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Fedcap’s Document Management brings One Stop Solutions to Business

Fedcap’s Document Management brings One Stop Solutions to Business

The Fedcap Group has been recognized as a pioneer in social enterprise since its founding 87 years ago. That proud tradition lives on today in the work of Fedcap Rehabilitation’s Digital Imaging and Document Management team.

Under the leadership of Kevin Pugh, the team’s excellent work has left a trail of very satisfied internal customers. “When the Document Management team started working at different customer sites, we talked about delivering the best quality of services and viewing all opportunities as potential customers with referrals,” Kevin said. “I am extremely proud of the staff because of their dedication and commitment to successfully establish the first mobile scanning team at Fedcap.”

Fedcap’s Career Services program offers youth and adults (18-24 years) applying for or receiving cash assistance benefits opportunities to help them increase their job skills and build a career that will lead to success and financial security. Referrals are made through the program’s contract partner, NYC Human Resources Administration.

Each year Career Services programs are audited by the city and state, and are required to maintain client records, said Kelly Washburn, Senior Director of Workforce Development. The program, which began in 2017, was paper-based for its first years of operation, generating mountains of paperwork including intake forms, job search logs and assessments that were stored in hundreds of boxes in file rooms.

The excessive storage created major headaches. Document retrieval was inefficient and time-consuming. Storage was expensive, as there was no room to keep all the boxes on site. Fedcap Inc. maintains a risk register for all programs of factors that could adversely impact program operations or contract requirements. The paper overload problem in Career Services was part of the register.

When the pandemic hit and referrals were put on hold, the team saw an opportunity to digitize the documents. Kelly heard about the document management team from a colleague, and a decision was made to use this valuable internal resource. Within a week Kevin assessed the job, and provided cost breakdowns and a proposal. Coordinating with the program’s operations manager, Kevin brought the equipment on site, and then brought in his team.

The work began in October—converting documents into images and digitizing the entire filing system—and was completed by the end of March. The program is far more organized and efficient now. Client files stored in a secure SharePoint folder can be accessed with the click of a button, whereas before staff might have searched for hours or days. Digitization never would have happened without the document management team, as it would have taken staff years of work and cut into valuable client time.

”The team was super professional and efficient, and made everything so easy for us,” Kelly said. “They treated us like any valued commercial customer, and far exceeded expectations.”

When Silvia Estrada started her current position as Director of Justice Initiatives for Fedcap Inc., filing and recordkeeping for the Rikers SMART program were paper-based. With no formalized system and piles of boxes and paperwork, Silvia reached out to Kevin for help. The team picked up the boxes of documents and organized them so that every single case file had a name and could be easily accessed. When the SMART contract was up for renewal the team returned a second time to organize documents for the jail-based program, and again the team came through, completing the job within a week.

The impact of the document management team’s work has been remarkable, saving uncountable staff hours. The program is audited regularly by its funder, NYC Department of Corrections–there have been three separate audits since the digitization effort. In the past it took a month to prepare for audits, and required a team of five people to search for the relevant documents. Now, it takes a few days, and Silvia can do it herself. “This is an amazing resource that a few years ago we didn’t know existed,” she said.

While Fedcap Rehab’s Article 31 clinic in the Bronx maintains electronic records for current clients, it had a massive backlog of paper records that it was obliged to maintain for six years. Kevin’s team came to the location and did the scanning work onsite, and arranged for proper disposal of paper records.

“Kevin devised a one-stop solution for us, and did it in accordance with HIPPA requirements,” said Ed Bolognini, Executive Director of Wildcat and ReServe. “They delivered platinum-level service ahead of schedule and at an excellent price. Whenever I call Kevin with a question he calls me back ASAP and remembers every detail about the job. This is social enterprise at its best, delivering a quality product while having an impact in keeping with our mission.”

To find out how our Print Imaging and Document Management Services can capture and maintain your vital data, contact Kevin Pugh, Document Management Manager, at kpugh@fedcap.org.

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Single Stop Announces New Features to Help Lift People Out of Poverty

Single Stop Announces New Features to Help Lift People Out of Poverty

Single Stop recently announced dynamic new features in its client screener, case management, and reporting software. The features and improvements are included in the software release that went live on January 25.

Single Stop technologies have helped over 46 million Americans living in poverty access billions of dollars of life-changing benefits and resources. Its innovative platform screens clients for benefits and connects them to public resources and support partners. From their home or with a Single Stop case worker, clients can determine their benefits eligibility, get application information, and develop a network of services to meet their needs, putting them on the road to economic stability.

The Single Stop client screener now features screening for Federal Pell Grant eligibility and funding. Learn more about the screener and how it helps lift people out of poverty on the Single Stop website.

