Tobosa Developmental Services

From the Ground Up

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We at Tobosa send out a huge thanks to all those who attended the grand opening of our new Day Programming facility, the Joe H. Madrid Educational Center. Joe Madrid is the former CEO of Tobosa who served in that capacity for 37 years and retired in December of 2015. The naming of the building was in his honor.

Joe H. Madrid and Cecil Rhodes cutting the red ribbon
Joe H. Madrid and Cecil Rhodes had the honor of cutting the Red Ribbon

 

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This event was co-hosted by the Roswell Chamber of Commerce, Roswell Chamber of Commerce Redcoats, Little Steps Learning Center, and Los Pasitos Early Intervention. The new center is located on a southeast lot of Tobosa’s administrative office. With this new addition, we now have a trifecta on the block of our Administration building (110 E. Summit) and Little Steps Learning Center (111 E. Reed).


In attendance were Tobosa staff, individuals, Rosy Rubio (CEO), our Board of Directors Joe Lovato (Chair), Terri Douglas (Vice-Chair), Lori Ordonez (Treasurer), Dennis Pabst, Joe Vargas, Daniel Lopez, and Louie Mestas. Chaves County Commissioners, Mr. Robert Corn, and Mr. Will Cavin; Chavez County Manager, Mr. Stan Riggs; Chaves County employees Sandra Rodriguez, Bill Williams, Annabell Molina and Georgianna Hunt. Also in attendance were Dora Batista and Christine Cisneros with SENM Economic Development, Council of Government and Mr. Hal Barnet, ASA Architects.

The purpose of our Day Hab facility is to have a common place where staff and the individuals supported by Tobosa can meet during the week and participate in daily activities coordinated by the Day Hab Team Lead, Alfred Velasquez. These activities include various arts & crafts, karaoke, BINGO, exercise & cooking classes. We also host presentations from people within community organizations.

We are looking forward to using the new building and being able to bring in more educational classes for our individuals to teach life skills. The new center is not just for our organization; everyone is invited to join in all the fun. The center’s hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday. There is a posting on our Facebook page of weekly happenings.

From start

Everyone here at Tobosa is very excited about what is in store for the new center! Again, we are so grateful to everyone involved for making this happen from start to end. We could not do this without our fantastic supporters. Thank you!

To End

Celebrating Tobosa’s 39 years of service

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On Friday, September 29th, Tobosa commemorated our 39 years at the Annual Awards Celebration! We have exciting get-togethers throughout the year, but this is that special occasion for everyone to glam, spruce up, and reflect on the special moments from the year. Most importantly, we use this occasion to honor our incredible employees and individuals.
Mayor Dennis Kintigh got things rolling by acknowledging Direct Support Professionals (DSP) and proclaiming that September 25th through the 29th as “Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week at Tobosa Developmental Services.” Direct Support Professionals work with our individuals on a day-to day-basis and they are back-bone of the organization.

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Amongst our *attending guests were members of the Board of Directors:

*Joe Lovato, Board Chair
*Terri Douglass, Board Vice – Chair
*Freddy Washington, Board Secretary
*Lori Ordonez, Board Treasurer
Joe Vargas, Board Member
Dennis Pabst, Board Member
Daniel Lopez, Board Member
*Louis Mestas, Board Member
Travis Daniels, Board Member

Other dignitaries included former CEO Joe H. Madrid and his wonderful wife, Linda. We are overcome with a wondrous feeling when these community leaders come out and give support to this organization’s driving force. It’s a tell-tale sign that the passion still remains within former staffers. We take great pride in this and our aspiration is to convey this pride to the community and everyone who is a part of Tobosa. We want to see people come in for a job and stay for a family. For this exact reason, we put on this celebration every year devoted to the people that make this transformation with us. Without them, we would not have been able to sustain the success we’ve achieved for 39 years.

