Fiscal Year 2018 Highlights

What happened at Search in the past year? A lot, and we want to share it with you!

Here are some highlights of the many accomplishments that happened in Fiscal Year 2018

(July 1st, 2017 – June 30th, 2018):

Organizational Highlights

• Disability Awareness Trainings: Twenty-two Disability Awareness Trainings were held for approximately 2,410 people. Trainings included the Chicago Park District, Chicago Children’s Museum and the Shedd Aquarium, among numerous others.
• Choice: Search provided new educational opportunities for the individuals we serve on topics including healthcare management, financial management and the new HCBS rules (which include privacy, personalization, access to visitors, accessibility of homes and person-centered planning).
• Career Services: The Career Services program served a record number of people in FY18, resulting in new competitive placements in the community, including at Mariano’s, the Gap, Culver’s, Marshalls and Butera Market, among other businesses.
• Independence: Thirty-three Hop on the Bus to Independence trainings were held for over 1,171 Chicago-area students with disabilities and their school support staff
• Visibility Arts: Our visual arts program had continued success in FY18. Visibility Arts served 157 people throughout the year and held (11) art show opportunities, including shows at Three Crowns in Evanston, Byer Knee Law Firm in Mt Prospect, and the Hermosa Art Show.

Supported Living Program Highlights

• CQL Accreditation & Alignment: In FY2018, Search held Personal Outcome Measure interviews with 28 individuals who reside in our homes. Search staff members, trained by the Council on Quality & Leadership, conducted these interviews in conjunction with annual planning. The goal of Personal Outcome Measure interviews is to identify outcomes that matter most to people served and to ensure that appropriate supports are provided help individuals achieve these priority outcomes.
• Special Olympics: The launch of a Special Olympics program at Search. Athletes participated in Track & Field and Bowling in the spring and summer. Moving into fall and winter, athletes will also be participating in Basketball and Snowshoeing.
• Satisfaction: Individuals in the Supported Living Program (SLP) express extremely high satisfaction with the supports they receive. A total of 98% of all responses to SLP individual satisfaction surveys were positive.
• Community Inclusion: Individuals in SLP went on 3,139 community integration trips throughout the year, with 78% of individuals going on an average of 8 or more outings each month throughout the year.
• Community Inclusion: Search for Adventure took sixty-two individuals on twelve trips throughout the year. Trips included Memphis, TN, Portland, OR, Santa Barbara, Mesa, AZ, Branson, MO and Iron River, WI among others.
• Clinical Services: A total of 96% of all medical services encounters were delivered as scheduled during the fiscal year. An average of 170 participants in Search’s Supported Living Program received at least one medical service each month from Search clinics throughout the year.

Adult Learning Program Highlights

• Volunteering: In FY18, we continued to expand volunteer opportunities for the individuals participating in our Community Life program. Last year, 162 participants volunteered at organizations including Wagner Farm, Red Door Animal Shelter, Treehouse, Habitat for Humanity, Feed my Starving Children, and Bernie’s Books, among others.
• Satisfaction: Individuals in the Adult Learning Program (ALP) express high satisfaction with the services and supports they receive. For the year, a total of 97% of all responses to ALP satisfaction survey questions were positive.
• Goals: Individuals in the ALP program made important progress towards individual goals. A total of 55% of all ALP goals were complete met, with 98% of goals showing progress.
• Paid Work: One hundred individuals performed 14,887 hours of paid work throughout the year.
• Community Inclusion: Individuals in ALP participated in 5,173 community life activities throughout the year. The average percent of the community life activity target achieved in the fiscal year was 86%.

FY2019 Goal Preview

On Thursday, June 28th, the Search team came together to reflect on program accomplishments of the past year, look at whether our services and supports had the desired results that matter most to the people we serve and to discuss opportunities for improvement in the year head.

As a result of this meeting, and of a Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis, each department established their goals and priorities for Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1st, 2018 – June 30th, 2019). Each goal is organized into one of our five broad categories used by CQL as a framework for Personal Outcome Measures: My Human Security, My Community, My Relationships, My Choices, and My Goals.

Here is a selection of a few of our goals for the current year:

My Human Security

• Goal: Provide a minimum of 28 Disability Awareness Trainings for businesses, schools, trade associations, chambers of commerce and other groups. Desired Outcome: Provide meaningful opportunities for self-advocacy and practical tools to eliminate barriers to inclusion, service, and employment.

• Goal: Establish new systems where individuals are provided with information and training on budgeting and are supported to exercise control over personal funds. Desired Outcome: Individuals get more choice and control in how they spend their money.

My Community

• Goal: Research, identify, pilot and utilize alternative transportation options (ride sharing, etc) to support more independence and choice of activities in the community. Desired Outcome: Individuals have more opportunity to participate in community life through easier access to a variety of transportation options.
• Goal: Move forward with a variety of physical plant projects including an accessible ramp at Camp McDonald, an energy efficient roof at Highland, energy efficient windows at Hamlin, an expanded parking lot at Kensington and expanded bathrooms at Des Plaines. Desired Outcome: Improve access to homes and communities for the individuals served and the staff who support them.

My Choices

• Goal: Launch a new Ignite site and offer a blend of activities on site and in the community, providing a variety of choice to participants on a daily and weekly basis. In the first year, the newly launched program will accommodate up to 30 participants. Desired Outcome: People have opportunities to choose services based on their interests, preferences, and personal goals.
• Goal: Conduct a minimum of four personalization projects at Supported Living sites and collaborate with individuals on the design and décor of their living spaces. Desired Outcome: Individuals are able to express themselves and make choices by providing input into the personal and common spaces in their homes.

My Goals

• Goal: Develop alternative & accessible formats for personal plans for 40 individuals in FY19. Desired Outcome: Individuals will be better supported to achieve their personal goals through developing plans that are more accessible to the individuals as well as the people who support them.