In Partnership with Communities

Annual Report
July 1, 1999 – June 30, 2000

Commissioner’s Message
As I look back on the close of fiscal year 2000, I am struck by some of the amazing work that occurred this year through the dynamic coalition of Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) staff, private provider agencies, individuals and families, advocacy organizations, and all parties that are part of the DMR community.

It was a very productive and successful year, one that brought new opportunities, services and supports to thousands of individuals with mental retardation and their families.  I want to thank everyone in the DMR Community for their ongoing commitment, perseverance, love and support for the work of our staff, providers, and families perform everyday.

This past year we concentrated on four management objectives.  They are: organizational coherence, service excellence, workforce support and development, and partnerships with communities.

There were many noteworthy accomplishments in FY00, and the following are a few of the key highlights:

            Under Partnership with Communities, there were the successes of our family support and children’s programs, our school-based initiatives, and the continuation of the Department of Education/DMR project that keeps families together avoiding costly out- of-community placements. We continued our successful partnership with law enforcement and public safety agencies to safeguard the well being of the people we support. In March during Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities month, there were a series of  recognition events presented in conjunction with families and boards across the state that showcased the accomplishments of individuals and their families. We held statewide art exhibitions to showcase the talent of artists with disabilities all over the state.  The best were featured at an exhibit at the State House.

            With Workforce Support and Development, the DMR and the University of Massachusetts and the Community College Systems established linkages to create courses and concentrations of study to adequately prepare staff for the future.  This year we continued our Provider Summits bringing this planning and communication initiative to every Region and Area of the state.  Together with the provider community we have crafted strategies to enhance communication and understanding, while devising better ways to upgrade the skills of direct-care staff, and to recruit more people to these challenging careers.

            Under Organizational Coherence, we continued our ongoing work to strengthen and redefine our Investigations Division, as well as in Quality Management and Operations.  We saw great success in providing quality supports while strengthening communication and trust among all parties.  We improved and clarified our information data bases to make them more consistent, easier to use and track information.  This year we also began a comprehensive approach to strategic management where we reviewed who we are and where we should be going.

Service Excellence.  If anything defines DMR and our staff, it is our capacity to deliver quality supports to the individuals and families we support.  This year was the third year of our initiative to address the Waiting List securing essential funding for families in need. We continued giving supports to young men and women who turned 22 years of age this year, offering at least some combination of day, family support, or transportation services.  Thus for the second year, no individuals who Turned 22 this year were added to the Waiting List.

These are highlights and only scratch the surface of the fine work that occurs all over Massachusetts as DMR and provider staff, families, and communities provide the support that people with disabilities need.  Together, we have accomplished a lot.  More people and families are receiving supports from the Department than ever before as we deliver quality supports and peace of mind.

We need to continue this record of achievement in the years ahead and I look forward to working with all in the DMR Community to give individuals with developmental disabilities the supports and services they truly deserve.

Gerry Morrissey
                                                                        Commissioner           

Introduction
DMR Annual Report
July 1, 1999 – June 30, 2000

   Over recent years a central theme of the Massachusetts DMR has been “Partnerships, ” a key ingredient that points to the success of how this agency delivers quality supports to individuals and families.

   This agency’s primary partnership is with the individuals and families the DMR
supports.  Families will always be DMR’s most significant partner, for nothing can
supplant the love, support, care, and vested interest families have in ensuring that their loved one with a developmental disability has the greatest chance to pursue a fulfilling and satisfying life.

   The DMR working with individuals and families and in concert with private provider organizations has had great success in creating quality lives, good housing options, real jobs and recreational opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

   The DMR staff working with individuals and families and in concert with provider organizations has had great success in creating quality lives, good housing options, real jobs, and recreational opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

In recent years, the DMR has forged other successful partnerships.  It has worked with the Cellucci/Swift Administration, the Legislature, self-advocates, private providers, unions, and advocacy organizations to secure essential funding to support families in need.  This collaboration resulted in more than $94 million in new revenue over the last two fiscal years to help for these individuals and families.