Individual Success Awards:

5 years:
Dustin Gilbert
Amanda Mote

10 years:
Esmera Gomez

15 Years:
Toby Appel
David East
Monica Patterson

25 Years:
Jackie Males
Melissa Ybarra

35 Years:
Tory Arthur
Martin Eudy
Lawrence Moncada
Cecil Rhodes

Employee Service Awards:

5 Years:
Gwyn Burd, Los Pasitos
Jessica Dunn, Program Services Supports
Guadalupe Garcia, Little Steps Learning Center
Crysten Gass Pope, Los Pasitos
Margie Hernandez, Tobosa Nursing
Jacqueline Jones, Tobosa Adult Services
Terry Lucero, Tobosa Adult Services
Bridgette Ross-Ornelas, Tobosa Adult Services

10 Years:
Amanda McClure, Tobosa Adult Services

15 Years:
Robert Clement, Tobosa Nursing
Linette Washington, Tobosa Adult Services

35 Years:
Joan Blodgett, Tobosa Office Personnel

Of course, the main event everyone anticipates is the revealing of Individual Achiever of the Year, Employee of the Year, and Outstanding Service Employee. These are the ones who go above and beyond without hesitation. What makes this so special is that every single person is nominated, not by upper management, but by fellow co-workers; their peers who have become friends and family and recognize their effort. They take the time to write the nominee’s name down along with all the wonderful qualities that make them stand out. The same is done for the individuals of Tobosa and their achievements. From becoming more self-sufficient to owning their own business; individuals know they have the support and encouragement from their direct care staff and this organization.

Employee of the Year Nominees:

Mary Crist, Judy MacDougal, Tanisha Paiz, Scott Lasiter, Mario Silvas, Mary Trujillo, Kathy Sigala, Andrew Garza, Beatriz Bustamante, Gracie Raigoza, Lorenzo Valencia, D’ana Mendoza, Jennifer Herbain

picture of andrew garza
Winner: Andrew Garza

Individual Achiever of the Year Nominees:

Virginia Markwell, Jessica Richardson, Daniel Madrid, Martin Eudy, Dustin Gilbert, Monica Patterson, Denise Lopez, Ronnie Hamilton

picture of Dustin Gilbert
Winner: Dustin Gilbert

We also have astounding employees that work in the children’s services at Little Steps Learning Center and Early Intervention Program. The Learning Center cares for and teaches children from the ages of one to twelve from all walks of life & developmental stages. The Early Intervention Program helps families with children who are at risk for developmental delays by providing services from birth to age three. Again, nominees are chosen by their peers based on their exceptional work ethic and dedication.

Children Services Outstanding Service Award Nominees:

Little Steps Learning Center:

Tina Medina, Nicole Landers, Mayra Davila, Margarita Rincon, Yvonne Reyes

Picture of winner, Mayra Davila
Winner: Mayra Davila

Los Pasitos Early Intervention:

Sara Rodriguez, Danielle Clements, Gwyn Burd, Pat Jones, Kaci Rodriguez

picture of winner pat jones
Winner: Pat Jones

Here’s to you all, from child to adult services, outstanding employees with your years of service, and to the continued success of our individuals; Thank you & Congratulations!

picture of sharp dressed men
Sharp dressed men Joey, Brian, and Cecil.
picture of Joe Madrid and his wife Linda
The most interesting man in the world, Joe Madrid, and his lovely wife Linda.
Picture of Tobosa staff.
DSP Josie Chavez, SLP from Direct Therapy Services Vivienne Matlack, DSP Mary Trujillo, Team Lead Chrissy Singleton, DSP Jacob Barrera.
picture of CEO Rosy Rubio and Pat Jones.
Tobosa CEO Rosy Rubio with Outstanding Service Award recipient Pat Jones.
Picture of ladies from Los Pasitos Early Intervention
Wonderful ladies from Los Pasitos Early Intervention: Mayra Lopez, Ana Meza, Pat Jones, Kelsey Kelly, Lacy Kastler.

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Making a difference for Joey and more

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Attending meetings and trainings have become just an everyday thing for me. It is part of my daily tasks and responsibilities. In August, I was reminded about the importance of our work at Tobosa. We attended a meeting for a Tobosa family centered around how we support individuals with making daily choices. During this meeting/presentation, I was truly inspired and it reminded of the small gratifications that we don’t get to see everyday.

This meeting started with the typical introduction from our Executive Director, Rosy Rubio. We were meeting to discuss the federal mandated CMS Final Rule and how that will have an impact on our agency and the individuals within our services. You can learn more about the CMS Final Rule and get updates in regards to it on www.actnm.org. There were several videos shown regarding the meaning and purpose of Direct Support Professionals (our staff who provide direct support to individuals challenged by developmental disabilities). These videos were followed up by a brief discussion on Person Centered Planning and what that means.

Joey talking about his experience.
Joey talking about his experience.

