Writing on the Wall: Winter 2024

Winter 2024
Wall
<strong>Writing</strong>
Wall
on the
Joyful Celebrations & Events page 5
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Shining Brightly
New Wall Star Centers offer friendship,
fun,and growth in a safe setting
Saving Lives Through Prevention
Nursing Team develops new tool to help
prevent choking and shares statewide
Recruiting the Music Man
The Marines call on Max and Parent
Providers Lisa and David

President’s Corner
John Weatherspoon
Recently we had an issue arise due
to a loss of institutional knowledge
within the DBHDS System which led
to temporary problems for an innovative
model of service that was instrumental
in helping people move from
training centers into the community.
Today the model continues to provide
integrated, quality services options
and often serves people with higher
levels of need. I am referring to our
Contracted Group Home model.
Wall Residences has been providing
the Contracted Group Home model as
an extension of Sponsored Residential
for ten years. We pioneered sponsored
homes moving to group home status
and we did that with collaboration,
communication, and support from
DBHDS licensing and developmental
services every step of the way.
Unfortunately, we learned about the
recent issue when someone who was
working to transition from Sponsored
Residential to Group Home was
abruptly denied by licensure for a
reason we had worked through in
years past. Apparently, loss of
institutional knowledge within
DBHDS along with other private
agencies starting to provide the model
without being held to the same rules
that were developed with us over the
last decade led to this event.
We immediately contacted leadership
at DBHDS to discuss what was
happening, offered to help formalize
the rules around this model and met
with DBHDS leadership to review
how this model came into existence
Transparency, professional
partnerships, communication,
and documentation of
processes combats loss of
institutional knowledge.
and the value it has brought to the
citizens of the Commonwealth. There
appeared to be little memory remaining
of Wall working hand in hand
with licensing and the Department of
Developmental Services to expand
the model during the time the training
centers were closing. DBHDS was
very open to hearing this, worked
with us and the home that had been
put on pause was allowed to move
forward and become a group home.
Once we had secured our ability to
move forward with the model at Wall,
we brought this to the attention of
the Sponsored Residential Provider
Group to help others understand what
was putting the model at risk. Wall
pioneered this model, we believe in
it, and we will always defend it. We
are looking forward to continuing to
work with DBHDS to maintain this
innovative, integrated, safe and successful
option for individuals receiving
services. A model that provided
opportunities and options during a
critical time in our transition away
from training centers and providing
more integrated services.
Loss of institutional knowledge amplifies
the need for transparency, professional
relationships, communication,
and documentation of processes.
Without this type of communication
and documentation we are lost. As
more people retire or transition to other
jobs it becomes even more essential
that collaboration between the private
and public sector occurs regularly.
We are always open to working with
the DBHDS to further this cause. It is
part of why we here at Wall are active
within groups at the state level like
the Provider Issues Resolution Work
Group, Regional Quality Councils,
State Quality Improvement and Community
Engagement Advisory Group
among others. Those connections
help in times like these and promote
transparency and professional communication
which can salvage innovative
practices that could otherwise be lost.
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Shining Brightly!
Wall Star Centers are shining brightly!
We are thrilled to announce the opening
of our Wall Star Centers, located
in Floyd, Christiansburg, and Waynesboro.
Created to meet a need expressed
to the Wall Residences Community
Engagement & Community Coaching
team by local families, Wall Star Centers
are true community centers designed
to empower individuals within
the intellectual/developmental disabilities
community. What initially started
as one small location has now grown
into multiple centers, all sharing one
vision: an environment that promotes
inclusiveness, fosters creativity, and is
truly a fun, exciting place for individuals.
“We wanted to provide an experience
that individuals would be excited
about and proud to be part of,” shared
WRAP Director Sara Viers.
Wall Star Centers offer a safe space
for learning and exploring new activities
while connecting with others.
“It has been really amazing to see
individuals building friendships with
one another. Watching the process of
folks figuring out all of the wonderful
things they have in common has just
been incredible,” noted Sara. Participants
now have regular interaction
with their peers and look forward to
their daily outings with friends. Lead
Direct Support Professional April
Bourgois said, “Our favorite thing
about the Star Center is how individuals
get to express their independence
and autonomy. They have learned
that their desires fuel the direction
of the center.” Everyone is excited
when they arrive and departs looking
forward to their next day.
