1501 14th St. W. Suite 220
Billings, Montana    59102
(406) 245-6323 Fax:  (406) 245-6768
email: Click Here To eMail

Who We Are

Mission and Vision
How the Program Works
Workshops
Annual Reports

What We Can Do for You . . .

The Client
The Family
The Employer
The Community

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS FOR 2000-2001

| Life Supports Measures | Work Related Measures | Referrals, Changes in Caseload and Demographics |
| Incident Reports | Health and Safety  | Staffing Turnover | Complaints | Technology | Accessibility |
| Note of Thanks |

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“A map is not the territory it stands for:  words are not things.  A map does not represent all of a territory:  words never say all about anything.  The meanings of words are not in the words:  they are in us.  Beware of definitions which are words about words.”  (Hayakawa, 1964, Language in Thought and Action.)

I happened to read this quote as I was contemplating what to report on that might be of interest to people.  It seemed fitting as I try to reduce a year into a few pages of statistics and text.  So very many good things have happened this year.  It is a challenge to put them all into abbreviated words on paper.     

People we support in employment earned over a half million dollars this year.  This is very good news as people on SSI receive only 18.6% of median income compared to other Billings residents. (According to a report by Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities)  In Montana, it takes 73% of a persons SSI to rent an average one-bedroom housing unit.  Luckily most of our clients can receive additional housing assistance but poverty is still a reality for many people with disabilities.  Poverty, as well as disability is a major barrier to having choices and living a full and satisfying life.  We are pleased our efforts have improved spendable income for our clients while providing opportunities to be contributing participants in the workforce.  Since the beginning of Job Connection, we have assisted in over 600 job matches and helped people to earn close to four and a half million dollars. 

Employers appear to be more comfortable than ever in hiring through a supported employment program.  We are thrilled with the number of supervisors who are experienced with supported employment programs and see them as a valuable source of labor.  We have had an opportunity to work with a great variety of businesses and people and we appreciate the time they have spent with us. 

JCI continues to participate in the community supports program of the Developmental Disabilities Division.  Community Supports is a new way of doing business for Developmental Disabilities system and providers.  It offers a flexible approach to services but within a limited budget.  Being able to help people with a variety of different requests has been rewarding work for us.  We are providing help with living and socialization to a limited number of people through this type of funding and learning a great deal as we do so. 

On a systems level, the providers and other agencies dealing with legislative issues worked diligently to receive a raise in wages for direct care staff.  Providers wanted a payment rate that would support pay & benefit rates equaling the pay of state employees doing the same work.  We were successful in receiving more than the governor budgeted and are able to give a nice raise to direct care staff.  However, the system is far short of being able to provide pay and benefits that equal state compensation.  This is a problem as human service workers are in great demand and decreasing supply.  The state continues to like the idea of privatizing services but they have never had a strategy for funding private non-profits that kept up with business costs.  Over the years this has eroded our systems capacity to create the type of services we want people with disabilities to experience.  This battle will continue.   

The agencies that provide the funding for our services are making some major changes.  

Our state Developmental Disabilities system had a review by the Health Care Financing Authority, (federal funding) and the reviewers were very unhappy about some things they saw.  In fact, they put a moratorium on placing any new clients in the system for a while.  Eventually they lifted the ban but our system will be making changes in the near future.  While providers knew that problems with staffing and under funding existed, it was disheartening to read this report.  The ramifications of the report are far reaching and our system will look different in 5 years as a result.  Many good things can come out of system scrutiny and JCI will work towards positive changes.   

The Vocational Rehabilitation system is also changing the way long term support will be administered for people in the their Extended Employment Program.  We don’t know what those changes will entail but hope the transfer will not interrupt service.

As you read about our year here at JCI, remember, “The meanings of words are not in the words: they are in us.”

Looking forward,

Rita Schilling

| Life Supports Measures | Work Related Measures | Referrals, Changes in Caseload and Demographics |
| Incident Reports | Health and Safety  | Staffing Turnover | Complaints | Technology | Accessibility |
| Note of Thanks |