Back in July we made you aware of some concerns facing agencies like ours regarding the new proposed calculations that determine reimbursement rates for supports. The new rate calculations were on hold until October and are now targeted to go into effect the first of 2024. I and other agency leaders continue to have concerns as many of the people who receive both residential and community day services have intensive personal, health, and behavioral needs that these rates will no longer support.
The new calculations represent, for EP!C alone, a reduction of 45,468 DSP hours for people we serve who require the most support. This adds up to almost 25% of our total DSP hours provided, totally a reduction of $525,081 in funding!
Like many other agencies, we cannot reduce our already limited staffing hours. We must continue to staff in order to meet individual needs per regulations. I’ve been meeting with legislators and doing what we can to reiterate that the lack of data-driven decisions will result in Illinois continuing to be 49th out of all the states in funding people with IDD.
The people we support, their families, and our staff deserve more! We ask you to once again make your voices heard and stand with us in telling legislators the urgent need for rectifying and funding the rates properly. Please visit our website for a list of legislative contacts to make calls and send emails or if you’d like to be involved in the conversation, please reach out to me directly at kcornwell@epicci.org.
– Kim Cornwell, EP!C CEO
Presented by CarleHealth, the 13th annual Bon Appétit!
Make the holidays brighter for a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For this year’s annual appeal Ed Manley (and his brother Tom) are at it again!
Last year, Ed and Tom began an exciting adventure together…an adventure raising funds for EP!C. In support of his brother and the entire EP!C community, Ed graciously offered to match all donations by the end of 2022. That challenge started at $5,000 and ended with a total of $25,000 being matched! This year, Ed is setting another challenge in hopes of raising even more by offering to match the first $25,000 of gifts received.
Recently we were selected to be a part of A Diwali Gala held by the Indo-American Society of Peoria.
It included a delectable dinner and a unique, high-spirited performance called UTSAV by PJ Dance Academy. This cultural celebration brought together the community for an evening unlike any other. Proceeds from the event were specifically targeted to help us purchase the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES). This program will convert our classroom into a work development lab that assesses the competitive work potential and interest level of a person while allowing them to explore various jobs and develop work behaviors. This program would increase support from 87 to 200 high school students per year.
August Employee of the Month
Adam Tilton was chosen for August’s Employee of the Month.
Our Employee of the month for August was Adam Tilton because he “always strives to make special connections with all the individuals he works with. He will go above and beyond to make anyone and everyone feel welcome. He shares with the team any insights about individuals to ensure they are doing everything they can to help the people we serve, to make sure that each person has their own individualized experience.”
September Employee of the Month
Kim Smith was chosen for September’s Employee of the Month.
Kim Smith was awarded Employee of the Month for the month of September. She earned the title based on the fact that “she has done a great job building the Explorations classroom for all the students that come and utilize it. She is very welcoming and greets everyone with a smile and positive attitude. She wants the best for all her students and everyone at EP!C. Her calm and nurturing nature makes her classroom the perfect learning environment.”
Employee of the Year
Mint Damaso was chosen for the 2023 Employee of the Year.
Out of 11 other deserving recipients for Employee of the Month in our FY2023, Mint Damaso has been selected and named Employee of the Year!
Mint was selected because “He goes above and beyond his expectations daily, he recently assisted an individual in cleaning their apartment and teaching them to cook on his own time. He is empowering and inspiring every day and he always has the individuals best interest in mind. He is a valuable part of the team because he always has a positive attitude and inspiring words of encouragement.”
Order your poinsettias now!
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