Connecting with the community is a
huge part of the Star Center experience.
Wall Star Centers have already
welcomed local fire departments and
police. One of the goals of the Center
is for participants to form community
connections and to support them in
recognizing who is safe and how to
get help or support, when needed.
Star Centers also regularly welcome
various other community members
such as yoga and fitness instructors,
musicians, and more. This is a wonderful
way to introduce new experiences
and activities. “So many of us,
the supported individuals included,
are creatures of habit. Regularly involving
so many interesting community
members, varying
activities, and businesses
is a fun way
to help individuals
discover potential new
interests,” Sara commented. WRAP
Quality Assurance Coordinator Erin
Justis added, “Local organizations
have begun reaching out to the Wall
Star Centers to see how they can
get involved. That has been a really
great way to connect to the local
community.” Outings within the local
community are frequent. Star Center
participants have recently visited the
pumpkin patch, zoo, and participate
in ongoing volunteer work at Plenty!,
Angels in the Attic, MCEAP, and
many others. Most recently, they
enjoyed a holiday viewing of The
Nutcracker. “The Nutcracker was
great!” exclaimed Star Center participant
Chelsea.
There is much excitment in store at
Wall Star Centers in the year to come.
Sara noted, “We are creating a caring
space that gives individuals the
resources and room to explore and
grow. We have very dedicated staff
who work hard to make that vision a
reality.” Wall Star Centers are currently
taking referrals for all locations.
~Amanda Cox
Left: Floyd Star Center participants and staff at the
regional holiday party.
Above: Every participant at the Christiansburg Star
Center who wished to got to be part of the ribbon
cutting at the Grand Opening.
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C 2 :Connecting Beyond Words
In a world immersed in digital connections,
we are excited to introduce
a community within our organization
that believes in the importance of
inclusivity, empowerment, and the
incredible capability of connection
through Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AAC) and some
organized fun.
Members of the Communication
Club, also known as C-Squared, all
have something in common: they all
Left: Recreational Therapist Meshawn Burks with club member Becky.
Above: Speech Language Pathologist Lori Klein (standing) leads club
members in conversation and connection using their devices.
rely on AAC to express themselves.
This unique club was created as a
place where people who don’t use
words to communicate can spend time
with other communicators like themselves
while engaging in fun social
events together. Speech Language
Pathologist, Lori Klein, explains,
“When we go out in the community,
we don’t often see people using
Assistive Technology for communication.
Most people carry phones,
but not many people regularly carry
bigger devices. Our clients don’t want
to be different. My vision in forming
this group was to create a space to see
peers using devices and learn from
each other. So far our clients have
shared their devices if someone forgot
theirs and encourage each other to
find common items. We
are hoping to continue
to expand communication
opportunities during
the group and hoping
to see more AAC use in
the community.”
When you arrive at the
club for the first time, you may notice
many of the members utilizing AAC to
communicate, but only after you notice
the smiles on their faces. Recreational
Therapist, Meshawn Burks, thoughtfully
plans out a fun and engaging
agenda for club members during their
time together. Whether group paint
nights for Halloween or creating
festive holiday hats for the season, this
group is having fun together and their
voices are heard. “Recreational therapy
helps our clients discover therapeutic
activities to enhance their daily lives.
It warms my heart to see our clients’
faces light up while they complete
a new craft, savor a delicious snack
made by them, and enhance their
communication skills while having
fun,” remarked Meshawn.
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After collaborating on many Therapeutic
Consultation teams together,
Lori and Meshawn were excited to
bring their two passions together to
develop this unique group.
Lori Klein is a Speech Language Pathologist
with over 12 years of experience
working with individuals with
a range of disabilities and a variety
of communication and feeding needs.
Lori’s experience includes working in
the school system and in early intervention
programs. She is passionate
about providing individuals with
improved functional communication
skills to improve their quality of life.
Meshawn Burks has been a recreational
therapist for five years. She
has extensive experience working
in various settings, including inpatient
and outpatient settings with
school-aged to adolescent clients,
as well as the adult population. She
is completing her master’s degree
in speech-language pathology at
Radford University.