Person Centered Planning is the basis and foundation that Tobosa is set on. We strive daily to make sure our programs and services are geared toward individuals and their needs and wants. When we began discussing this topic in the meeting, Rosy made as in invitation for the crowd to share was her testimony about how she believes that our employees can learn so much from the individuals we support, especially when we sit back and let them make daily choices. I was overwhelmed with joy as Joey, a man receiving supported living services through Tobosa, shared his experience. Joey raised his hand and was called on. It was as if he was moved by his own excitement. He chose to come to the front of the room and address the whole group. Joey who just a year and a half ago, was very shy and did not speak out often, stood and addressed the whole group. He talked about getting to live in a house of his own and getting to live with two other gentlemen that were his friends. Joey also informed the group that he makes his own lunch everyday and enjoys doing so. He gets to pick out what goes in his lunch and then he puts it all in his lunch cooler. Joey went on to share that he also enjoys cooking his own breakfast and that he gets to go and do what he wants to throughout the day. Joey exclaimed these things with such certainty and excitement that it really made me think of all of the things that I take for granted in my own life.

Picture of Joey sings the national anthem.
Joey sings the national anthem at the 39th annual awards ceremony.

After speaking with our group on the daily choices they make in regards to the services they receive from Tobosa, I can say we are right on track with the CMS Final Rule regulations. It is very apparent that the individuals within our service are happy with their autonomy. As I think about the daily choices they make with great enthusiasm, I consider the choices I take for granted. For this reason, I am pledging that I will make my time here at Tobosa count. I will continue to advocate for them and their daily choices. I pledge that I will think outside of the box to create opportunities for them and their daily choices. I will also give to them what I can to make sure governing systems do not interfere with their programming, services, activities, and projects. Make this pledge with me.

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“Team Poe” goes above and beyond

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The staff at Tobosa assist individuals who are challenged by developmental disabilities. Staff assist them to live in their homes and in the community as independently as possible. These individuals have goals and dreams which staff assist them to reach and fulfill.  

In Tobosa’s supportive living program, each individual lives in a home, with one or more housemates. They are supported by staff at home with their daily living skills. The staff support them in the community to access community resources and work and attend community events. Staff also encourage and assist the individuals to advocate for themselves and others. In each house, staff work as a team to make sure the individual’s needs are met.  

team-poe
Team Poe from left to right: Evette, Emily, Erika, Gracie, Catherine

The “Poe” team is responsible for the individuals living on Poe street. The staff are Erika Leyva, Catherine Brady, Evette Cereceres, and Gracie Raigoza. This year, Tobosa recognized the Poe team with the Team Recognition Award at the overall staff meeting. I would like to extend the recognition to the four awesome ladies by posting a few more words about their accomplishments, including the transition of Emily Harmon into the program.  

A photo of emily smiling
Emily smiling for the camera

These ladies took on the positions at the Poe house knowing that Emily faced extreme challenges and that her transition would be difficult. They were primarily responsible for assisting Emily to adjust to living without her mom and dad whom she lived with for 35 years. Staff had to assist her to become independent with her daily living skills. They would assist Emily out in the community to interact with new people and adjust to a whole new schedule. Staff was also responsible for Emily’s health and safety. Emily had a routine that she did daily with her parents, but because of Tobosa’s and the State of NM’s regulations, staff would have to assist Emily with changes in her routine.

The first achievements with Emily was gaining her trust. Because of her deafness, communication was difficult at first. Staff learned simple sign language and with time, they put together their own ways of communicating. After that, they helped Emily accomplish other achievements like sitting down at the dinner table through the entire meal and letting us assist her with her medication. I was shocked when I first saw her drink a glass of water out of a cup. To keep her hydrated, her parents had to use a syringe and dilute the water with root beer first.

We’ve seen other major accomplishments from Emily as well. I see her with staff out in the community attending community functions with less agitation all while acquiring friends. When she lived with her parents, she slept in their room. Once she was in the program, she wouldn’t stay or sleep in her room without staff. Now she will sleep a few hours alone in her room. These accomplishments may seem small, but to Emily’s team they are major and rewarding accomplishments on the way toward independence.  

I am fortunate to be the Team Lead for this team. I have watched these ladies go above and beyond to make Emily secure with her new independent lifestyle. Even though there is still challenges with Emily, each of these ladies still have the patience of saints. When I listen to them share ideas and experiences to assist Emily, I like how each of them are open to try each other’s ideas. They are not afraid to admit when they are wrong and own up to their mistakes. I feel that because of the communication between each of them, Emily’s health and safety is in great hands. To me the bond between these ladies is the main reason for Emily’s success.

