Support’s Annual Halloween Party will be moving to Zoom this year! We have a fun lineup planned for this event, including a costume contest and haunted trivia.
This event will take place on October 21st from 3-5 p.m. Costumes are suggested but not required. We will also dedicate a moment to pet costumes, as well! Aside from the costume contest, we will also host a Haunted Trivia Game and BINGO with a Halloween Theme. In addition, we’re sharing spooky stories and welcome guests to bring their own spooky stories, as well!
To RSVP and receive the login details, please email Cathy at Cathy.Kellogg@supportinc.com We look forward to seeing everyone soon!
It’s great to be back! I have re-joined the Support, Inc family as of August 17th after completing active duty service time with my Army Reserve unit this past year. It’s been my pleasure to reconnect with co-workers, providers, and clients over these past several days.
I’m excited to take on a new role within the company, now overseeing things for the Denver Metro 1 Residential Team. I will do my best to continue to provide the best service possible to the people we serve. Looking forward to talking with you soon!
Please join us in congratulating Gwen Bonilla on her recent promotion to Associate Director of Day Services .
With this recent wave of promotions, we are proud of everyone and continue to brag on our amazing employees!!
Gwen Bonilla joined Support Inc in 2018 as a clinician after a long career as a case manager and program manager at Rocky Mountain Human Services. Gwen is excited to bring her passion for mental health therapy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to her role as Associate Director of Day Services.In 2009, Gwen developed a unique therapy model for people with I/DD called Touching Stories that has been in use at Support Inc since 2018.
In 2012, she was the recipient of the 7 Everyday Hero Award for her work with the Touching Stories program. Gwen holds a graduate degree in social work from Metro State University of Denver and completed a post-graduate program in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Denver Family Institute in 2019.
Support, Inc. has provided residential services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 31 years. When you join the Support Family, you are guaranteed a strong and experienced team to meet your needs.
The Support Inc. Difference
Support provides exceptional customer service from day one. Our Intake Team scrutinizes referrals for person-specific details and takes a clinical approach to care. These referrals are not “just another number”. First, we scour every referral to be sure we are able to meet the individual’s needs. Whether you take the Family Caregiver Route or Host Home, we only accept referrals that we feel we are able to accommodate. We do everything we can to get creative with our solutions. By being more selective from the get-go, we reduce the likelihood of someone “blowing out” from their placement. Support is committed to long-term placements and as such, we do everything we can to ensure a solid match the first time around. With over 200 people in services, we can assure you that our creative and flexible approaches to problem-solving have led to excellent outcomes for those we serve.
If for some reason we need another option, we have plenty of Host Homes to choose from. This year alone, the Intake Team has onboarded over 70 new providers, and this doesn’t include the providers we’ve contracted with for many years. From Fort Collins down to Colorado Springs, Support has quite a few providers to choose from-let us find you the perfect match!
For those that opt for Family Caregiver, we have a committee dedicated to making this waiver as easy as possible for our new families coming into services. Our Family Caregiver Committee has dedicated countless hours to reviewing the family caregiver model and experience. We started by examining the onboarding process. Families go through so much to get into services, so we drastically reduced the amount of items needed to get onboarded as an employee. In addition, with ADP (our payroll system), we now have an online and paper option to get going as an employee. The committee also reviewed our training and regulatory training requirements to remove trainings that aren’t relevant or needed for a family who has been living in the world of IDD services for many years.
Ultimately, we focus on how to meet regulations while supporting families to be a family. And if the customer service alone doesn’t set us apart, our individualized budgets truly go above and beyond to meet the needs of the family. We design them to allow for far more flexibility than other agencies (vacations, rent/bill support, hobbies and interests of the individual, etc.). We also review them on a regular basis to ensure it continues to meet the families needs.
Lastly, we have our PCA option available to people in services. This can work a few different ways-sometimes we help our individuals switch the lease from one agency to the next while remaining in the same apartment. We’ve also assisted with moving our residents to a new setting and helping locate the perfect apartment. Our coordinators can help you find a place to live. You would be hard-pressed to identify a living situation we have yet to tackle. Support offers flexible living options, and we also have experience with working alongside HUD inspectors and maintaining Section 8 housing vouchers.
