SEVERN, MD, (December, 23, 2019) CEO Jonathon Rondeau today announced a significant change in starting salaries for Direct Support Professionals. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide the services, supports, and expertise that help people with a disability live, work, play, and thrive in the community. At The Arc, Direct Support Professionals comprise 85 percent of the workforce.

Says Rondeau, “Our top two strategic initiatives are to provide seamless support for people with intellectual and development disabilities throughout the arc of their life and to sustain a valued, engaged workforce that feels a sense of purpose in their roles. When what you do changes someone’s life, you know it, and that is a terrific reward. However, The Arc’s Board of Directors and I are committed to developing living wages for Direct Support Professionals- wages that recognize the importance and value of the work they do.”

Beginning January 1, 2020, the minimum wage in Maryland increases to $11 per hour, with additional increases slated through 2025. “We’re not waiting,” says Chief Program Officer Matthew Morgan.

Beginning December 29, The Arc will hire Direct Support Professionals at $13 per hour. Additionally, any Arc Central Chesapeake Region Direct Support Professional currently making less than $15 per hour will receive a $1.50 per hour raise. Morgan continues, “As an agency, we can’t achieve our vision of equity and access for people with a disability without an excellent team of motivated professionals, so we’re working to reflect that value.”

For more information about The Arc CCR, please visit: www.thearcccr.org

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination.

About Direct Support Professionals
There’s no specific map to follow, no checklist, no one set of universally applied supports that creates a successful life for anyone, and the same is true for people with a disability. Because of that need for flexible, creative, and no assumptions thinking, Direct Support Professionals (DSP) are the linchpin to an engaged and community-connected life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These professionals are tasked with significant responsibilities every day. DSPs can help manage health and medical needs as well as employment-related supports like assisting in a job search, application process, and interview preparation. A DSP can help people in their personal care, with meal planning, shopping, cooking, and getting to appointments and activities with friends. Their focus is on helping people with a disability achieve the life they envision, a life of happiness, meaning, and engagement. Direct Support Professionals are the connector and facilitator in helping people with a disability thrive in the community.

ADVOCACY ALERT

Urge the Governor and the General Assembly to Include No Less than a 4% Increase for DDA Community Service Providers in the FY21 Budget!

 Dear Friends of The Arc,

Last Spring, you helped us #Fightfor15, and with the influence of your voice, we were able to attain a mandate that the Governor include a 4% increase in his FY21 budget for developmental disability services. Our work is not done! Although the legislature mandated that the Governor include this funding in his budget, there is a legal avenue he could use to include the funding, and then remove it through a companion piece of legislation.

Now that the Governor is actively developing his budget for FY21, we need to emphasize even more why it is critical that the budget reflects this increase. Please help us advocate for our community. Encourage the Governor to include enough funding in his budget to ensure providers like The Arc can continue to deliver quality service and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

ACT NOW!

The Governor Values the Voice of His Constituents.
Tell Him Why This Is Important to YOU!

 It is critical that you let Governor Hogan know how important DDA community supports are to you/your loved one. Please take a few minutes to write to him by December 2, 2019.

For your convenience, click below for guidelines, talking points, and a template to assist you in communicating your concerns.

DSPs & Other Arc Staff

Families, Advocates, & People Who Use Supports

Thank You for Your Advocacy!
Please Feel Free to Share with Your Network.

Our partner The Arc Maryland is pleased to announce the launch of a Statewide Listening Tour. We want to hear from the family members of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities!

Please join us to meet with other families and representatives from The Arc and share your stories!

The Arc Arcross Maryalnd
In Maryland, there are 10 local chapters and 1 state chapter of The Arc.  We collectively support more than 25% of the people in the state in DDA services.  Over 6,250 people are the direct beneficiaries of what we do, and countless others benefit as well through our programs and initiatives, events, newsletters, and other supports.

Individuals with disabilities and their families turn to The Arc for the opportunities they desire in life because they know we can deliver, and we do; year after year, and decade after decade!

The Arc is here for you.  We are united in our advocacy, our commitment to family support and preservation, our belief in the right to full inclusion and choices for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and in our belief that everyone benefits when children and adults of all abilities have the opportunity to live, learn, work and play together.