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ReServe Is Impacting Health Care Disparities in Underserved Communities

ReServe Is Impacting Health Care Disparities in Underserved Communities

ReServe continues to make a profound impact on the communities it serves. For the past two years, this impact has been most strongly felt in efforts to improve public health in New York City’s underserved communities.

ReServe recently was awarded a grant from the NYC Fund for Public Health, which facilitates partnerships between the public and private sector to develop, test, and launch new public health initiatives. The work supported by the grant addresses health care disparities in three underserved Bronx communities of color, where disparities in the social determinants of health that have long existed were heightened by COVID-19.

Under terms of the COVID-19 Disparity Grant, ReServe is engaged in wide-ranging in-person and virtual outreach. In-person outreach includes canvassing, tabling, listening sessions, educational events, and meetings with community leaders. Virtually, the team is reaching out to the communities through social media while also building a community member and partner organization distribution list that will distribute weekly updates and resource lists.

All outreach is designed to engage community members and provide health-related information. In keeping with The Fedcap Group’s commitment to amplification of services, the group also connects residents to both general resources and Fedcap Group/ReServe focus areas that include dementia care coaching. Single Stop was an essential component of the ReServe grant proposal and is being used to screen resident for benefits eligibility, and to provide tax preparation services and access to personal banking.

ReServists most often live and work within their communities, helping children learn, helping families manage the health care of their loved ones, helping fight poverty, and enhancing the capacity of government and nonprofits.

The COVID-19 Disparity Grant is not the only public health initiative undertaken by ReServe since the onset of the pandemic. In January 2021, ReServe was engaged by NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest public health care system, to provide a range of community engagement services to raise awareness of the then-new COVID-19 vaccine, and to encourage people to get vaccinated. Services provided by ReServe included scheduling COVID-19 tests, distributing personal protective equipment (PPE), and scheduling vaccination appointments. The impact and metrics for ReServe have been so strong that ReServe is one of two remaining agencies (of an original cohort of 7) who continue to provide staff for community outreach, a centralized PPE warehouse in Brooklyn, and five distribution sites throughout NYC.

The COVID-19 Disparities Grant team is comprised entirely of ReServists who are Bronx residents. ”We believe that people within the community actually have the best solutions for their communities; all we need to do is to provide public health expertise and linkage to resources,” said ReServe Director Ed Bolognini.

Measured impacts of this work include the number of individuals being vaccinated and receiving booster shots, the impact on users of the Single Stop benefits screener and other services, and the number of jobs gained by Bronx residents.

ReServe also received a grant from the CIGNA Foundation to help its Dementia Care Coach Program provide coaches to persons who lack economic wellbeing. Further underscoring The Fedcap Group’s commitment to amplification, ReServists working under the NYC Fund for Public Health grant in the Bronx always ask those in their community outreach efforts if they know anyone in need of Dementia Care Coaching services.

About 369 ReServists are currently working with NYC government agencies, and another 279 are working with nonprofit agencies. Many are engaged in public health initiatives, such as the COVID-19 Disparities Grant team, and other pandemic-related efforts.

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Fedcap School Students Expand Research and Presentation Skills with Black History Month Multimedia Projects

Fedcap School Students Expand Research and Presentation Skills with Black History Month Multimedia Projects

 “This project shows them what they can accomplish when they are not encumbered by behavioral triggers and rejection.” – Luanne Macri,  Director

The Fedcap School held its annual Black History Month celebration on March 3rd. Each homeroom, usually about eight students, chose a topic related to BHM and created a multimedia art project that was then presented to the entire school.

“The entries this year were amazing,” said Luanne Macri, The Fedcap School’s Director. One group picked for a topic the Newark riots of 1965. The students conducted extensive research on the events leading up to and after the riots, and led a school-wide discussion about how they changed the economic life of the city, and are still impacting it today as a result of companies that closed and neighborhoods that were never fully rebuilt. The group created a board with pictures, text and quotes.

Another project looked at African American women scientists and inventors, who found solutions to some of society’s most difficult challenges. The students connected the work of these dynamic women to their own STEM activities. One mixed media presentation featured the words that have inspired The Fedcap School’s entire student body—”Average will not be my legacy.”

“I am extremely proud of our students at The Fedcap School,” said Christine McMahon, President and CEO of The Fedcap Group. “Their work for this exciting Black History Month project is so creative and thoughtful, and their messages so powerful and uplifting. Clearly, ‘average’ is not the legacy of these bright and promising young people. I congratulate them on their success, and offer heartfelt thanks to Luanne and her team for providing such great leadership.”