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Strategic Planning and Goals for 2015-2018

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A few times a year, one phrase is heard in different agency meetings around Tobosa that remind people to look at the big picture. This phrase is “Strategic Planning/Strategic Goals.” Strategic Planning is where we sit down and plan out the goals and direction for our organization for the next 3-5 years. The goals look at the big picture and map out how we accomplish our mission through them. We use the retreat as an opportune time to complete our strategic planning.

The retreat is a way for people from different areas of the organization to come together without distractions. Being away really helps our group thinking process by being able to step outside of the box of our building and do some thought processing together. At these retreats we come together and identify things Tobosa is great at as well as the areas we need improvement in. After these have been identified, we look at the opportunities and threats for the organization. From these things we develop outcomes/goals that incorporate everything we have identified and then write action plans for each.

I remember back to my first experience with this. It was a planning meeting for the annual retreat in June of 2015. During that meeting I was informed that we would be conducting the SWOT Analysis at the retreat to develop our strategic goals. Looking back, I remember thinking, “What? For one, they don’t even know how to spell SWAT and for another, what does special weapons and tactics have to do with Tobosa?” I also remember being very nervous as the retreat approached and not knowing what to expect. What I was not surprised about in arriving at the retreat is that we went right into a meeting (as professionals we are very good at calling meetings). I was surprised, however, at the amount of thinking and brainstorming that we did in this meeting and what ultimately came from our hard work. This meeting entailed the execution of our SWOT Analysis and the development of the Strategic Goals for 2015 – 2018 for Tobosa.

As a result of this process in 2015, Tobosa developed five Strategic Goals (along with sub-outcomes or a plan of action for each one):

  • Tobosa will maintain, improve and/or add new quality programming as necessary to meet individual and community needs.
    • Early Intervention will grow by 50%
    • Los Pasitos will have a 30% growth
    • Add Social Work/Family Counseling to Early Intervention programming
    • Develop/Implement programs for elderly/medically involved clientele w/specialized training for staff
    • Make four specific changes to improve programs: med error procedures, client care, best practices
  • Tobosa will implement and maintain an effective and timely marketing plan
    • Publish book by 40th anniversary
    • Implement a “Legislative Forum” meeting every year
    • Research the various programs offered by school systems which may provide opportunities to spotlight Tobosa programs, e.g. Career Day, DECA
    • Engage social/regular media to showcase programs, services, and successes
  • Tobosa will improve stewardship of our company assets and secure future funding for additional assets.
    • Identify future projects necessary to continue/improve programs and present needs to various funding services, e.g. Legislative, grants
  • Tobosa will stabilize and diversify its finances.
    • Explore new fundraising projects, e.g. Karaoke nights, giant bubbles, professional fundraiser
    • Focus on Donor Pools to secure donors who will give on a continuous basis
    • Explore possibilities in finding another major funding source e.g. NISH
  • Tobosa will maintain a dynamic and effective workforce.
    • Research possibilities to establish a CNA certified center agency at Tobosa
    • Establish committees to review/revise/develop new agency manuals
    • Review and update salary schedule/benefits
    • Develop and implement interdepartmental team building activities

In September 2016, the Tobosa Board of Directors met and came up with a sixth goal.

  • Goal IV: Tobosa Leadership will establish and promote synergy within the organization in support of its mission.
    • This goal includes sub-outcomes of: Create active Board committees, Board members will attend Tobosa activities, and the Give and Get program.

These Strategic Goals will be our driving force until 2018. I am glad to report that we attended our first ever Annual Winter Retreat in an effort to look at our progress of these goals and rekindle our fire and passion to complete the remainder of them. Our Winter Retreat took place Jan 12-14, 2017. I am looking forward to sharing with you, all of the hard work that was conducted while we were away..

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Tobosa now providing Behavior Support Services

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The Tobosa family is on fire with a burning passion that is leading to innovative changes throughout the organization. We are working to act on this passion and implement a way for this devotion for the individuals under our services to shine through. Anyone working in the industry knows that the Southeast Region (where we are located) is in dire need of Behavioral Support Services. The regional leaders have recognized this as a regional problem and not just a Roswell problem. One way that Tobosa has chosen to use our passion is to start providing Behavior Support/Management Services. In August 2016, Tobosa was named on the Secondary Freedom of Choice as a Service Provider for Behavior Support Services.

guyla-with-troy-2016
Guyla and Troy getting ready for Reins for Life.

