the Mosaic Ahhs a publication of Mosaic in Liberal, Kan. | 441 N. Industrial Ave. | Liberal, KS 67901-1871 Winter 2013 Liberal, Kan. 1 The Mosaic Ahhs Elena Yarbrough receives 2012 Achievement in the Workplace Award In October Elena Yarbrough traveled with the people closest to her to Wichita to attend Inter- Hab’s annual convention at the Hyatt Hotel to accept the 2012 Achievement in the Workplace Award. She was selected to receive this award out of many applica- tions submitted from agencies like Mosaic across the state of Kansas. Elena Yarbrough started receiv- ing services from Mosaic, then known as SDSI, in 1989 when she was 21 years old. When she started to participate in the day program, she learned cleaning skills by working on a variety of Mosaic’s cleaning contracts, such as picking up trash at the Wal- Mart parking lot, (where she often found money customers had lost!), cleaning the Mid-America Air Museum and the Mosaic workshop. In January 1998, when Elena was 30, she was hired by USD480, the school district in Liberal, Kan. She has worked in the Cottonwood Intermediate School cafeteria since that time, where she is responsible for a variety of tasks. She restocks the napkin bins for the tables, serves food, receives trays from the children when they are finished eating, separates silverware after it has been cleaned, wipes the tables down, and sweeps and mops the floors of the cafeteria. The school has recognized Elena for her longevity and dedication to her job on numerous occasions. Her supervisor says, “She just helps out wherever I need her for the day.” Elena is a model employee who values her job, is never late, never complains, and cares about the quality of work she leaves behind. Elena has only missed one day of work in the past year and a half due to being ill. Staff say they never have to tell Elena something twice, she understands directions well. Elena really enjoys being around the children and she says she would not want to work anywhere else. She says she will always do what- ever she must do in order to maintain and keep her job. Elena provides inspiration to others that people can accomplish whatever they want despite a disability and it feels good to be valued as an employee. Mosaic congratulates Elena on her award! Elena and her Case Manager Janeth Leon. Elena Yarbrough stands with her sister and niece before she is awarded at the InterHab Annual Conference. National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week In September Mosaic celebrated National Direct Support Professionals (DSP) Recognition Week. Public service announcements aired on our local radio stations and arti- cles ran in our local newspapers about how important DSPs are to the people we serve. Mosaic’s leadership team cooked breakfast burritos for the morning staff, enchilada dinners for the evening staff and breakfast burritos and sweet snacks for the overnight staff. We value our employees throughout the year, but during this special week, we take the time to give them a little more recognition for their commitment to the work of Mosaic.
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the Mosaic Ahhsa publication of Mosaic in Liberal, Kan. | 441 N. Industrial Ave. | Liberal, KS 67901-1871 Winter 2013
Liberal, Kan. 1 The Mosaic Ahhs
Elena Yarbrough receives 2012 Achievement in the Workplace Award
In October Elena Yarbrough traveled with the people closest to her to Wichita to attend Inter-Hab’s annual convention at the Hyatt Hotel to accept the 2012 Achievement in the Workplace Award. She was selected to receive this award out of many applica-tions submitted from agencies like Mosaic across the state of Kansas.
Elena Yarbrough started receiv-ing services from Mosaic, then known as SDSI, in 1989 when she was 21 years old. When she started to participate in the day program, she learned cleaning skills by working on a variety of Mosaic’s cleaning contracts, such as picking up trash at the Wal-Mart parking lot, (where she often found money customers had lost!), cleaning the Mid-America Air Museum and the Mosaic workshop.
In January 1998, when Elena was 30, she was hired by USD480, the school district in Liberal, Kan. She has worked in the Cottonwood Intermediate School cafeteria since that time, where she is responsible for a variety of
tasks. She restocks the napkin bins for the tables, serves food, receives trays from the children when they are finished eating, separates silverware after it has been cleaned, wipes the tables down, and sweeps and mops the floors of the cafeteria. The school has recognized Elena for her longevity and dedication to her job on numerous occasions. Her supervisor says, “She just helps out wherever I need her for the day.”
Elena is a model employee who values her job, is never late, never complains, and cares about the quality of work she leaves behind. Elena has only missed one day of work in the past year and a half due to being ill. Staff say they never have to tell Elena something twice, she understands directions well. Elena really enjoys being around the children and she says she would not want to work anywhere else. She says she will always do what-ever she must do in order to maintain and keep her job.