Aside from our residential services, we offer clinical services in-house. And did we mention our amazing Nursing Team and Benefits Specialist? Support, Inc. offers well-rounded, person-centered services with unmatched customer service. At Support, we are redefining the life experience for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Learn more about the supports we offer by contacting our Intake Team at Intake@supportinc.com.
With the election coming up, Support is relaying critical voter information for those residing in Colorado. From voting deadlines to voter registration, there’s plenty to track in the next few weeks.
Even though there’s deadlines to meet and requirements to vote, this doesn’t mean that voting has to be difficult! Coloradoans are fortunate to live in a state where vote-by-mail is easily accessible. Furthermore, our Secretary of State Jena Griswold has provided additional voting options for people with disabilities with electronic ballot access from home. And even though we recommend registering to vote soon, you can also register to vote on Election Day if need be. We strongly support individuals with disabilities having access to the polls-we ultimately want to help make this process as seamless and easy to understand as possible.
So let’s talk about voting deadlines and how to register to vote. First, we have the deadlines to cover:
Important dates to know for
Election 2020
Oct. 9
Ballots start to get
mailed out to active voters
Oct. 19
Drop boxes open to start
accepting ballots
Voting and polling
centers open
Oct. 26
Last day to update your
registration to receive a ballot by mail
Last day to mail your
ballot back
Oct. 27
You can no longer mail
your ballot back! Drop it off in a ballot box, or head to a polling
center.
Nov. 3
Election Day
Last day to vote — ballots must be received by 7 p.m.
In Colorado, you can both register to vote and vote on Election Day
If you prefer, take a screenshot of this image and save it to your phone. Pro tip: Saving reminders in your phone can help you remember to meet the deadlines in a timely manner.
Next, we have registration information:
To register in Colorado you must:
be a citizen of the United States
be a resident of Colorado for at least 22 days immediately
before the Election in which you intend to vote
be at least 16 years old, but you must be at least 17 and
turning 18 on or before the date of the next general election to be eligible to
vote in a primary election, and at least 18 to be eligible to vote in any other
election
not be serving a sentence of detention or confinement for a
felony conviction
*find more information on voting rights
restoration here
How to register to vote:
You can register online if you have an active
Colorado driver’s license or ID card. If you don’t have a Colorado-issued
ID, you can still register to vote by mail or in person. Here is a link to
the website where you can register: https://www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/olvr/verifyNewVoter.xhtml
You can register to vote up until election day in Colorado, but
Monday, October 26th, 2020 is the deadline to register to vote
and receive a ballot by mail. Monday the 26th is also the
deadline to submit a ballot by mail and ensure it is counted. If you fill
out a ballot after the 26th, you can still drop it off at a
ballot box or polling center.
If you are a resident of Colorado and do not have a Colorado ID, or you just prefer to send your form by mail, you may register this way. Keep in mind that your registration needs to be received by the 26th in order for you to receive a ballot through the mail.
3. Eligible voters with a disability may request toaccess a ballot and vote electronically. Voters with a disability can now vote an electronic ballot independently and privately from their own home or other location. During the 22 days before and on election day, the electronic ballot access website, myballot.sos.colorado.gov., will guide you through the process of voting your ballot. Once you have voted your ballot, you must print the completed ballot, print the accessible ballot application provided, and then sign the accessible ballot application. All of these materials must be returned together. You may return your printed ballot materials in person to either a county drop-box or voter service and polling center or through the mail. Your ballot and application must be received no later than 7 PM on election day.
4. Register to vote in-person. Registering to vote in-person may be done at a physical office, which includes:
-A Colorado Department of Motor
Vehicle office when you apply for a driver’s license, or when updating your
driver’s license information;
-Offices that provide public assistance, including
offices that provide state funded programs primarily engaged in providing
services to person with disabilities;
-Recruitment offices of the armed forces of the
United States;
-Any federal, state, or local government office or
any nongovernment office that chooses to provide voter registration service or
applications; or
Again, readers can save this image to their phones as a guide to voter registration. Set alarms in your phone to remind you to register to vote soon!
