We achieve results through continual improvement and creativity.
3. We actively engage in and promote community.

This month, the award was presented to Imagine! Innovations Site Supervisor Sarah Gumson, who works at our Foothills Group Home.

Sarah's nomination included the following praise:

Sarah is a kind, hardworking and empowering supervisor. She gives very specific feedback that gets right to the point, and is tailored to meet each staff member in a way that facilitates growth and a feeling of belonging. She created an appreciation board for all staff and residents to show love and appreciation for one another. Sarah loves and deeply respects all residents. She is creative, innovative, and always looking out for new ways to improve services for each resident. She is so passionate about this population that she writes all of her graduate school papers on how to best work with people with developmental, cognitive, and physical challenges. She somehow manages to be a grad student and a group home site supervisor, and she deserves recognition! 

Congratulations on this honor, Sarah! We're lucky to have you here at Imagine! Innovations. 😊

Super Hero of the Month for February!

Every month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Connor Henderson, who is a Residential Counselor II for our Santa Fe Group Home.

Connor was nominated by his supervisor, who wrote:

Connor is always willing and seems to want to learn more and more new things.  He has made it a point to get several of our stakeholders out into the community on the weekends and he always makes time to be with each individual on the days he works.  He jumps right into helping his co-workers complete the daily care and support of our folks without even being asked.  He proactively identifies areas that could benefit from some TLC like organizing the linen closet, dusting window sills, helping clean and organize individual’s rooms and other household task not listed on the normal task list.  He is always looking for ways to make things operate more smoothly.  He has started helping the Residential Assistant Site Supervisor with weekly menus and grocery orders when she is busy doing other things, and I consider him a valuable asset to everyone, individuals and staff, here at the Santa Fe home.

If you see Connor around, please congratulate him on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Super Hero of the Month for January!

Every month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Melissa Allen, who is a Coordinator for our Host Homes program.

Melissa was nominated by her co-worker, who wrote:

I feel that Melissa deserves this award because she exemplifies the mission and values of Imagine! and Innovations.  Melissa has taken the time during highly time-sensitive and stressful situations to make stakeholders and Innovations administrative staff her priority, and has offered assistance even if it is not specifically her job.  This small gesture has had a lasting impact, and has supported an open line of communication and collaboration.  On many occasions, Melissa has been the first to offer her assistance and support, and is always mindful of our dedication to our stakeholders and why we are truly here. Most recently Melissa offered to get signatures on documents that were needed for Medicaid eligibility that were extremely time-sensitive and crucial to continuing services.  Melissa coordinated obtaining the signatures and offered to drive to the residences if needed.  This allowed Administrative staff to focus on other essential documents required.  Without her support, this process would have been more difficult and taken a great deal more time. Additionally, Melissa shows a great dedication to Imagine! and the stakeholders it serves, and acknowledging that it is a team effort.

If you see Melissa around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!

Super Hero of the Month for December!

Every month, Innovations presents the “Super Hero of the Month” award to the employee or provider who has best demonstrated excellence in one or more of our Innovations Quality Standards:

• Health, Safety, and Wellbeing
• Effective and Efficient
• Respect and Dignity
• Opportunities
• Integrity
• Care

This month, the award was presented to Michelle Cearley, who is the Program Coordinator for our Companion Homes program.

Michelle was nominated by her co-worker, who wrote:

I would like to nominate Michelle Cearley for an award. She is always amazing to work with. No matter what the situation is, I can go to her and she is willing to step in and take control or offer help. She is also super quick and stays on top of every situation until it is finished.  Michelle is always upbeat and polite and she treats everyone with the utmost respect.  Michelle always strives for improvement, and is willing to lend a helping hand whenever she can.

If you see Michelle around, please congratulate her on being our Super Hero of the Month!