Elena provides inspiration to others that people can accomplish whatever they want despite a disability and it feels good to be valued as an employee.
Mosaic congratulates Elena on her award!
Elena and her Case Manager Janeth Leon.
Elena Yarbrough stands with her sister and niece before she is awarded at the InterHab Annual Conference.
National Direct Support Professionals Recognition WeekIn September Mosaic celebrated National Direct Support
Professionals (DSP) Recognition Week. Public service announcements aired on our local radio stations and arti-cles ran in our local newspapers about how important DSPs are to the people we serve. Mosaic’s leadership team cooked breakfast burritos for the morning staff, enchilada dinners
for the evening staff and breakfast burritos and sweet snacks for the overnight staff. We value our employees throughout the year, but during this special week, we take the time to give them a little more recognition for their commitment to the work of Mosaic.
The Mosaic Ahhs 2 Liberal, Kan.
Jumpy Monkey® CoffeeMosaic in Liberal is
currently selling Jumpy Monkey® coffee at our workshop and have also made the coffee available through several local merchants in Liberal
and surrounding communities. Fundraising opportunities are also available for Jumpy Monkey® coffee. Contact us for more information about how your organization can raise funds, while simultaneously creating meaningful employment for people with intellectual disabilities right here in Liberal!
Our Jumpy Monkey Coffee Partnerships ■ Coronado Museum – Dorothy’s House Blend and OzFest Blend, exclusively sold at the museum
■ First Southern Baptist Church – Serving Colombian Supremo to their congregation
■ Spencer Browne’s Coffee House – Mexican bean ■ Yardmaster in Hugoton, Kan. – Carrying several flavors and blends
■ The Saints Bookstore at SCCC / ATS – Saints Blend, exclusively sold at the college, and other flavors available
■ Flowers By Girlfriends – Girlfriends Blend, exclusively sold at Girlfriends
■ The Best Market – Carrying several flavors and blends ■ The Flower Basket – Carrying several flavors and blends
■ South Church of God – Serving and selling a variety of flavors
■ Mill’s Ideal Grocery Store in Hooker, Okla. – Carrying several flavors and blends
■ White’s Foodliner in Hugoton, Kan. – Carrying several flavors and blends
■ Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla. – Carrying an exclusive Aggies blend
■ Just for You in Montezuma, Kan. – Carrying several flavors and blends
■ Meade Thriftway in Meade, Kan. – Carrying several flavors and blends
Mosaic staff members worked diligently this year to ensure the individuals we serve had every opportunity to vote in the elections this year. The Seward County Elections Office came out to Mosaic to teach people how to use the voting machines. Each person had the opportunity to try it out. Nearly 20 people were educated by local candidates themselves, learned about the national candidates by viewing a video of the debates and were taken to the polls to vote for their candidate choice.
Reid Petty, now Congressmen for District 125, came out to discuss his campaign with everyone. He was able to answer many questions about what he was going to do in Topeka and why they should vote for him.
Voting
Candace trains with a represen-tative from the Seward County Elections Office on how to use the voting machines.
Bobby takes a minute to snag a picture with District 125 candidate Reid Petty.
Get InvolvedHere are some additional ways you can show your support.
■ Become a Mosaic Allied Voices (MAV) Volunteer! ■ Many people with disabilities rely on publicly funded services to fully participate within their communities. Public policy makers need to know you are concerned about continuing these services in the face of budget cuts. You can join Mosaic Allied Voices and receive alerts from Mosaic on important issues and how to contact your local legislators. Visit www.mosaicalliedvoices.org to sign up and learn more.
■ Provide employment opportunities or career connections.
■ Talk to your employer about their practices for recruit-ing and hiring people with disabilities. Many employers don’t realize just how much an employee with an intel-lectual or developmental disability can contribute to the workplace.
■ Show your support. Support businesses that employ people with disabilities and make sure they know you noticed.
Liberal, Kan. 3 The Mosaic Ahhs
Does our quality measure up to your expectations?Learn how we measure the quality of our services.Basic Assurances®
Mosaic creates our culture of quality through the measurements of the foundational elements of health, safety, welfare and personal security for each of the people we serve. It is not required by the state, but these measure-ments, called Basic Assurances, lead Mosaic to the forefront as a data-informed and learning organization. Since these measurements offer solid evidence and clear understanding of areas for growth and improvement, our Quality Enhance-ment Plan (QEP) goals are established from these findings. Validation for Basic Assurances are done twice per year.