Purpose of the Statewide Listening Tour
There are currently many parent-participant advocacy groups that meet in various parts of the state that are locally-based, have specific goals or charters, a core membership, and who generally gather to share information with one another about what is possible, what is working with the resources that are available to families, what is not working, and what they would like to see for the future.  While these separate groups are critically important, equally important is uniting on shared views for broader, statewide impact.

It is one of The Arc Maryland’s primary objectives to ensure family stakeholders are active contributors to decisions that affect their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  Over the years it has been proven time after time that meaningful change is most likely to happen when families are at the heart of that change.

We hope you will join with other families at one or more of the Statewide Listening Tour sessions.  The 2020 Legislative Session begins on January 8th, 2020 and your stories of experiences accessing needed supports and services and your hopes for your family members’ futures help us focus our grassroots advocacy.

Some Questions to Keep in Mind for the Listening Tour:

• Does your family member with a disability currently access DDA Services or Supports or do you think they will in the future?  What supports do you hope to access?
• What are some experiences you can share about life (as a parent or family member of a person with I/DD) and what do you hope for the future?
• What is working well for you?  Are there any programs, resources, etc. in your county or city that are unique and particularly helpful that you would like to see replicated in other areas?  (Best Practices?)
• Are there any gaps in your knowledge about what services, supports, resources, etc. are out there for you and your family member and if so, what would you like to have more information about?
• Have you experienced any barriers to getting the supports and services that you need for your loved one and if so, have you been able to overcome them or are they ongoing?
• Is there anything you would like to help to change, as far as any particular law or policy is concerned, and do you have any ideas for how you would change it?

How to Join In
You can attend one of our Listening Sessions where you can meet leaders of The Arc and other family members. Details on each stop of the Listening Tour are below.

Registration is free, but required to help us plan for space and refreshments.

Eastern Region (Click on link)
Date: December 17th, 2019 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Location: The Chesapeake College Cambridge Center, 418 Race St #1836, Cambridge, MD 21613
*The Arc Maryland is working to bring a second Listening Tour Session to the  Eastern Region in Salisbury. Please keep up with our communications for updates!

Central Region 1
Date:  December 19th, 2019 from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Location:  The Arc Baltimore at Seton Business Park, 6151 Metro Dr, Baltimore, MD 21215

Central Chesapeake Region 2
Date:  January 4th, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Location:  The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Annapolis Office, 931 Spa Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401

Central Region 3
Date: January 8th, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Location:  The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, 4513 Philadelphia Rd, Aberdeen, MD 21001, Belcamp, MD 21017

Southern Region 1*
Date: December 18th, 2019 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location:  The Arc Prince Georges County, 1401 McCormick Dr, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
*This session will take place during The Arc Prince George’s County’s Open House. The registration below will redirect you to their Open House Registration.

Southern Region 2
Date:  December 18th, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Location:  The Arc Southern Maryland, 355 W Dares Beach Rd, Prince Frederick, MD 20678

Southern Region 3
December 19th, 2019 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Location: The Arc Montgomery County, 7362 Calhoun Pl, Rockville, MD 20855

Western Region
Date: December 18th, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Location: The Arc at Market Street, 555 S Market St, Frederick, MD 21701

Want More Information or Cannot Attend?
For more information about the Statewide Listening Tour, or if you cannot make it to a regional session, but would like to be contacted for future comments, please contact Kathleen Swanson, Director of Education and Advocacy at The Arc Maryland, at kswanson@thearcmd.org or at 410-571-9320.

EASTON, MD (November 4, 2019) – The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc CCR), a nonprofit committed to providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) the opportunity to gain independence, today announced that it has been awarded a $40,000 grant by the Maryland Agriculture Education and Rural Assistance Fund (MAERDAF).

“We’re honored to receive such a notable MAERDAF grant, which will help The Arc CCR research and understand the network and complexities of employment trends in rural communities and form partnerships with other businesses in the 5 surrounding counties we serve,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. “Ultimately, it is our goal that the partnerships created within the scope of this grant work will not only help raise awareness of the employability of people with I/DD in the community but create a synergy that will lead to an increase of successful employment outcomes.”