Behavior involves everything voluntary and involuntarily that we do. Behavior is the way we act and react to stimuli and/or our environments. Behavior involves our communication, mannerisms, actions, responses, and perceptions. Particularly for the people in our service, behavior can really affect their relationships, social status as a community member, and the way that people perceive them. Considering everything that behavior involves makes it easy to see why having Behavior Support Services is so important to the people we serve. Another reason why behavior management is so important to our clientele is because it affects the way people solve their problems. The people we work with are no exception to this.

A person’s ability to problem solve is often related to their level of cognitive ability. When presented with problem situations, or conflicts, people with intellectual disabilities can have difficulty solving the problem or getting through the conflict. Many times, we do not stop to think about what it takes to solve a problem. One reason for this is because we have learned problem solving skills along our journey. Those skills just come naturally in our day to day processes. They are not skills we have to think about in order to carry them out. They just naturally occur, once they have been learned. When we don’t have to mentally process before acting on this skill set, the steps are taken for granted or forgotten. To fully understand what is needed to solve problems let’s look at the steps included:

  • Define the problem
  • Identify several potential solutions
  • Evaluate each alternative
  • Choose a solution
  • Implement the solution
  • Evaluate results
  • Choose a different solution or seek help if results are not satisfactory

The people served by Tobosa have different cognitive abilities, as well as functioning levels, but they too can learn some or all of the mentioned skills/steps on different levels. Learning these skills comes from instruction. Providing that instruction is one primary focus of a Behavior Support Consultant (BSC). The BSC is able to assess the person’s ability and pre-existing knowledge of these skills and then break down strategies on a level that the individual can comprehend and learn. The BSC also helps to teach these skills and to educate the support staff on how to teach the individuals these skills in everyday practice and natural environments.

jody-jones-reins-for-life
Jody rides the hippotherapy horse.

Other things that the Behavior Support Services are set up to do, according to the current Developmental Disabilities Service Division (DDSD) and the state of NM’s set of standards and regulations, are to support individuals:

  1. In gaining skills related to forming and sustaining a full range of relationships;
  2. To engage in meaningful community integration and inclusion;
  3. To acquire and/or maintain appropriate social skills and engage in routines of daily life;
  4. To manage and reduce behaviors which interfere with engagement in routines of daily life or that pose a health and safety risk to the individual or others

Once Tobosa was approved to provide the Behavior Support Services, they had to find a Behavior Support Consultant. Tobosa hired Guyla Maples, BSC. Tobosa has a long standing relationship with Guyla. She has worked in this field and with the people in our service since 2007. Guyla now has an office within the Tobosa Administrative building, however, she still works on the go like she has always done. This enables her to be just as available as always. The Tobosa building is just an anchor for her to hold on to when she needs. If you haven’t seen her office, stop by and experience it’s beautiful, inspirational, and calming vibe.

Now that Tobosa has the service, and the consultant to carry out the service, we need people to serve. Many of the people we work with were already receiving Behavior Support Services from Guyla through MECA Therapies. MECA no longer provides services to adults so all adults who were receiving their services must now pick a different provider agency. We want to encourage you to get with your Case Manager and sign a Freedom of Choice for Tobosa. The Freedom of Choice is also open for people who are not satisfied with their current Behavior Support Services or for people who just want all of their services under one organization. If you have questions about this please contact us or your Case Manager. We can’t wait to serve you through the behavioral aspect of your life.

Domingo’s Success Story – Part 1

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As I stare at the computer screen, a familiar voice echoes down the halls of Tobosa. I say to myself, with a smile on my face, “Domingo is here.” He is here to work, having been employed through Tobosa for the past ten years, to sweep and mop our floors, to empty our trash bins and to make the office shine. His work is done without complaint and always with a smile on his face. He takes great pride in accomplishing each task and loves to be told what a hard worker he is. I wonder? Does he know how much more he does than just clean our office? Does he have any idea the joy he brings to others with his presence and how many lives he has touched as a member of our Tobosa family? As I ask myself these questions, I begin to reminisce about the first time that I met Domingo.

domingo-picture
Domingo at the Valentine’s day dance.

It was July of 2000. I had just started working with Tobosa and one of my first assignments was at ‘the Farm.’ “‘The Farm?’” I asked, unsure of exactly what they meant. “Yes, ‘the Farm,’” I was told. “You can’t miss it,” I heard next. I arrived at ‘the Farm’ and quickly understood how it had earned its name. The two-story home where I would be working was set on an acre of land and, I would come to find out, even had grapes growing in the backyard, grapes that my soon-to-be new friend, Domingo, grew.