The main topics for the Basic Assurances are called factors. There are ten factors encompassed by the Basic Assurances.
■ Factor 1: Rights Protection and Promotion ■ Factor 2: Dignity and Respect ■ Factor 3: Natural Support Networks ■ Factor 4: Protection from Abuse, Neglect, Mistreat-ment and Exploitation
■ Factor 5: Best Possible Health ■ Factor 6: Safe Environments ■ Factor 7: Staff Resources and Supports ■ Factor 8: Positive Services and Supports ■ Factor 9: Continuity and Personal Security ■ Factor 10: Basic Assurances System
Within each of the factors listed above, there are 46 indi-cators that define the expectations for each of the factors. Furthermore, within the indicators, there nearly 180 Mosaic core probes that assist in determining the presence or absence of the indicator within an agency or system. The probes are used to evaluate how well the agency meets each indicator.
In our most recent validation done in August 2012, 93.5 percent of the indicators were present with a 97.8 percent reliability score, up a few percentage points from the previ-ous validation. As in the last validation, Factor 3, Natural Support Networks remains to have the majority of attention during this validation as the team recognized the extreme need to help people recognize their emerging support networks. Ensuring people are connected to their natural support networks is imperative and is measured by how often people would like to see their families and how often they actually get to see them. Mosaic is constantly working on how the agency can support individuals in their natural supports.
Mosaic has also been focusing much attention to emerging natural supports, in which our staff support the people we serve in building and fostering relationships in the community and within their families. Mosaic has implemented a few new systems that will allow staff to understand their role in helping us identify those potential relationships.
Special Olympics BowlingEarlier this fall, eight individuals served by Mosaic
participated in Special Olympics Bowling in Dodge City, Kan. where they each received medals. Marsha and Jamie received gold medals, Elena received a silver medal, Tiffany, Robby and Randy received bronze medals, while Scott and David received 4th place.
Randy, Scott, Robert, Tiffany, Elena, David and Marsha show off their medals.
Wish ListIndividuals served by Mosaic benefit greatly from dona-
tions. Find out how you can help create a life of possibilities for those we serve through your cash or in-kind donation. For more information, visit www.mosaicinliberal.org or contact us at 620.624.3817.
■ Curtains ■ Dishes ■ Silverware ■ Art to hang in homes ■ Reusable lunch containers ■ Bed pads ■ Comforter sets ■ Towels ■ Small kitchen appliances (toasters crock pots, electric can openers, coffee makers, blenders, etc.)
■ Mini blinds ■ Pots and pan ■ New or gently used furniture (kitchen, living room and bedroom)
The Mosaic Ahhs 4 Liberal, Kan.
Holiday Activities at MosaicElena and Candace assist children with playing cornhole at the local New Beginnings Church Light the Night, where they handed out candy and coloring books.
Jamie and Tiffany dance the evening away at the
Halloween Party.
Roommates Calvin and
Jason show off their
holiday suits at the
holiday party where the
people served by Mosaic
enjoyed a Mexican buffet
dinner and dancing.
Connie Mann enjoys dancing with Case Manager
Dee Williams at the holiday party.
Halloween Party
Christmas Party
Mosaic would like to thank our team of volunteers who have been helping the community of Liberal Discover the Possibilities!
■ Bill French – Owner | French Construction ■ Dona Obholz – Retired School Teacher | USD480 ■ Patty Hood – Realtor | Realty One ■ Chad Magner – Operations | High Plains Pizza ■ Art Lujan – Store Manager | EPIC Touch ■ Jeff Mitchell – Owner | Southwest Glass
We would like to offer you and a guest the opportunity to attend a free, one-hour event called Discover the Possibilities. Those who attend will be given a tour of Mosaic’s mission and work through stories told by the people who know it well – the people we serve, their families and our staff members. After attending this event you will be better informed about our mission and how you can help share it in our community. To learn more, contact Amanda Stout at 620.624.3817 or [email protected].
Ambassadors for Discover the PossibilitiesMosaic is recruiting people to become Ambassadors for
our Discover the Possibilities events. Ambassadors work in a volunteer capacity and simply help invite people to attend the events and share the message of Mosaic with your family, friends and community members. The upcoming dates are listed below. If you or someone would like to attend and learn more, contact Amanda Stout at 620.624.3817 or email [email protected].