The annual exercise is a competition among teams, with two prizes awarded. The criteria for the presentations were given in advance as a rubric to see if they met objectives. Each project had to have a title with an essential question—such as “How dd the Newark Riots of 1965 effect the economy of Newark then and now?” The project had to be fully researched, and could be made using any media as long as the effort was collaborative. Each student was required to explain his or her part.

“The students were so proud of their projects,” Luanne said. “The projects have great value in helping students build their confidence, hone their speaking skills, develop coping skills, and bond with their peers in a highly collaborative way. They really knew their subject matter, and it was very meaningful for them.”

While students at The Fedcap School face behavioral challenges, many are brilliant and can accomplish great things given the right opportunity and environment. “This project shows them what they can accomplish when they are not encumbered by behavioral triggers and rejection,” Luanne said.

View the photos of some of the students with their projects below. 
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96% of Children at Easterseals North Texas’ Child Development Program Enter Regular Kindergarten Settings at Discharge

96% of Children at Easterseals North Texas’ Child Development Program Enter Regular Kindergarten Settings at Discharge

The Easterseals North Texas Child Development Program, a unique preschool serving children 6 weeks to 6 years of age, has a remarkable track record of success—96 percent of children with autism who move on from the program enter regular kindergarten.

In most early childhood programs that use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, close to 50 percent of kids move on to regular education. The ABA model used by ESNT, which includes both children with autism and typically developing children, accounts for its high success rate, said Program Director Jessie Whitesides. “One of the reasons the ABA model we use is highly successful is because it is inclusive. We all learn by watching others, and that’s what happens in our program. Children with autism are taught to watch and model behaviors of their typically developing peers.”

Beyond impressive discharge rates and other strong outcome measures—parent surveys, individualized goals met, and standardized test scores—it is the program’s impact on the lives of children and families that speaks most clearly to its ongoing success.

“If you think about the lives of a family where a child can’t communicate, that is pretty tough,” Jessie said. “There may be a lot of tantrums and disruption, and it’s hard to take your child out into the community, or have playdates. When we help kids learn to communicate, interact and learn, peace settles over the family. Another factor is that instead of going into a more restricted situation, children with autism have the same opportunities for learning and future success as other children.”

ABA is a proven, evidence-based, therapy that helps children with autism learn skills and lessen problematic behaviors. The model used at ESNT, Walden Early Learning Program, is designed to increase language, engagement, and social skills, and to help children learn to form friendships and prepare for success in kindergarten. It is based on learning environments that include both children with autism and their typically-developing peers.

The beauty of the model is that it benefits all children. Staff members facilitate social interactions between children with autism and their classmates, allowing children diagnosed with autism to learn from their typically developing peers—increasing their opportunities for learning and enhancing their natural learning abilities. Typically developing children gain skills in problem solving and leadership, learn to communicate with those who communicate differently, and recognize differences as ordinary.

“My passion for the program comes from the fact that all children benefit,” Jessie said. “Children with autism learn how to learn and how to interact with their peers, while typically developing kids gain so much. They see kids who communicate differently, but it’s ordinary and they’re not scared of it. By helping peers with autism, they learn how to break down tasks and solve problems.”

The model was developed by Dr. Gail McGee, a noted clinical psychologist and founder of the Walden Early Childhood Program at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. McGee was already working with ESNT in 2010 when Jessie joined the agency. She enthusiastically continued the work, and the program received full replication status of the Walden model in 2017. Certification requires inclusion of both neurotypical children and children with ASD, and criteria related to staff/student ratios, classroom arrangements, staff training, and the maintenance of a positive environment where learning is natural, fun, and rewarding.

The program’s positivity and productive learning environment were readily apparent to Mary Moran, PhD, Director of Child Wellness for The Fedcap Group.

“It is a wonderful program,” she said. “Jessie and her staff are really skilled, and they do a really good job. It is a very positive place, very stimulating and developmentally positive for the kids. Everyone seems happy. You get a sense of joy when you walk in.”

Staff professional development is a priority, including 40 hours of up-front training on ways to interact with children that contribute to a positive environment–the model eschews punishment in favor of incremental rewards, positive reinforcement, and a wide variety of support and motivating activities. “We don’t use the words that are negative,” Jessie said. “We won’t say, ‘don’t stand on the table,’ instead we’ll say, ‘you can stand on the floor or sit in a chair.’ The whole focus is on the positive and giving choices. We use a lot of praise.”

A range of child development services support the program’s commitment to families and children, including kindergarten prep, ABA therapy (Inclusive, Zones/groups and 1:1), parent training and collaboration among therapeutic service providers.