Plain Language Voting Guide
Perhaps the best resource we could relay would be the Plain Language Guide for individuals with disabilities. The Arc of Larimer County has pieced together this important guide that covers a variety of topics, such as what is voting, who can vote, and what to do when your voting rights have been denied. To learn more, follow this link.
This information was sourced from the Colorado Secretary of State website and The Arc of Larimer County and is part of an initiative by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council to share voting information and resources. Be on the lookout for further information and related updates in the Support, Inc. Newsletter and on the Support, Inc. Facebook page. at www.facebook.com/supportinc1989
Please follow the links
imbedded in this message to participate.
Tuesday, October 6
Pop
Culture Club: Voting and Civic Engagement
When: Tuesday, October 6 from
10:00am-11:00am
What: Pop Culture Group is an opportunity for
clients to come together and connect over their common interests and explore
new ideas at the same time. Come for an opportunity to express your human
rights. We will learn about government, civic engagement, and how to
participate. Why is everyone talking about registering to vote?! Let’s find
out! Pop Culture Club is open to all.
What: Join us for an evening of friendship,
discussion, and learning! These interactive groups will focus on developing
skills and confidence for social situations in a way that is fun and
informative! It’s time for another Spooktacular craft tutorial! We’ll be making
costume masks out of paper plates. A list of suggestions is attached to this
email. LIFE Club is open to all.
What: We will join together to discuss life’s
stressors while improving the physical health of our bodies to create a healthy
lifestyle by learning helpful social and exercise habits. Thisgroupwill
incorporate a different movement activity every session. This week is all about
kick boxing! This is a great opportunity to be active during a virtual time.
Adaptable for all abilities! Moving and Grooving is open to all.
Touching Stories is canceled for Thursday, October
8. Join us again on Thursday, October 15th at 11:30 am!
Friday,
October 9
Social Distancing Games
When: Friday, October 9 from
10:00am-11:00am
What: This is an excellent opportunity to
get out and hang out with friends in a safe and social distancing way. Meet us
site-based in the parking lot behind Day Program before we practice social
distancing with fun, sensory games. We will notice all the sights, sounds,
smells, and feels in a safe and staggered environment. *One of games will
involve water play, please bring a towel and/or a change of clothes. All
clients and DSPs are welcome!
Instructions: In order to participate,please
contact Gwen at gwen.bonilla@supportinc.com.
Please arrive no earlier that 9:30am and be prepared to be picked up no
later than 11:30am. Masks will be required for this activity.
Address: Support, Inc.
15591 E Centretech Pkwy
Aurora, CO 80011
Pop Culture Club: Don’t be a Scaredy Cat
When: Friday, October 9 from
12:00pm-1:00pm
What: Pop Culture Group is an opportunity
for clients to come together and connect over their common interests and explore
new ideas at the same time. Join us as we talk about ghost stories, Halloween,
and about how other cultures celebrate this time of year. This is what we have
all been waiting for! Bring your talents, enthusiasm, and support for our
friends as we show off our talents and talk about our favorite hobbies. Pop
Culture Club is open to all.
Nick Manning has been appointed as the Director of People Operations, formerly called Human Resources. Nick has been working towards his Doctorate in Business Administration, with specific focus in Organizational Development, to learn more about organizational development and human resource practices. This learning has centered around modern-day techniques in the design of a system that not only covers the technicalities of the traditional human resource focus, but how these functions can support real human development, diversity, and partnerships throughout the entire organization.
With this educational focus, combined with his many years of outstanding general management experience and relentless pursuit of developing people, we expect Nick to be a catalyst for evolving our human resources and add significant value to what we do every day. Thank you Nick for your contributions to the agency thus far, and we look forward to the progress you make in the upcoming weeks and months.
We have our newsletter fresh off the press-from employee promotions to DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) updates, click the link to learn more of our recent updates! We also have self-care tips, voting information and additional updates regarding COVID-19.
The Support, Inc. STAR Committee gathered recently to brainstorm new ideas for a self-care series for employees. The group cleverly named this initiative Fall Into Care and hosted it’s first session yesterday. This three-part series aims to discuss self-care management during a pandemic with different themes for each event. For the second session, the Committee will host a media swap and the third meeting in November will cover winter blues prevention tactics.