Upcoming Discover the Possibilities ■ February 21, 2013 | Noon and 5:15 p.m. ■ March 21, 2013 | 7:30 a.m. and Noon ■ April 18, 2013 | Noon and 5:15 p.m.
Discover the Possibilities
Governmental Affairs Update
Sen. Garrett Love District 38Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 237-E Topeka, KS 66612-1504785.296.7359
Home address: P.O. Box 1, Montezuma, KS 67867Phone: [email protected]
Sen. Larry Powell District 39Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 237-E Topeka, KS 66612-1504785.296.7694
Home address: 2209 Grandview Drive East,Garden City, KS 67846Phone: [email protected]
Rep. Reid Petty District 125Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 168-WTopeka, KS 66612-1504785.296.7676
Home address: 818 N. Lincoln Liberal, KS 67901 Phone: 620.655.2406 [email protected]
Rep. Stephen Alford District 124Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 187-N Topeka, KS 66612-1504785.296.7656
Home address: 4179 E. Road 19, Ulysses, KS 67880Phone: [email protected]
Rep. Ron Ryckman District 115Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 352-STopeka, KS 66612-7359785.296.7658
Home address: P.O. Box 192, Meade, KS 67864Phone: 620.873.5273
Rep. Brian Weber District 119Kansas State Capitol Building300 SW 10th Ave., Room 481-WTopeka, KS 66612-1504785.296.5481
Home address: P.O. Box 804, Dodge City, KS 67801Phone: [email protected]
U.S. Congressman Tim HuelskampP.O. Box 379, Fowler, KS [email protected]
U.S. Congressman Jerry Moran1200 Main Street Ste. 402 Hays, KS 67601785.628.6401
Resources for Families and Guardians
■ InterHab www.InterHab.org
■ Kansas Legislature www.kslegislature.org
■ Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services www.kdads.ks.gov
■ Kansas University Center for Developmental Disabilities www.kucdd.org
■ Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities www.kcdd.org
2012-2013 Kansas Legislators in the districts Mosaic in Liberal servesLegislators can be reached now through May at their offices in Topeka, the contact information is listed below.
Liberal, Kan. 5 The Mosaic Ahhs
Thank you for your support regarding KanCare, the governor’s managed care plan to overhaul the Medicaid budget. While there is not a specific call to action at this time, we ask that you remain engaged in the upcoming months and express continued support to have long-term care services for people with disabilities completely carved out from the plan.
Very little has changed regarding the eventual inclusion of non-medical long-term care services for Kansans with intel-lectual or developmental disabilities. Mosaic will continue to express any and all concerns regarding inclusion of these supports into KanCare.
Thank you, our family and friends, for advocating to your legislators regarding KanCare. We are not quite there, but we are being heard. Please continue to advocate with us for the Carve Out as we near the beginning of the 2013 legisla-tive session. There is a page in this newsletter that will help you contact your legislators at home or in Topeka to help you express your concern regarding the services provided to the people we serve. You may also contact Amanda Stout at the Mosaic office for more information at 620.624.3817 or [email protected].
Again, thank you for your past and continued support regarding KanCare and carving out long-term care services for people with disabilities from the plan.
If a legislator you would like to contact is not on this list, please visit www.kslegislature.org or you may contact Amanda Stout at Mosaic in Liberal at 620.624.3817 or [email protected] and she will locate them for you.
The Mosaic Ahhs 6 Liberal, Kan.
The Mosaic Ahhs is published by Mosaic in Liberal
441 N. Industrial Ave. | Liberal, KS 67901-1871P 620.624.3817 | F 620.626.4507
MissionEmbracing God’s call to serve in the world, Mosaic advocates for people with intellectual disabilities and provides opportunities for them to enjoy a full life.
Integrity at MosaicIf you have a concern, call our national Confidential Reporting Hotline at 800.443.4899, or email [email protected].
RelationshipsMosaic is an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evan-gelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of Lutheran Services in America.
Non-discriminationMosaic will not discriminate in matters of employment or service delivery on the basis of race, creed, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status or veteran status.
To be added or removed from the mailing list for The Mosaic Ahhs, or to receive information via email, please contact Mosaic at the address given.
Five State Fair Farm Friends ShowmanshipFarm Friends is the adult-category livestock showmanship competition
for people with intellectual disabilities. This third annual competition was sponsored by Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kan. All participants received trophies and straw hats.