   The DMR continued our work with local and state police, District Attorneys, the Disabled Persons Protection Commission to prosecute wrongdoers and create safe environments where people with disabilities can live and work in safety, and enjoy life. The Department strengthened its relationships with local communities, civic agencies, and financial institutions to increase acceptance and understanding for people with developmental disabilities.  Local DMR offices have linked with local businesses, chambers of commerce, and employment organizations to create real jobs for people with disabilities.

   Recognizing the need to foster a more skilled, diverse, work force, the DMR has firmly established partnerships with educational institutions. For several years, the DMR has linked with the University of Massachusetts and the Community College system to offer courses and concentrations that in some cases will lead to a degree program. This year, the Department has entered into a partnership with the Massachusetts Executive Office of
Community Colleges to launch a “Direct Support Certification Program” that will set basic levels of competencies and skill for direct care staff.

   There is a strong partnership with the private provider community. The DMR continued the development of Provider Summits around the Commonwealth in an effort to foster better communication and understanding.  These summits identified and addressed common concerns, explored opportunities for greater collaborations to deliver the highest level of support services.  This partnership has already had successful results including initiatives that have increased the salaries and developed educational opportunities for direct care staff.
   There are less formal partnerships that occur everyday across Massachusetts.  Some are as simple as being a friend, offering a needed ride to a neighbor with a disability, making sure that civic or neighborhood functions welcome people with disabilities, or public service groups raising funds and working for the good of disability causes.  All of these partnerships erase stigmas and stereotypes, promote understanding and make life a little better for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
   The DMR is so much more than the 8,000 employees, the seven facilities, the 29 regional and area offices, and the 1,792 small community residences across the state.  It is the 29,786 individuals with mental retardation that the DMR supports.  It is their loving families and guardians.  It is the Cellucci/Swift Administration and the dedicated legislature.  It is the 265 private provider organizations. It is the growing number of self- advocates and the active membership of the Statewide Advisory Council, regional, facility, and area boards.

   The DMR is about people, people with disabilities striving to reach their full potential. It is about professional staff supporting and working with these individuals and their families to develop individualized supports that help people live safely and independently. DMR and private provider staff work 365 days a year, quietly and professionally providing quality supports to thousands of individuals and families across the state.  These supports may be places to live, transportation, assistance in daily living, help on-the-job or preparing people for work, respite, or intense levels of treatment, monitoring, or care.

    Still despite this large workforce, the DMR is only the second largest provider of services and supports to people with mental retardation.  The largest provider, of course, is families and friends who care for their loved ones every day making sure they are safe, comfortable, respected and leading full lives.  A state agency is no substitute for the nurturing bond that occurs naturally in a loving supportive family.

   The DMR recognizes and accepts its role to support and work with individuals, families, advocates, providers, and community groups in partnership so that Massachusetts came remain a leader in the development of innovative and flexible supports that truly meets the families’ needs and desires.

   These themes of partnerships, families, choice and quality are central to the DMR’s mission as it moves forward and strategically plans for the challenges of the next century.

A Year of Accomplishment

There were many significant accomplishments in FY00 that led to better lives, enhanced supports, and more satisfaction for thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families across Massachusetts.