~Heather Cromer

Around
Our Wall
New program Grand Opening
Celebrations, the first Unlock
Conference for potential
Providers, regional fall and
holiday parties, and so much
more... it has been a busy few
months at Wall! To see more,
we encourage you to follow us
on Facebook and Instagram.
Providers and staff are invited to
share pictures by sending to
marketing@wallresidences.com.
www.wallresidences.com

Nursing Team Enhances Care
Wall Residences is unique in employing
Registered Nurse Care Managers
(RNCMs) in multiple settings. The
RNCMs are aligned with the Quality
Assurance and Risk Management
teams to ensure quality care, health
care standards, and training. They
also support programs and providers
throughout the state and in our group
homes, providing consultation, medical
management, quality oversight,
resources, and training. This helps uphold
the Wall Residences standard of
optimum quality care in all settings.
A project initiated by our nursing
team is an example of how RNs
contribute to the agency’s mission. In
spring 2022, Risk Management and
Quality Assurance expressed a desire
to diminish choking incidents and
requested assistance training the Providers
in each region. The DBHDS
Office of Integrated Health (OIH)
Nursing team had already developed
a Health and Safety Alert on choking
prevention. RNCMs presented this
training at Provider meetings.
In review afterward, it was noted
many risk factors were either not
found or inconsistently noted in the
Support Intensity Scale (SIS) or Risk
Assessment Tools (RAT). These
documents identify risks and are used
to build individual service plans. In
comparing the tools with risk factors
in the OIH training materials, we
determined we were not always adequately
meeting support needs.
A new tool using the OIH materials
to capture all potential risks was
developed. The draft was shared with
the OIH nursing team, which recommended
a Speech Language Pathologist
(SLP) review the tool. An SLP
specializing in adults with developmental
disabilities assisted with definitions
and scoring for the new tool.
When re-submitted to OIH and the
Wall Residences Quality Assurance
team, the tool was heartily endorsed.
In collaboration with IT, the Aspiration-Choking
Risk Tool (ACRT) was
added to our electronic record. The
goal is the assessment tool is done for
each person in Sponsored Residential,
WRAP, and group home services.
Program Managers were trained by
the nursing team and RNCMs reinforced
correct use of the tool beginning
in June 2023.
Our nursing team reviewed every
ACRT document for accuracy of
interpretation/completion. We gathered
data on if the tool identified risks
for aspiration or choking not caught
on the other risk tools or by history.
Our most significant finding was that
50% of the ACRTs identified risks
not previously known or covered in
other tools, the plan, or protocols,
which led to new supports. As Lead
RN Care Manager, I was invited to
present the project at the OIH Nursing
Conference in October 2023. The
comprehensive ACRT project was
very well received at the conference.
It highlighted the distinctive qualities
of Registered Nurses to identify and
analyze needs, develop interventions,
and interpret results for the best strategies
of implementation.
Our nursing team not only significantly
impacts the care received by individuals
in Wall Residences homes but
also, through developing innovative
new protocols and sharing research
with the wider OIH nursing community,
our nurses make a positive
impact on the lives of people around
the state beyond Wall Residences.
~Kevyn Burn
Know Someone Who Could Benefit from Our Services?
The Wall Residences Admissions team has staff in all parts of the state to respond to your referral needs and
answer questions about the services we offer. We work quickly to find the right match for longterm success
while striving for the quickest placement in services possible. The Admissions Team is here to serve you.
Alex Jackson
Admissions
Director
(434) 610-7578
Emily Eagle
Central Virginia, Danville,
Charlottesville, Staunton/
Waynesboro/Lexington
(434) 907-5067
Ashea Green
Northern
Region
(202) 760-6411
Brooke Keen
Roanoke, NRV,
SWVA
(540) 541-8563
Lisa Schalasny
Eastern
Region
(804) 380-4309

Recruiting The Music Man
Max’s eyes sparkle as he looks up
from the couch where he reclines,
a miniature keyboard laid casually
across his chest. He slides his fingers
slowly down the keyboard, smiling
as the notes waft into the air. Max’s
mother, Parent Provider Lisa, has just
said Max loves music and it is clear
Max wants to show the truth of her
statement. Words, you see, are not the
only way to communicate… music
can speak just as loudly.