As I began learning more about the folks I would be working with, I was told that Domingo had many challenges including Developmental Disabilities. I learned that a Developmental Disability is a condition which causes him to have difficulty in certain areas of his life. One of the areas Domingo has difficulty with is his mobility. I would learn that Domingo shuffles his feet which makes him prone to falls. He also has some difficulty with his speech. He has difficulty pronouncing certain words which makes it difficult for him to be understood by unfamiliar listeners. Next, I was told that Domingo has difficulty learning tasks and requires a lot of reminders from those he works with to get his job done.

Domingo’s staff continued to list challenge after challenge. Neurogenic bladder, skin breakdowns, depression, asthma, heart disease. I thought to myself, how can this man even function with all of these challenges? How am I ever going to be able to work with him?

I must make a lousy poker player because the staff training me could tell I was terrified. I was assured that I would be fine, that Domingo was “easy” and that I had nothing to worry about. I was hesitant, still not sure of what I was getting into, but I decided that I had to at least give it a try.

Domingo quickly took me under his wing and taught me more in that afternoon than I could have ever imagined. He was so open and willing to share his story with me, a practical stranger in his home. Domingo took me on a tour of his home and shared the things that were most precious and important to him. He wanted me to see pictures of his Uncle Joe and the paintings that Uncle Joe had created. He wanted me to see his room and know that he had cleaned it all by himself. He wanted me to see the grapes which grew in the backyard, how he watered them and that soon they would be ready to eat. Each of these moments, filled with questions from me and proud answers from Domingo, helped me to learn about Domingo. These moments told me more about Domingo and eradicated any labels one could generate at first glance.

Domingo continued to share stories with me and one of the earliest stories that Domingo shared with me was how he learned about Tobosa and decided to join us. The story begins in 1983 as a young Domingo, still living in Las Vegas, New Mexico, decided to try his luck at Special Olympics. Domingo had always been athletic, often playing basketball with his friends after school and wanted to give Special Olympic track and field a chance. One afternoon, while competing in the Special Olympics, Domingo noticed a banner next to a group of athletes. Written on that banner was a word, a word he had never seen before but one that would change his life. Written across the banner was the word Tobosa. Domingo was curious and decided to give the banner a closer look. He asked the folks next to the banner what the words meant and they explained to him that Tobosa was in Roswell, NM. Domingo spent the rest of that day meeting others from Tobosa and learning what Tobosa was all about. He decided he wanted to be a part of Tobosa and set out to make that happen. He talked with his foster sister and she helped him learn more about the organization. She even helped him write a letter to Mr. Joe Madrid, the CEO of Tobosa, expressing his desire to join. In June, his wish became a reality and with the help of his sister, Domingo packed his belongings into her car and they drove the nearly three hours from Las Vegas to Roswell. They unloaded his things and said their tearful goodbyes. It was hard on Domingo. His family is so important to him, but he had his heart set and this was something he had to do. With that, Domingo closed one chapter of his life and began a new chapter, this time surrounded by new family members, his Tobosa family.

I didn’t realize until much later, that this would be the start of a sixteen year friendship between Domingo and I. A friendship in which I would learn so much more about Domingo through the stories he would share. So many stories, like the time Domingo made a rocking chair for his foster mother or the first time he rode in an airplane.

So many stories, stories which will be shared… in part two of Domingo’s success story.

A letter to staff: new changes

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In the last article that we spent together, I got to briefly mention that some changes were taking place. Since then, Rosy has talked to you, current Tobosa employees, at the Overall Staff Meeting about some of the changes that have been taking place here at Tobosa. I want to take this opportunity to explain a little more to you about one change that has occurred in particular.

We have had the great opportunity to develop the Program Support Services Department (PSSD) to help support you, the direct care staff. Over the last two years, we have talked about developing this department to incorporate the Quality Assurance, Training, and Incident Management staff and responsibilities. The reorganization that has happened since July 1, 2016 has made the creation of this department possible. Our main vision behind developing the Program Support Services Department is to bring Tobosa back to the basics and to support you in providing quality care. There are several ways that this department can help support you:

  • Identifying and solving problems by looking for trends and patterns in the documentation. I am very grateful to report to you that since July, the Quality Assurance staff has heard the frustrations of several teams already. Two of the teams expressed difficulties in identifying what could be causing an increase in behavioral challenges. Another team showed concern over an increase in injuries. The QA staff has worked tirelessly to look for patterns and trends in each team’s documentation to try and identify the possible triggers or causes. In better identifying the cause to an issue, we can troubleshoot how to resolve the situation or how to provide you with more support through the issue. By bringing the issue’s source to the surface, we can prevent similar instances from reoccurring.
  • Amplifying the training department to better support you as staff. Starting in October we will be implementing an initial Assisting With Medication Delivery (AWMD) training class as well as a refresher course each month. These trainings are being set up to assist you and your team members to provide a higher quality of care. We all know that coming in early or staying late to help assist with medications can look good on your paycheck. On the other hand, it can also be very taxing on you personally. Although the overtime is nice, that extra responsibility prevents us from training in a timely manner. That’s where our quality of care is being compromised. By having the two AWMD classes each month, people on your team can refresh their certifications and the New Hires can get trained in less time. We strongly believe this will lead to an elevated quality of care.

    In addition to adding these AWMD trainings, we are going to be introducing new training for documentation, how to be an effective direct support, and some safety training on transferring and lifting, etc. We’ll be training the new hires in the Therap system through the use of the Training Academy before they ever go on shift. This will allow them to be familiar with the system so that while they are shadowing, you can spend that time working with them on quality care and less on documentation. We understand that training new team members is hard and we want to share in that responsibility with you.

    Lastly, our efforts with the Training Department come in the way of getting you your evaluations and raises in a more timely manner. We have put in a tickler system to remind you as well as your supervisors when it is time for your evaluations. It reminds us just like a training class. We are hoping that this system will keep employee evaluations being done so that you can get your raises faster.

  • Ensuring proper programming and services to individuals. The PSSD is not only set up to assist you as staff, it has also been carefully developed to assist the individuals we serve as well. We will be out conducting interviews with the individuals, you, and members of your team. These interviews will be our attempt at gathering your input, learning the successful strategies you use, and documenting the individual’s needs for everything that you do to support them on a daily basis. The information gathered will be written up in a nice and neet profile for that individual called a Person Centered Assessment. These will be regulated by the State of New Mexico. The purpose of these assessments is to justify the need for services for each individual.

It is for these reasons that the Program Support Services Department was developed. I hope that by knowing a little more about why this department was built, you will begin to see us as a helpful resource. I am very delighted with the people we have chosen to be in the Program Supports Department. We are a department of creative thinkers and problem solvers. I am eager to introduce each one of them to you and to give you a chance to get to know us a little better. Thank you for allowing us to be an extended part of your team and for letting us help you provide a higher standard of care.

A letter to current staff: how you can be involved

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July 1, 2016 marked the new fiscal year for Tobosa. Tobosa is embracing this new year by making some changes in its infrastructure. Since taking the on the role of CEO, Rosy Rubio has been bringing about changes that are taking the agency back to the fundamentals. Some of these changes have been small in nature, like the atmosphere of the Overall Staff Meetings. The majority of you really enjoyed the last two staff meetings and felt they were refreshing. Along with the small changes, there have been larger changes as well. At the suggestion from the Staff Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors were proposed to increase the company’s paid holidays. We got to enjoy that benefit on the 4th of July. Tobosa has seen success from the changes that have been made thus far. This leads us to continue in our efforts to better support you as staff and in turn to support the individuals we serve.

The time is coming for new members to join the Staff Advisory Committee. I have had several people come up to me over the last few weeks. There were several that came forward after the Overall Staff Meeting. Don’t let someone else be the voice for you, step up and take your seat so that you can speak for yourself and your co-workers. We will be revamping the Staff Advisory Committee and you can be a part of that effort. As mentioned above, this committee has a great influence and power in the changes of Tobosa. The Staff Advisory Committee is made up of Direct Support Professionals throughout the organization. I want to encourage you to think about your place on this committee.

For those of you that feel this committee is not the way you want to contribute to bringing Tobosa to greatness, there are many other ways to get involved. Getting involved in this exciting movement that we are in can be as simple as writing your suggestions or ideas down and putting them in the Staff Advisory Box in the workroom for the committee to explore. Better yet, connect with a member of the committee and talk to them. Tobosa has many events throughout the year. While you are there, why not volunteer an hour of your time?

The agency is moving. We are in forward motion towards greatness.Think about it. How great will Tobosa be when everyone gives just a little. With over 200 employees, that is a lot of effort and greatness to come. We look forward to see how you will move with us.

 

Thank you for your work Ben! Farewell!