The Arc CCR will utilize funding towards hiring a Workforce Strategy Consultant to research and analyze employment trends in the 5 counties of the Upper Eastern Shore (Talbot, Queen Anne, Kent, Caroline and Dorchester counties). This would include a comprehensive approach towards increasing employment to meet the critical need for Direct Support Professionals and increase meaningful and equitable employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Workforce Strategist would focus on understanding the network and complexities of employment in rural communities and create awareness of the employability of people with I/DD.

The Workforce Strategist would also form partnerships with businesses in the 5 counties, developing a network aimed at helping people connect, share resources and build capacity in the region. They will establish a coalition of thought leaders to participate in a needs assessment and collaborate in a partnership capacity.

MAERDAF provides grants to rural-serving nonprofit organizations that promote statewide and regional planning, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education. The Fund’s goal is to increase the overall capacity of rural-serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges to meet a multitude of rural development challenges and to help them establish new public/private partnerships for leveraging non-state sources of funding. The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the administrative agency in receiving the applications and disbursing the grants to the successful applicants.

For more information about The Arc CCR, please visit: http://www.thearcccr.org/.

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination.

 

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region promotes respect, create opportunities, facilitate services, and advocate for equal rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Elena Russo sat down with CEO for The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, Jonathon Rondeau to talk about the organization and their mission to the community.

Comcast Newsmakers is the longest-running news and public affairs platform of any cable operator in the country. Having launched in 1990 with a single production unit near the nation’s capital, Comcast Newsmakers today includes a national edition, regional production serving select Comcast markets, and a growing digital presence.

Centrally focused on issue-based conversations, Comcast Newsmakers welcomes regional and national trailblazers to discuss ideas, assess community challenges and progress, and inspire meaningful action.  Conversations span a broad range of topics, including:

• Community
• Economy and Business
• Education
• General Interest
• Government
• Health
• Local
• Science & Technology

See the complete video:  https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/11/The-Arc-of-the-Chesapeake

SEVERN, MD, (September, 30, 2019) – The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc CCR), a nonprofit committed to providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to gain independence, today announced the appointment of Rebecca “Becky” Peter as the organization’s new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately.

“Becky is a highly accomplished senior finance executive who brings more than 20 years of results-driven financial management,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. “As we continue on our path of growth, expansion and leadership in providing innovative supports, solutions, and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Maryland, Becky will be instrumental in making sure our resources are strategically tied to our goals.”

Peter brings vast knowledge of state and federal audits, corporate finance, internal and external controls, forecasting and more. In her former role as controller for Incident Communication Solutions, Peter worked with the executive team to develop growth and strategic planning and was responsible for the finance department.

Previously, she served as the CFO of Health Integrity, the subsidiary company of Quality Health Strategies, located in Easton, MD. Prior to her role at Health Integrity, she served as senior financial manager for an aeronautical engineering company, ARINC Incorporated, located in Annapolis, MD.

“In addition to my decades of experience in corporate finance, I’ve also served as the treasurer of Talbot Hospice for more than five years,” said Peter. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage my expertise for an organization that is providing much-needed support and programs to our community but also values strategy and innovation as a backbone to its longevity and success.”

The Daily Record ran Becky’s announcement: https://thedailyrecord.com/2019/10/01/becky-peter-the-arc-central-chesapeake-region/

Dear Stakeholders,

It is with disappointment that we announce that The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) has submitted our official notice to withdraw from consideration as a vendor for the Financial Management and Counseling Services Contract (Solicitation MDH/OPASS 20-17751).

The Arc has supported people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a provider of Fiscal Management Services (FMS) for over 15 years. As the largest FMS provider in Maryland, The Arc has had the privilege to serve many people across the State in self-direction. Over the past several months, our team has worked diligently to comply with the procurement process and put forth a quality proposal for the State that reflects our experience and vision.

Unfortunately, the latest amendment decreasing the overall anticipated Participant pool, and removing the need for Counseling Services for DDA Participants, which impacted the Participant pool expected to receive Counseling Services significantly, has put us in a very difficult position. The RFP has outlined very demanding organizational infrastructure requirements that would not be sustainable without the appropriate scaling of services and associated revenue. Although we are passionate about serving our community in this capacity, we must consider the risks and strain to The Arc organization at-large if we were to receive an award under the revised conditions.