Lisa talks about other things that
bring Max joy, describing how he
loves watching church services,
weddings, and Sesame Street. Most of
all, she says, “Max loves to be around
people.” Lisa has been attuned to
Max’s needs and wants his whole life,
advocating for him through childhood
and early adulthood in everything
from getting the correct diagnosis
and waiver to nominating him for the
trip of a lifetime with Make a Wish to
Morgan’s Wonderland, a completely
accessible theme park in Texas. Max
was chosen for the Wish Trip and it
was an incredible experience for his
entire family.
It is no surprise that when the phone
rang one day and the caller asked for
Max, who is nonverbal, Lisa, ever
the advocate, asked who was calling.
It turned out to be a Marine recruiter
on the other end of the line. The two
had a good conversation, with Lisa
sharing a bit about Max and thanking
the recruiter for calling and wanting
to encourage Max to join. Max’s dad,
Parent Provider David, served nine
years in the Army and Air Force.
His grandfather was a Marine. Lisa
shares, “In a different world, Max
might have wanted to serve” and
she appreciated them calling. Near
the end of the call, Lisa
asked for a favor: would
he be willing to send
Max a Marines t-shirt?
The recruiter said he’d
be glad to and took down
the family’s address.
In the evening, there was
a knock at the door. Lisa
and David looked out
to find a Marine in full
dress uniform, hat tucked
neatly under his arm and
a shirt in the other hand.
He explained he was going
to be in the area and
after speaking with Lisa
decided to deliver the shirt personally,
along with some other Marine logo
items.
The four visited for nearly 45 minutes.
The Marine interacted with
Max and traded stories of time in the
service with David. Lisa notes, “Max
was grinning the whole time. I told
Max, ‘Look Max! They want YOU
Max and Parent Provider Lisa
to join the Marines! You are tough
enough to be a Marine after what
you’ve been through.’” The family
was deeply touched by the visit and
even more by the fact that the officer
has continued to stay in touch, texting
Lisa to ask after Max and check on
how he is doing. Lisa says, “He went
so above and beyond the call of duty.
We will never forget that.”
His visit with the Marine recruiter is
just one example of Max’s impact…
making an impression on those
around him is not new for the young
man. “I feel like I’m borrowing an angel
from heaven,” says Lisa. “I think
he’s made us all better people. I used
to worry about little things. Not anymore.
You look at the simple things
and appreciate them. He’s made us all
better people.”
~Angie Covington
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Urgent Advocacy
18% Increase Needed for All!
Currently the Governor’s budget,
while extremely generous with waiver
slots, does not include an increase
in Core Waiver Services (Sponsored
Residential, Group Home, Community
Engagement, Community
Coaching, Group Day, Therapeutic
Consultation, Nursing and Supported
Living). The General Assembly must
include within this budget an increase
for ALL DD waiver services to compensate
for the 12.5% increase in minimum
wage set to occur during 2024-
2025 fiscal year. If not, we will be
unable to maintain the Direct Support
Professionals for these Core Services
we have worked so hard to attempt to
regain since the pandemic. We must
increase pay to Direct Support Professionals!
This is the only way to do it.
The Virginia Network of Private
Providers (VNPP) and the Virginia
Association of Community Rehabilitation
Programs (vaACCSES) are
both recommending an 18% increase
for all DD Waiver Services to include
the increase in minimum wage as well
as to compensate for inflation that
was not kept up with in last year’s
budget. This can’t wait another year.
It has to be now!
Thank you for your support!
All DD Waiver Services must receive increases, not just a hand-picked few!
How to Help
Contact your State Senator and Delegate,
introduce yourself and tell them
who you are and what you do. Let
them know if you will be visiting them
at their offices and tell them we must:
1. Increase DD Waiver Rates by 18%
for ALL DD Waiver Services to offset
the increase in minimum wage
happening this budget cycle and to
compensate for inflation. It can’t be
for a select few!
2. Support the budget amendments
of Delegate Patrick Hope and Senator
Schuyler VanValkenburg that address
this issue.
3. Support the advocacy of the
Virginia Network of Private Providers
(VNPP) and Virginia Association of
Community Rehabilitation Programs
(vaACCSES) and raise rates for ALL
WAIVER SERVICES.
Digital Bonus
A peek at some of what’s been going on at Wall around the state
the last few months. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and
LinkedIn for the most up-to-date news on an ongoing basis!