Among the highlights for the year were:
Continued Support from the Cellucci/Swift Administration and the Legislature
Once again, the DMR received a very favorable budget through the input and dedication of families, citizen boards, labor unions, providers and advocacy of some $869.8 million.  This budget included increased funding for the Waiting List, Turning 22 providing some level of support to all individuals who graduated in FY00, as well as salary increases for direct care staff in provider organizations.  There was also funding to hire 25 new service coordinators in the state system.
The budget reaffirmed the commitment of the Cellucci/Swift Administration and Legislature to supporting disability issues in the Commonwealth.
Care For Disabled Living in Nursing Homes
In October, the Cellucci/Swift Administration and Attorney General Tom Reilly announced the details of a comprehensive plan to provide community-based care to hundreds of mentally retarded and developmentally disabled persons currently residing in nursing homes.  The plan was drafted in collaboration with several legal advocacy groups including ArcMass, the Disability Law Center, the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee and the Center for Public Representation (CPR).
The plan targets individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities who currently receive state services in nursing facilities.  The goal of the initiative is to move hundreds of individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities out of nursing facilities and into the community—providing opportunities to interact with family and friends and better access to work and community supports.
The initiative calls for the DMR to place nursing facility residents and provide them with services in a community residential setting over the eight years of the agreement. During the first year of the agreement, the DMR met its placement goals.  The agreement also requires efforts to prevent unnecessary nursing facility admissions, and requires that specialized services be provided to individuals who are admitted and need them.
Plan to Eliminate the Waiting List
In December, 2000, Bill O’Leary, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Attorney General Tom Reilly unveiled the details of a five-year plan to eliminate the wait list for services to individuals with mental retardation throughout the state. The $114 million plan, which provides 2,225 individuals with mental retardation with residential placements and introduces many new support services, sets Massachusetts apart as the leader nationally in providing services to this population.
“Today we are providing individuals with mental retardation and their families more than just services, we are providing them with peace of mind that their loved ones will be guaranteed appropriate care,” said O’Leary. “The Cellucci/Swift Administration has taken the lead over the past four years dedicating more than $87 million to deliver community and residential services to more than 3,000 individuals with mental retardation. This agreement clearly establishes Massachusetts as a leader nationally in this arena.”
In addition to serving 300 individuals this year with existing resources, the plan calls for $85 million in new funding to provide a residential placement to every individual with mental retardation in the state currently waiting for such services. Residential placements typically include group home settings and provide individuals with round the clock living assistance in the communities in which they live. Under the terms outlined in the plan, the state will create between 375 and 400 residential placements per year over the next five years.
The plan also guarantees additional support services such as respite care, transportation services, and recreational activities to assist these individuals while the new residential placement are brought online. For those individuals on the waiting list who are in need, the plan offers 476 individuals day services which include job retention and placement services.
Over the past four years, the Cellucci/Swift Administration has committed more than $33.75 million in new dollars to serve 1,546 mentally retarded individuals waiting for services. Additionally, the Cellucci/Swift Administration was the first in the nation to create a “Turning 22” program which closes the front door to the wait list by essentially offering each graduating student eligible for DMR services some combination of day, family support and/or transportation.  In addition, those members of the graduating class determined most in need of continued residential services are able to receive them after graduation.  This Administration has dedicated more than $49 million in new spending to Turning 22 over the past four years, providing needed supports to 1,522 persons with mental retardation.
Planning for the Future
In FY00, work began on a comprehensive strategic plan that will position the agency to more effectively manage future challenges over the next three to five years. This new strategic plan will assist the DMR in establishing a framework, setting priorities, making standards and practices more uniform, and enhancing communications between all constituencies, and allow the DMR to keep pace with this dramatic growth.
There is a four-step process for the plan; -- strategy formulation, strategy planning, implementation, and evaluation and control.  Through the spring and summer, a planning team gathered data, interviewed all key constituencies, and conducted meetings to prepare the strategic plan.
Once the plan is completely implemented, individuals and families the DMR supports will have a clearer understanding of where they stand.  They will have more knowledge about support options, and be assured that they are being treated with respect and level fairness when resource allocations are made.
Workforce Support and Development
The DMR recognizes that its success at providing quality services to the people it supports is contingent upon having a caring, talented, motivated and diverse workforce.
   The DMR is committed to ensuring that the quality of its workers and work environment continues to improve and evolve.