“The more involved parents are, the better the outcomes for the children,” Jessie said. “We provide training and work with parents at least once a week on skills, so they can continue what we are doing at home. We don’t want them to be teachers, but just to use daily routines to teach skills and to be able to identify what is reinforcing and motivating to their children.”

 

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Wildcat and Seacoast Pathways Accreditations Emphasize Excellence in Practice

Wildcat and Seacoast Pathways Accreditations Emphasize Excellence in Practice

ENABLE  — a program of Wildcat, which is a company of The Fedcap Group, has earned important reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) following an extensive inspection process and review. ENABLE provides supported employment services to clients who are referred by New Jersey’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS), and the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). Organizations that work with DVRS and DDD are required to be accredited by CARF, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services.

The accreditation process applies CARF’s internationally recognized standards to support continuous quality improvement of programs and services. It is ongoing, occurring every three years. ENABLE was first accredited in 2005.

“This achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served,” said Brian J. Boon, CARF President and CEO. “Services, personnel, and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of conformance to standards.”

“I could not ask for a more dedicated and professional staff,” said Maria Gatewood, Program Director. “They are completely dedicated to our clients, to helping them reach their career goals and go as far as they can. Throughout the pandemic they never stopped working as they helped people retain and manage the stress of a new job, amid great risk. Nothing deterred them.”

Seacoast Pathways, a subsidiary of Granite Pathways—a company of The Fedcap Group—is proud to announce that it has received accreditation from Clubhouse International (CI), a membership organization representing more than 300 locally managed Clubhouses in nearly 40 US states and more than 30 countries.

The Clubhouse model is a proven, evidence-based approach that focuses on strengths and abilities, not on illness. Through friendship, shared work, education and employment, Clubhouses help people live hopeful and fulfilling lives. Membership is voluntary and without time limits, so individuals can come and go as they please. “Accreditation signals to mental health organizations, state agencies and members of our own community that Seacoast Pathways is continually improving,” said Ann Strachan, Executive Director of Seacoast Pathways. “It allows us to bill Medicaid for our co-occurring recovery services, and provides new opportunities for funding and partnerships. It is a huge accomplishment, and a new beginning.”

The process, though demanding, provided great value. “Going through each standard always led to fruitful conversations, and brought our self-evaluation into sharp focus,” Ann said. “It raised awareness about what we are doing and why.”

Seacoast Pathways is also making strides in its integration of employment into the culture of the Clubhouse. It recently placed its first member with one of its employment partners, a food market in Portsmouth. “Work is central to recovery,” Ann said. People initially come to the clubhouse for socialization, to talk to people and make friends. These interactions inspire fulfillment and confidence, which leads people to want to work and reach their potential. “Getting a job leads to more independence and autonomy, and feeling fully part of the community,” Ann said.

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Workforce Development Efforts in Maine are Putting People to Work

Workforce Development Efforts in Maine are Putting People to Work

Families Forward offers job training and on-the job-experience, with an emphasis on education, skills development, wellness planning and employment.

Families Forward is the new name for Fedcap Inc.’s program to provide an array of services to individuals receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits throughout the state of Maine. Formerly known as Breaking the Cycle, Families Forward offers job training and on-the job-experience, with an emphasis on education, skills development, wellness planning and employment focused on assisting program participants in achieving their long-term goals.

The name change reflects the program’s emphasis not just on individuals but on families. “The new name better captures our two generational approach,” said Serena Powell, Executive Director of Fedcap Inc. – Serving Maine. “We want families to have more economic security and savings, so that their children can go to college or enter job training programs. We want folks in our programs to achieve meaningful careers, and the new name lets everyone understand that the end game is about the future of families we serve.”

Other recent changes also help to clarify the vision at the heart of Families Forward. The program’s Career Plan, formerly known as the Family Contract Amendment, is designed so that participants can set goals for various pathways, based on their evolving needs, as they progress towards their long-term career goals.

“We wanted to emphasize that we are about getting our people on a career path versus just finding a job,” Serena said. “We want folks to earn family sustaining wages, and we want them to engage in credentialed job training program or go to college, where they have opportunities for advancements in growing industries here in Maine, including health care, hospitality manufacturing and IT.”

Families Forward offers economic literacy classes to help families create educational savings accounts for their children. The agency has also added several new positions. Including a Director of Assessment and Education Services and a Director of New Mainer Services, to focus on growing resources for the state’s growing immigrant and refugee populations. Close to 35 percent of those served by Families Forward are immigrants or refugees from about 25 different countries, mostly in Africa and the Mideast.