As we look towards this transition, it is important to remember that The Arc has a long history of incubating services and successfully transitioning services to a longterm provider. We are committed to working with DDA and all stakeholders to transition with excellence and to minimize the impact to Participants. The Arc will be meeting with the DDA in the next month to coordinate the transition to a new FMS vendor, once announced. Our decision to withdraw from the FMS RFP process does not affect any other aspects of The Arc’s programs & services.

Thank you for your support and patronage of The Arc’s Fiscal Management Services. If you have any questions regarding the transition, please reach out to Tracy Davis, Director of Fiscal Management Services, at tdavis@thearcccr.org.

Click here to download a PDF of this news release

With more than 19 percent of adults in Maryland living with a disability, organizations like The Arc Central Chesapeake Region are always looking for future employees who have the knowledge of the community and an eagerness to work in a rewarding career.

Val Prochaska, 54, is a direct support professional (DSP) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living in the Eastern Shore. For the last 4 months, he’s worked for The Arc—a nonprofit that creates opportunities, facilitates services and advocates for people with I/DD. As a DSP for the organization’s Workforce Development program, Prochaska’s goal is to not only help the people he supports to be fully included in the community where they work, but also where they live.

For example, Prochaska helped William Holloway, a young man who he supports, move quickly through his initial training at Starbucks. William quickly advanced from customer support to the drive-thru register, and now he’s working on becoming a full-fledged barista, making one of the hundreds of Starbucks coffee drinks.  William’s goal is to move on from one of The Arc’s group homes and live independently, and thanks to the skills he’s picked up with Arc support, he’s one step closer to reaching that goal.

“It’s a joy seeing a person with a disability learn to work and live in the community independently and being part of that process is so rewarding,” said Prochaska.

Prochaska’s role is instrumental in helping the people he supports master the skills they need for their job. He finds his job far more challenging than he imagined and wished he had discovered this career opportunity 10 years ago.

Like most careers, becoming a DSP entails receiving high-quality, intensive training that prepares and qualifies them for challenging work. There are different levels of professional development that provide the knowledge, skills and values comprehension for the profession. 

Becoming a DSP can be ideal for a person interested in a rewarding career helping those people with disabilities live and work in the community. The work hours are flexible with opportunities to work part time or full time, and with schedules that range from morning, evening or weekends. For more information about the profession please visit www.www.thearcccr.org/careers.

 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve celebrated thousands of student graduates. We hope many will consider one of the most rewarding, professional careers possible – that of a direct support professional and working for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We know that Gen Zers are driven by purpose, passion and impact. They need human interaction, though they enjoy working independently. They are diverse. All that’s a great fit for a career in direct support.

Our DSPs receive high-quality, intensive training that prepares and qualifies them for challenging work. Certifications are required for professional demands and expectations.

Yet we know that some still view DSPs with less understanding of the work as a career. It may be considered as “caregiving” or a “labor of love” rather than meaningful work requiring skills and training.

Granted, some DSP candidates may want the experience for only a few years while they continue their education, often in a related field like occupational therapy or education. But in our experience, we find many with the intention to remain in the direct support profession. It is rewarding, varied, ever challenging, and has opportunity.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead lives across Maryland that require a range of services. Some may require a DSPs diligence to careful administration of medicine, assistance in doctor’s appointments, and more physical support.

Others need help to learn job skills and gain employment themselves, or they look to their DSPs so they can be involved in social activities with their friends, such as dinner and a movie.

Take for example, Aliza, a DSP for The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc CCR), a nonprofit committed to providing people with IDD the opportunity to gain independence.

What’s special about the people Aliza works with is they are close in age and that’s enjoyable to her.

With more than 19 percent of adults in Maryland with disabilities, organizations like The Arc CCR are always looking for new talent with knowledge of the community and an eagerness to work in a rewarding career.

As our region’s graduates explore career opportunities, we hope that they will consider learning more about becoming a direct support professional. The hours are flexible, with opportunities to work part time or full time, and schedules that range from morning, evening or weekends.

For more information about the profession please visit www.www.thearcccr.org/careers.

Jonathon Rondeau is the CEO of The ARC Central Chesapeake Region. Contract him at jrondeau@thearcccr.org.