In FY00, the Department launched several initiatives to ensure quality workforce development.
The DMR entered into a partnership with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Community Colleges to create a “Direct Support Certification Program” that will document that individuals who complete the program, have achieved a basic level of competencies and skill. The Certification will be based on the National Skill Standards and the DMR mandatory trainings.  The first series of classes are already underway.
Together with the Office of Human Resource Development and Employee Relations (HRD/OER) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH), and AFSCME Council 93, the DMR began a program to train employees to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN).  The program has already graduated two classes.
The Leadership Development Institute (LDI), a program that provides leadership and educational opportunities to people who are committed to making long-term impact on the lives of people with disabilities, graduated its fifth class.
The DMR continues to work with providers and the UMass College system to seek out more opportunities for collaborative educational opportunities.
Investigations Strengthened
Emphasis continued on strengthening the Investigations Unit.  The DMR also moved forward with its close-working associations with the Disabled Persons Protection Commission, District Attorney’s, and state and local law enforcement agencies in handling allegations of mistreatment, abuse, or neglect against persons with mental retardation.  Complaint Resolution Teams were also formed this year to develop action plans to address allegations of abuse or mistreatment.
Bernard J. Murphy, was appointed Director of Investigations.  He previously served as Assistant District Attorney from the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
Partnership with the Private Provider Community
For the last several years, the DMR and Private Provider Organizations has been holding Provider Summits to develop specific recommendations for promoting a true working partnership. The Summits have set basic principles and common ground for this partnership that include self-determination and the need to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families.  Communication between all parties should be open, honest and respectful.
This year the Summits set specific statewide committees that are studying the following vital issues; healthcare, economics, workforce development, transportation, quality management, and safety and abuse prevention.  The Summits also looked to ensure that their initiatives and objectives are in line with the DMR’s new strategic plan.

A + in Working with Minority/Women Business Enterprises
The DMR scored very highly in a state Affirmative Market Program report prepared by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.  The report rated state agencies and measured progress made by the departments in meeting established benchmarks in enhancing their work with minority and women business enterprises.
The DMR scored an A + in this category and was rated fifth best out of some 91 agencies that were evaluated.
15 Honored at MR/DD Month Ceremony
  On Thursday afternoon, March 30, in the Great Hall of the State House more than 300 people attended DMR’s Recognition Day Celebration.  The event honored 15 individuals and groups from across the state focusing on the theme “In Partnership with Communities Together, We Can Do It.”
During the ceremony, Commissioner Morrissey presented the Dybwad Leadership Award, named in honor of Dr. Gunnar Dybwad, who has worked on behalf of people with mental retardation and their families for more than 65 years.
This year’s award honored the life, contributions, achievements and humanity of Allen Crocker, M.D.
  “Dr. Crocker’s medical career and accomplishments are comparable to the breadth, influence and impact of Gunnar Dybwad,” Commissioner Morrissey explained. “His work, scholarship, dedication, and commitment to humanity have helped the world achieve greater understanding about mental retardation and developmental disabilities.”
  The event was hosted by Charles Austin, a news reporter for WBZ-TV, Channel 4. Austin is a parent and a former member of the Governor’s Commission on Mental Retardation.
The Partnership Ceremony was part of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities month.  Regional and area offices working in concert with individuals, families, boards and advocacy groups held a series of events throughout March to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of people with disabilities.
Community Art Palette Project
From January to March, the Department sponsored a project that showcased the artistic talents of people with mental retardation all over the Commonwealth.  There were numerous art exhibitions art exhibits around the state as part of this project.  More than 100 artists were showcased in these programs.

Through the week of March 27 – 31, the finer selection of these Regional exhibitions were featured in the Doric Hall of the State House.  The exhibition clearly showed the impressive talent of these artists, their ability to express themselves, and their view of the world through diverse artistic media.   The show drew the attention of many visitors to the State House that week. On March 30, the DMR held a special ceremony to honor and recognize the work of these 30 artists and their families.
Fall River Joins UYCP
The Urban Youth Collaborative Program (UYCP), entered a successful ninth year, placing inner city youths in valuable summer jobs providing support to people with mental retardation.  The summer also marked the addition of another city, Fall River, to the program that operates in ten other Massachusetts cities.
Coordinated by the DMR, high school seniors and college students with multicultural backgrounds work in an eight-week, full-time paid job for private provider programs. UYCP lays the foundation for a more diversified workforce to better serve a more diversified clientele with multicultural backgrounds. More than 900 graduates of the program have landed jobs, changed career paths, helped people, and benefited from this summer jobs program.
The students undergo a full week of training to learn about mental retardation, human values, human rights, behavior management and how to provide care.  For the remainder of the program the students work on-site at community residences operated by provider agencies.
UYCP operates programs in Springfield/Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Worcester, New Bedford, Fall River, Quincy/Brockton, Fitchburg/Leominster, Boston, and Cambridge/Somerville.
Sixteenth Annual Human Rights Conference Continues Success
On June 6 & 7, some 1,350 people attended the Sixteenth Annual Human Rights Conference, “In Small Places...Finding Human Rights Where We Live Work and Play,” in Sturbridge.
Clarence Sundram, former chairperson of the New York Quality of Care Commission, opened the conference on Tuesday with a brief look on human rights in the 20th Century. On the following day, conference attendees heard from Sandy Houghton, a self-advocate from western Massachusetts, who spoke on “Now and Into the Future; Human Rights from the Personal and Political Perspectives of Self-Advocacy.”
The Office of Human Rights produced a full year’s data on restraint use and provided detailed analysis for senior management.  The associated review has led to a number of proposals for improvements in DMR restraint practices.