The new director will focus on ensuring that services are meeting the needs of New Mainers, such as learning English skills and adapting to life in Maine. One Families Forward partner, Catholic Charities of Maine, have embedded cultural navigators throughout the 16 Families Forward offices in Maine. The cultural navigators are bilingual, and work with people who have been in this country less than three years. “They work beyond our traditional hours, providing another layer of case management and support for entire families,” Serena said. “They might take a family to get furniture or look for an apartment on a weekend. They help with any resource a family might need.”

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Easterseals is Changing the Landscape for Young People with Autism

Easterseals is Changing the Landscape for Young People with Autism

Greenleaf Neurodiversity Community Center in Austin, Texas, offers a daytime program for young adults who have autism or related neurodivergent conditions.

2021 was a year of incredible growth for Greenleaf Neurodiversity Community Center (NCC), an innovative project of Easterseals Central Texas as well as a charter school in the Austin, TX Independent School District (ISD). The year marked the realization of a dream shared by the project’s founders and supporters—in 2021, Greenleaf began offering a daytime educational program for young adults ages 18-22 who have autism or related neurodivergent conditions.

“The Center is an example of our important partnership with Austin School Districts,” said Tod Marvin, CEX of Easterseals Central Texas. “A large portion of the project has been funded by parents and local donors who are passionate about the work we are doing with people with autism in Central Texas.”

Since its launch by Easterseals Central Texas in 2019, Greenleaf had been offering social, creative and recreational programs to young people with autism who are transitioning to adulthood. The need is great, as there are few services available to this growing population. Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability—about one in 54 Americans will be diagnosed with autism.

The new educational program offers NCC participants the option to continue their education in the public school system, through project-based learning and community settings. It complements a robust menu of social and creative programming that includes performing arts, creativity clubs, cooking classes, yoga, mindfulness, a music club, a nature club, podcasting, storytelling, and poetry. Discussions are underway to offer a LGBTQ support group, and a support group for domestic violence awareness.

“As these young people get older the number of services available to them is less and less,” said Randi Shade, Greenleaf NCC Co-Chair. “There are very few extracurricular activities or programs that offer community connections for young people with autism who are transitioning to adulthood.”

Other highlights for 2021 include bringing four talented full-time staff on board; opening our community center space; developing strong relationships with community partners, and serving over 50 individuals in daily or weekly programs that build community and foster skills in workplace readiness, self-determination, wellness, relationships, and lifelong learning.

And there’s much more! “We are credentialed job skills trainers and authorized service providers, and are recruiting students for our new 18+ Public School Partnership Program with Austin ISD and our Workforce Readiness classes with Texas Workforce Solutions,” said Mitchell Bowman, Director of Social Creativity Programs. “We can help young people find a class that will support their vocational and independent living goals, and help them navigate vocational rehabilitation services at TWS!”

There is a unifying theme that runs through all of Greenleaf’s programming. “The curriculum has a beautiful element of self-advocacy,” said Tod. “There is an underlying goal of finding and sharing your voice through music, storytelling or gaming, just being with peers and serving as peer mentors.”

Greenleaf’s affiliation as a charter school with Austin ISD means that public funds will be available for all of its programming. Crucially, it means that any eligible young adult can participate, without regard to income.
“We are in a great position to respond to the needs of every person who comes to us,” said Tod. “Our school partners can’t provide individualized support and services to this growing population, but we can be responsive to the needs of each and every family.”

The introduction of a daytime educational program as a charter school brings Greenleaf full circle, realizing a vision Randi and the Greenleaf team shared with Easterseals Central Texas. “Easterseals was always a foundational part of the vision for Greenleaf,” Randi said. “They have such a long and successful record as providers of early intervention services, and working with people with all kinds of disabilities.”

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Fedcap Inc.’s Kelly Washburn appointed to NYCETC Workforce Policy Strategy Council

Fedcap Inc.’s Kelly Washburn appointed to NYCETC Workforce Policy Strategy Council

NYCETC works to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training, and education needed to thrive in the local economy, and that every business is able to maintain a highly skilled workforce.

January 14, 2022 — New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), the nation’s largest city-based workforce development association with over 200 members providing jobs for more than 600,000 people, this week announced the 27 inaugural members of its new Workforce Policy Strategy Council—a group of workforce development experts that includes Kelly Washburn, Senior Director of Workforce Development, Fedcap Inc.

NYCETC works to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training, and education needed to thrive in the local economy, and that every business is able to maintain a highly skilled workforce. The Policy Council, a new council within the Coalition, will provide additional space for NYCETC members to inform policy recommendations and strategies, and develop a vehicle for more active external policy engagement with key stakeholders.

View the news story, and learn more about Fedcap Inc., on the Fedcap Inc. website.

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