From trying new recipes to visiting the Wild Animal Sanctuary, the group covered a range of topics and ideas for remaining upbeat. This outlet also provided an opportunity to vent about the year without judgement. And while it’s great to stay productive, the group agreed that downtime is important, as well. Brene Brown discusses overperforming in her podcast, and a nod to this episode reminded the group that it’s okay to take a break and just chill.
The STAR Committee serves employees of Support with three objectives in mind: Fostering a positive work culture, promoting employee appreciation and encouraging self-care. The Committee understands what a challenging year this has been and will continue to promote internal opportunities for connection within the organization. In addition, further considerations to explore and strengthen relationships amongst host home providers and their teams will be explored, as well. For clients to connect with their peers, please see our weekly LIFE Club updates on the blog for more information.
Sometimes it’s hard to manage self-care when a pandemic requires us to isolate and maintain social distance. But this doesn’t mean there’s not other ways to connect with people. And this certainly doesn’t mean we can’t still find joy in our everyday lives.
The STAR Committee created a flyer to share with employees and members of the agency. Feel free to share your ideas below-we would love to learn more ideas for self-care in 2020!
Pop Culture Group is canceled for Tuesday,
September 22. Join us again on Tuesday, September 29 at 10am!
LIFE Club: Scavenger
Hunt
When: Tuesday, September 22 from 5:00pm-6:00pm
What: Join us for an evening of friendship,
discussion, and learning! These interactive groups will focus on developing
skills and confidence for social situations in a way that is fun and
informative! Last week’s game night was so great that we are continuing this
week with another scavenger hunt. Be prepared to search for all sorts of things
like something you’ve had for a long time, something new, something that is
special to you, etc. Let’s get to know each other virtually! LIFE Club is
open to all.
Moving and Grooving is canceled for Wednesday,
September 23. Join us again on Wednesday, September 30 at noon!
Thursday,
September 24
Touching Stories
When: Thursday, September 24 from
11:00am-12:00pm
What: Touching Stories is a unique therapy
model, specifically designed for people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities, that pairs the social and emotional learning of story with
sensory integration activities in a way that is educational, engaging, and
simply, a lot of fun! We have adapted our Touching Stories for at home use.
Gwen and Meredith will first lead participants in a scavenger hunt for the
sensory items needed for the stories (all items are common items found in every
home) and then will tell the sensory-based stories to the group. Please see the
attached list for scavenger hunt items. If you are curious to learn more,
please watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcjzvevJ9_w&t=67s.
Touching Stories is open to all.
Pop Culture Group is canceled for Friday, September
25. Join us again on Friday, October 2 at noon!
Social Distancing Games
When: Friday, September 25 from
10:00am-11:00am
What: This is an excellent opportunity to
get out and hang out with friends in a safe and social distancing way. Meet us
site-based in the parking lot behind Day Program before we practice social
distancing with fun, sensory games. We will notice all the sights, sounds,
smells, and feels in a safe and staggered environment. *One of games will
involve water play, please bring a towel and/or a change of clothes. All
clients and DSPs are welcome!
Instructions: In order to participate,please
contact Gwen at gwen.bonilla@supportinc.com.
Please arrive no earlier that 9:30am and be prepared to be picked up no
later than 11:30am. Masks will be required for this activity.
Address: Support, Inc.
15591 E Centretech Pkwy
Aurora, CO 80011
Items Needed for Thursday, September 24
We’ll do two stories:
A Day at the Beach
Scavenger Hunt!
Shredded
up newspaper (just a couple sheets)
A
plastic bag
Something
that smells like flowers (real flowers, a candle, perfume, etc.)
Sandpaper
(or something that feels gritty – a pumice stone, or the rough side of a
scrubbing sponge)
Vanilla
(or something that smells like vanilla)
Bubbles
(you can get them at the dollar store or grocery store, but if that’s not
available, a little dish soap in water)
Aluminum
foil
A
towel
Band-Aid
Writing Our Own Story!
*Let’s work together and create our
own story for Touching Stories. The only thing you need to bring is yourself.
