Caledonia Argus

After a year, ABC gets good reviews for services

Posted: 7/3/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor
Itís been one year since ABC of Rochester took over Networks, a local provider of services to the developmentally disabled. And despite the controversy that that issue generated at the time, little has changed since the takeover was complete.

Networks began as a facility for mentally retarded preschoolers and adults with cerebral palsy in 1972. It had been formed by a group of local people as the DAC (Day Activity Center, later to be known as the Developmental Achievement Center). Later, schools began accepting preschoolers into their special education programs, and the DAC began to focus on providing DT&H services to adults. In 1980, another provider of services to the handicapped, Woodland Industries, operated by ABC of Rochester, opened in Caledonia. Its first location was the basement of the DAC.

Although some of the clients overlap, Woodland was designed as a sheltered workshop for adults with vocational handicaps. The DAC served adults with more serious disabilities. Woodland Industries eventually moved into its own building. The DAC opened another DT&H facility in La Crescent in 1990.

In 1998, county commissioners agreed to seek proposals from other DT&H providers. One of the providers to respond was ABC. In July of 2001, ABC took over the operation of Networks, and changed the name to ABCworks. Beth Iseminger, director of the DAC/Networks since 1976, left her position. Judy Wandling, who had been an employment coordinator with Networks, was hired as manager.

ìI canít think of anything we lost,î said Wandling in regard to the transition. ìThe client programs have not changed, thanks to the staff that kept it going.î ABCworks currently has 41 employees. It added several full-time positions this summer when nine new clients, who recently graduated from high school, began receiving services.

ABC continues to hold parent meetings to hear their concerns, but there have been no issues with ABC as the provider, said Wandling. In addition, three Houston County residents now sit on the ABC board: Don Meiners, Angela Murphy and Judy Tollefsrud.
ìItís been a smooth transition, the programs are strong,î said Wandling.

ABCworks currently serves 77 clients in Caledonia and La Crescent. Seven of those are served by Woodland Industries as well.
Wandling explained that ABCworks can provide the staffing ratio required by the client, from one on one to one staff member per eight clients.

The work performed at ABCworks in Caledonia includes sorting buttons, collating advertising inserts, and labeling. In La Crescent, ABCworks operates a diaper and laundry service in La Crescent. In addition, there are 55 job sites in the county where clients of ABCworks are employed.

Steve Hill, executive director of ABC since January 1 of this year, commented that ìI donít think there have been major changes,î since ABC took over. Hill has had the opportunity to observe the services provided in Houston County since 1980 as an employee of ABC.
Although three people chose not to remain after ABC took over the DT&H contract, there has been no turnover since.

What ABC was able to offer the county was the seamless sharing of services between Woodland and ABCworks. Although there was also sharing when it was Networks, he said, now it is ìA little easier and more fluid.î
Although Networks and Woodland worked well together, there was always some competition for clients, said Hill. And even though clients were shared, someone had to be the lead agency in making decisions for the client, said Hill.
ìIn my opinion, families (of clients) in the community have won by having one provider.î
The Networks board and ABC board have worked cooperatively, Hill said, adding that ìJudy has done a wonderful job to ensure a positive transition.

Networks leases its facilities to ABC for $1 per year.

Hill is a consultant for the Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and in that capacity has the opportunity to see a number of facilities throughout the country. He said that Houston County can be proud of the level of service it is able to provide the special population.
ìIíve always been impressed with Houston County,î said Hill. The level of service is achieved through everyone working together, including the county commissioners, county residents, families, and staff.
ìThatís what makes it happen,î said Hill.

A committee researched a number of DT&H options before finally recommending to the county board that ABC be given the contract in Houston County.

In explaining why he favored the change, County Commissioner Kevin Kelleher said, ìSpecifically for me, it was the idea that clients had the ability to move through the system without institutional barriers. Every institution runs on money, and the money comes from the client.î An ìideological battleî exists between providers of DT&H services and sheltered workshop services, said Kelleher, and the clients were not necessarily getting the best options for their life.

ìWe hung in there with that one thing in mindónot to save us money or make us money, but to be more user friendly for people using the services.î

Kelleher said he has not received any complaints from parents about ABCWorks.

ìThe system we have today is better for the people who use the system.î

John Jordan has a child who receives services through ABCworks, and reports that things seem to be going well .

ìHe still has the same workers, I am very pleased with that,î he said. ìABC has tried very hard to responsive.î

At the time the change was proposed, said Jordan, there was a fear of losing local control.

ìNetworks was a locally grown entity, and they were going with a bigger provider from out of town,î recalled Jordan.

Since taking over, ABC has done a good job of involving local people, said Jordan.

ìI donít feel my fears have come true,î he commented. ì Itís better than I expected.î

Don and Lavona Meiners, who were instrumental in establishing what later became Networks and were very much in favor of keeping Networks as a provider, agree that ABC has maintained the level of service Networks was providing.

ìABC is making a good effort,î said Don, who now sits on the ABC board. ìIt (the service) hasnít gone down.î

When the change became inevitable, the two boards worked cooperatively to make the transition smooth.

ìWe worked well together,î said Don. He noted that Networksí former director Beth Iseminger, did a wonderful job and was dedicated to the special population. The staff was wonderful in making sure the clients werenít affected by the change, he added.

ìAll in all, we are satisfied and we stayed involved,î said Lavona.

Programs to expand
Some of ABCís programs in Houston County may be expanded in the future. Wandling reports that the organization is looking at developing programs with a non-work focus for the special population of elderly which will provide them an opportunity to socialize with an emphasis on recreation and leisure.
ìWe are just starting to develop it,î said Wandling. She said ABC works hope to have it set up by the end of the year.

Another change, said Wandling, is that ABC will offer ìemployer of recordî services to clients. This offers clients and their families to select their own services and staff from whatever might be available in the county. The funding follows the client who is able, for example, to hire his or her own staff who would be paid through ABC.

ìIt allows more choiceî said Wandling. ìThey can pick and choose staff and what they want to do. It opens up so much more to have access to resources for clients. People are asking for more, and we want to accommodate this.î

Social workers used to determine what programs the clients would be enrolled in, but now the family can choose its own program and staff, which my be a family member or a friend. ABC does the administrative work and oversees the arrangement.

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