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Ben Mattice is currently the Quality Assurance Coordinator. Ben has been in this position for a little over a year. After just a short time we are sad to say goodbye to Ben. He will be leaving at the end of this month, but his impact on the Quality Assurance position will remain.

Picture of Ben Mattice

Ben ensured all Team Leads had a quality quarterly process in the technological age. He took the QA system that was in place and made it accessible no matter where we needed to utilize it. He created electronic versions of the forms and the system as a way of upgrading it. Ben was able to do this because he understood the need for accessibility, simplicity, and capturing work that was already being done.

Ben started with Tobosa on October 28, 2013. He started as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) at the Cedar house. As a DSP, Ben was responsible for supporting Jose and Felix, two gentlemen that live at the Cedar house, with their daily needs. These needs included but were not limited to support with safety skills, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, and support while integrating into the community. The thing that Ben found most rewarding while working at the Cedar house was getting a chance to work with Felix and helping him to figure out what it was that Felix liked to do. One of the ways that Ben was able to help explore Felix’s interests was by using an iPad and a “tap & choose” program to assist Felix in making choices everyday. Eventually, Ben and others on their team were able to help Felix identify some of his interests. One of those interests would eventually result in Felix starting his own business.

After working in this direct care capacity for about a year, Ben was able to transfer into the Job Coaching part of the Tobosa team. Being a Job Coach was described by Ben as being, “pretty awesome.”  He went on to state that it was, in most part, his favorite position here at Tobosa. He got to see each individual in an integrated setting. According to Ben, “being able to see the individuals be successful at their jobs really made you feel like you were making a difference.”  This feeling of making a difference contributed not only to his favor of this position but is also the reason most of us are in this field.

While reflecting, he thought back to the time he served on the Staff Advisory Committee. After being employed for about 6 months, he joined the Staff Advisory Committee. Being a part of this committee really gave him an understanding of what was going on above and around him. He also felt like the Staff Advisory Committee gave him one more thing to care about. He already cared for each of the individuals he had the privilege of working with, but the committee introduced him to the agency on a whole different level. As an active member on the committee, he began to realize all of the different ways that Tobosa was supporting the direct care staff which led to his appreciation of Tobosa as his employer. Being on that committee “motivated him to want to make changes.”  He was able to give back to the agency in different ways.

Ben was also giving back by supporting and helping out his team mates and co-workers. Ben was quickly recognized as a leader. This leadership role allowed him to shine while trying new things out in the corporation. He was able to demonstrate his leadership skills and passion for our daily work. His work also helped Ben to identify some positive changes that needed to be made when he took on his current position as the Quality Assurance Coordinator in April of 2015.

As the Quality Assurance Coordinator, he is most proud of getting to advocate for direct support staff. Having a background as a DSP, Ben feels he was able to use surveys to really advocate for what the staff were wanting and/or needing. Ben stated that advocating for the staff was just something he felt really needed to be done.

As a personal vision, Ben wanted to implement programing and funding for individuals with ageing concerns and challenges. His passion behind this vision came after working with Jose at the Cedar house. Ben, along with others at Tobosa, began working towards this vision last year. So far, the awareness level of the need for these services has been raised to the whole agency. Although not yet complete, his vision has made much progress in his short time here. He feels that with more time at Tobosa, he could have networked and built relationships on a legislative level to help with the implementation of this specific funding and programming. Tobosa as an agency will continue working on building those legislative relationships in Ben’s absence. This vision has been integrated into the agency’s three to five year strategic goals. The work done thus far has made a big step in the ongoing efforts of this vision.  

At the end of the month, Ben will be moving to Walla Walla, Washington. At this moment, he is still not sure what he wants to do. Ben isn’t sure if he is going to stay in the Developmental Disabilities field, explore his writing career more in depth, or venture into a new area of expertise. He is keeping his options open, but with the experience and enrichment he has gained in his near three years here at Tobosa, he is bound for success no matter what he chooses to take on. As Ben gets ready to leave us, he wanted to share these words, “I am going to miss Tobosa. It’s a great company to work for.”  Ben went on to state that each of his positions were special in their own way, but it was the overall experience of working for Tobosa that he will miss.

Thank you Ben for diligently working to improve our processes and for advocating on behalf of the direct support staff. It has been a pleasure getting to know you. You really contributed to the improvement of Tobosa by being vocal with your thoughts, ideas, and findings. Your caring feelings shine through in the efforts that you put into your work. We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.  

With Ben leaving, Chris Farnsworth will step into our team. When you see Chris in the halls please welcome him. He has some great ideas and we are excited to work with him.

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