Mosaic would like to thank K-State Extension Officer Kylee Harrison, Five State Fair Queen Alicia Collins, and the many 4-H’ers who helped people work with their animals and for sharing their show animals with the participants.
Scott shows off his showmanship skills with a goat during the Farm Friends showmanship cate-gory at the Five State Fair.
Elena, Bobby, Oscar, Robert, Lynne and Scott stand with the 2012 Five State Fair Queen Alicia Collins after they finish their showmanship.
Host HomesMosaic is encouraging families in their local communities to become
Host Home Providers. Through a very careful and precise selection process, a host home provider is presented with a full-time employment opportunity to open their home to an individual with intellectual disabilities. Not only does the environment offer a more meaningful life for the individual served, but also provides an opportunity for that host home family to create a tax-free income in doing so. We would like to invite anyone interested in this program to call 620.624.3817 for more information.
Share your talent.If you or anyone you would like to join
our mission with a talent (art, crafting, read-ing, music, special interests, like cars, farm, wood working, building, carpentry, etc.) to share with the people receiving services at Mosaic, please contact Community Relations Manager Amanda Stout at 620.624.3817 or [email protected].
Liberal, Kan. 7 The Mosaic Ahhs
Summer End Bash at Adventure BayThis summer was a special summer for the people
Mosaic serves and our staff. The annual Summer End Bash was spectacular this year, as volunteers from the community came together to create something awesome. Mosaic wanted to rent Adventure Bay Waterpark in Liberal for the event, but the city charges $1,000 for private party rental of the park. We weren’t sure how we were going to be able to afford it. With the help of volunteers gathering donations from generous folks in our community, we all made it happen. We fed our staff and their families, the people we serve and their families, our volunteers and other members from our community hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixins and spent two hours at a private swim at the waterpark. It was absolutely amazing to see all the people in attendance!
Volunteers Jeff Mitchell and
Art Lujan grill hamburgers.People lined up for burgers provided by National Beef.
Everyone enjoyed the private swim at the waterpark.
Direct Support Coordinator Stacey Castro enjoys the event with her new son, Xaven.
Mosaic in Liberal has a volunteer program for organiza-tions or groups that helps offer a life of possibilities for not only the folks who reside in the home a group chooses to adopt, but for the group participating in the program. When a group chooses to adopt one of Mosaic’s homes (Mosaic in Liberal currently has four group homes and one 10-unit apartment complex), their responsibilities include, but are certainly not limited to, spending one day or evening out of the month spending time and participating in activities
with the folks who live at that particular home.A true heart-filled opportunity, the Adopt-A-Home
program will be one of the most gratifying experiences you will ever have. Mosaic will assist with planning and choosing the home that works best for your group. Please contact Community Relations Manager Amanda Stout at 620.624.3817 or [email protected] for more information.
Adopt – A – Home
Mosaic hosted an appreciation breakfast for local employers of people with intellectual disabilities where employers and their employees served by Mosaic were able to enjoy breakfast together. The employees really felt a sense of worth as they sat with their employers. When Marsha Hamill saw her boss and owner of Quality Inn in Liberal Jay Bhakta, she said, “Oh, that’s my boss, I’m going to sit by him!” We informed the attendees of how very important their role is in providing a life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities. The employers also received certificates to hang in their establishments.
Employability
Dennis Martinez stands with his boss, Larry Wells, of Liberal Office Machines. Dennis cleans and helps in the print shop.
441 N. Industrial Ave. Liberal, KS 67901-1871
A life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities.
The Mosaic Ahhs 8 Liberal, Kan.
Some of you are aware that David Jasper has accepted the executive director position at Mosaic in Garden City, KS. Mosaic is thankful for the 13 years of leadership he has given to Mosaic in Liberal and his presence will be missed by staff and the people served.
Mosaic is also very thankful for his replacement, Stacey Castro. Stacey has been employed at Mosaic in Liberal since April 2010 and has consistently proven her commit-ment to Mosaic by challenging her knowledge of services provided by Mosaic, cross-training others in many posi-tions, perfecting her management skills, and building rapport with staff and the people served.
“I am very excited for this new endeavor. I am blessed
to have such a supportive lead-ership team to work with in my new role and I look forward to wonderful things happening at Mosaic in Liberal,” said Stacey. Mosaic feels confident that Stacey will continue her commit-ment to improving the lives of the people Mosaic supports, creating a rewarding workplace for employees, and continuing to build relationships and aware-ness in the community.