Citizen Leadership
   On Saturday, Nov. 20, more than 140 board members and staff attended the Annual Citizen Advisory Board Conference in Shrewsbury.  The day focused on how boards and the DMR can work together effectively.  Four major themes centered on the ongoing development of citizen boards; -- community education, legislative advocacy, quality assurance, and board development.

   The day was marked with the formal transition of Jon Johanson, of Somerville, stepping down as chairperson of the Statewide Advisory Council (SAC) after many years of dedicated service and accomplishment. The SAC membership elected Robin Foley, of Worcester as chairperson.  Richard Krant, of Norwood, as vice chairperson, and Rita Fallon, of Georgetown, as secretary.

Entering the New Millennium
   The DMR experienced no problems crossing over to the new millennium. A dedicated team of computer staff, central office and field managers, and provider staff  planned and worked hard to ensure that all of DMR's computer systems were up and running and that support systems would function properly. Virtually all state agencies were successful in maintaining efficient operations through this Y2K transition.

Conversion to New Payroll System
In late winter, the DMR together with all other state agencies converted to a new personnel/payroll automated system and a biweekly pay schedule.  Human resource professionals greatly assisted in this transition to ensure that the day-to-day operations and personnel concerns at all facilities, community and area offices went smoothly.

DMR, MDDC Honor Businesses Who Hire Disabled
   On Oct. 18, the DMR together with the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) honored more than 25 firms and individuals from across Massachusetts who employ individuals with mental retardation.  The event honored employees as well as DMR and private provider staff who have done exemplary work in helping people
with disabilities get jobs.

Templeton Developmental Center Celebrates Centennial
   On Friday May 19, more than 150 people came together to celebrate the first 100 years of the Templeton Developmental Center in Baldwinville.  The Center was formerly a satellite of the Walter E. Fernald School in Waltham and operated as an agricultural treatment facility.

   Many current and former residents, staff and family members of the Templeton Developmental Center were honored during the ceremony.  Two men in particular, Leo P. LaChance and Philip J. Corrigan were honored for their consistent support and hard work in the development, benefit and expansion of Templeton.

Cemeteries Restored
   The DMR continued its efforts to repair and restore the final resting places of former residents of Developmental Centers.  All of these centers that have cemeteries made

significant progress in locating graves, restoring or placing headstones or markers at each grave, improving roads and walkways, installing fencing, and improving the general landscaping of the grounds.

In September, more than 100 people attended an afternoon ceremony at the Glavin
Regional Center to rededicate the Hillside Cemetery.

   Albert Warner, a former resident of Belchertown State School who has spearheaded the statewide effort to bring proper recognition to the people who are buried in these cemeteries and his wife Agnes addressed the gathering.  Warner's mother, Celia, who had nothing but a number on marker when she died in 1922, is among those buried at Hillside.   The cemetery serves as a burial ground for 215 patients of the Worcester State Hospital who passed away between the years of 1918 to 1924.

   The Monson Developmental Center also held a ceremony at their campus cemetery in September to rededicate the cemetery and honor the 199 people who are buried there. The cemetery was opened in 1946, and closed in 1993.  Many improvements were made to the grounds to restore it to its proper dignity.

DMR at a Glance
As of June 30, 2000

Total Budget for Department			$869.8M

Number of employees (FTE’s)			7,004

Number of people served				29,786

Number of people living in community		
residential programs				7,714

Number of people living in
developmental centers				1,293

Number of people in supported
employment programs				6,172

Number of families receiving
family support					19,579

Number of providers contracting
with DMR						265