February 2006 Report

Dear Stakeholders: I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Minnesota Region 10 Quality Assurance Commission Director for the last eight years. During this time, I have met many wonderful and inspiring people who have touched my life both personally and professionally. I cannot begin to express in words what I have learned from each and every one of you and what this experience/job has meant to me. Developing, implementing and now expanding the VOICE review process with you has truly been an exciting and rewarding experience. Now, after eight years, a new opportunity has developed in my life. I have accepted the Executive Director Position with Hiawatha Homes, Inc. located in Rochester, Minnesota. Hiawatha Homes, Inc. provides home and community based support services (including residential support) to children and adults in the Olmsted County area. My last day with the QA Commission will be February 10, 2006. As I get ready to leave my position with QA, I will be working with QA staff, Buff Hennessey, and the QA Commission to assure that the operations of the Quality Assurance Commission and QA expansion efforts continue as planned. Hiawatha Homes, Inc. supports my continued participation on the MN Department of Human Services Quality Assurance and Licensing Panel. I will continue to serve on that panel in my new position. I look forward to our continued work together as Region 10 Stakeholders. To view a photo tribute I put together for the QA Commission & Stakeholders, please visit our website at www.mn-voice.org and click on QA news.

Cindy

QA Expansion News

St Elizabeth’s VOICE Pilot, Wabasha, MN

January 17^th & 18^th QA Team Trainers John Jordan, Karen Larson and Cindy Ostrowski traveled to Wabasha, Minnesota to train four new QA Team Members for the St. Elizabeth’s VOICE pilot. St. Elizabeth’s is the first senior services program that will be piloting VOICE reviews as part of their Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement efforts for the seniors they support through their nursing home, health care center and assisted living programs. St. Elizabeth’s plans to work with the QA Commission to train additional QA Team Members and conduct approximately 16 VOICE reviews with individuals over the next year.

Pictured below is Rita Fox, VP Senior Services at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

New QA Team Members: Nicki, Elle, Stephanie and Jeanette

Trainer: Cindy Ostrowski (not pictured: John Jordan and Karen Larson)

Rita Nicki Elle Stephanie Jeanette Cindy

On behalf of the QA Commission, I would like to thank the Wabasha area volunteers who will be assisting with this pilot along with Great River Homes, Inc. and the Wabasha County DAC for their in-kind contribution in supporting Nicki and Jeanette to attend training and to assist with this pilot.

Arc Headwaters Stakeholders

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December 16, 2005 Cindy Ostrowski, Dan Zimmer and Deb Heise, county case manager, traveled to Fosston, MN to meet with Stakeholders from the Arc Headwaters area who are interested in piloting VOICE in Northern MN. Stakeholders have set up additional meeting dates to talk about the possibility of preparing a proposal to pilot VOICE.

Arc Central
Mary Fenske, parent and Arc member, continues to educate area Stakeholders in Wright and Sherburne counties on the VOICE review process. On January 18th, Dan Zimmer accompanied Mary and another parent to Sherburne County to share information with the county director and county staff. There are several supportive stakeholders in the Wright and Sherburne county area who would like to pilot the VOICE QA system in their area. Mary will be preparing a report for the QA Commission in February which will outline whether or not the stakeholders will be planning to pilot the VOICE process.

Arc SW
January 4th Dan Zimmer and Cindy Ostrowski traveled to meet with LeeAnn Erickson and Arc SW staff to discuss the possibility of piloting the VOICE review process as a quality assurance and quality improvement tool without using the licensing component. Arc SW is preparing a proposal that would first pilot VOICE reviews as a quality assurance improvement process and later, look at the possibility of using the VOICE review process as a licensing system in the surrounding counties.

Department of Human Services Quality Assurance Panel
On December 9, 2005 John Jordan and Cindy Ostrowski attended the first DHS QA Panel Meeting. Cindy provided an overview on the Quality Assurance system and VOICE. The QA panel was formed through the 2005 legislation to study current licensing systems and quality assurance initiatives at the local, state and national level. The panel will be making recommendations to the Commissioner of Human Services and the Minnesota State Legislature on developing and sustaining effective licensing and quality assurance systems throughout the state of Minnesota.

Quality Assurance Team Training April 11th, 12th, and 18th
Quality Assurance Team Members are an essential part of the VOICE review process. QA Team Members visit with the people receiving support services and their Quality Circle Members (family, friends, guardian, support providers, educators, & service coordinator). The QA Team Members visit with the Quality Circle to assess what is most important to the person, what needs are being met and what opportunities there might be for improving the support provided to the person. Quality Assurance Team training and the VOICE review process provides you with a wonderful learning opportunity. By becoming a QA Team Member, new QA Team Members participate in 2 ½ days of training, get out to meet new people and learn new ways to support people according to their wants, needs, hopes and dreams. To learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference as a QA Team Member, call LeAnn Bieber, QA Manager, at (507) 775-6586. QA Team Training January 2006

Quality Assurance Outreach and Education

The Region 10 Quality Assurance Commission, staff and stakeholders will be planning to educate others on Quality Assurance efforts by attending the following conferences:

February	Reinventing Quality Conference Speakers: John Jordan, Donna Garratt, and Kurt Rutzen	San Diego, California
March	Transition Fair Booth: Karen Larson	Mayo H.S., Rochester, MN
March	Minnesota Social Services Assoc. Conference Booth: Dan Zimmer and LeAnn Biebern	Bloomington, MN
April	Austin CTIC Resource Fair Booth: Karen Larson and LeAnn Bieber	Austin, MN
May	ARRM Conference Speakers: Marge Dent, Nathan Bauer, Dan Zimmer and LeAnn Bieber	St. Paul, MN
May	Providers Network, Inc Speakers: John Jordan and Cindy Ostrowski	Rochester, MN

As the Conference and Outreach Coordinator, Karen Larson is available to support Stakeholders in getting involved in Quality Assurance and Stakeholder efforts as they might need. If you need support in getting involved, please call Karen Larson at

507 332-2922.

Director’s Position Opening:

The Region 10 Quality Assurance Commission is seeking a self motivated person to fill the Director’s position. This is a full time/salaried position currently funded through 12/31/07. Continuation of this position is pending the outcome of the 2007 Legislative Session. The Director is responsible for the implementation of the Strategic Plans developed by the QA Commission.

The successful candidate will have proven skills in the following areas: oral and written communication, public speaking, public policy initiatives, agency leadership, and relationship building with staff and community stakeholders.

Knowledge about the service system for persons with disabilities with a familiarity of local, county and state operations will be beneficial. Please send a letter of interest and current resume by February 15, 2006 to Buff Hennessey, Arc SE MN, 2200 2^nd St. SW, Suite 101 Rochester, MN 55902.

MN Region 10 Stakeholders Celebration

The Minnesota Region 10 Stakeholders are celebrating 10 years of accomplishments. Come join the Stakeholders in celebrating ten years of work together. Date: February 27, 2006 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Ramada Inn, Rochester MN. Our keynote speaker will be Paul Fleissner. We will be recognizing our accomplishments together and recognizing our legislative supporters. Refreshments will be served.

Cindy Ostrowski