"From very good…to excellent"

We are pleased to announce that Liberty’s Board of Directors have approved a new Strategic Plan that will guide our organization over the next several years. A number of stakeholder groups including people in program, families, staff, Board members and individuals from our community were involved in developing this plan. We thank all who participated for their contribution to this important process. The feedback received from the various forums, interviews and planning sessions conducted over the last year validated our perception that Liberty is regarded as a “very good” organization. While very good is acceptable to most organizations, the Board would like to take Liberty to another level—thus the theme for our strategic plan is taking Liberty, “from very good…to excellent.” You will see a lot of this slogan over the coming months and years.

I. Consumer and Family Focus (Customer Focus): Offer supports that individuals value and lead to positive outcomes —To achieve this objective we will develop and put into operation new ways to solicit and respond to consumer and family satisfaction. We will also continue to work on understanding how each person defines their own personal outcomes and how we can successfully support their achievement of those outcomes.
II. Communication: Achieve effective two-way communication about the direction and success of the organization, management decisions, and matters that affect employees. —To achieve this objective we will implement a evaluation management system which places agreed upon agency goals and strategic objectives in each manager’s job description. The system will provide managers with listening and communication strategies and training to effectively convey to and receive important information from Liberty’s workforce.
III. Leadership and Workforce Development: Develop, implement, and maintain a leadership development program for all managers. —Liberty will leverage a system that focuses on coaching and improved employee performance while integrating strategic goals through all layers of management and emphasizing accountability and leadership evaluation.
IV. Diversification: Develop new markets in which Liberty can successfully compete. —Liberty will explore development of new business ventures in other states with a focus on services for people with disabilities, the elderly or other viable projects that are in keeping with our mission and assist the organization in maintaining financial stability. Plan and implement a major gifts program. —Liberty will initiate a fund raising program that focuses on cultivating donor support for needed building improvements that enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities in our programs.
V. Performance Measures: Provide the Board with information that measures organizational performance —We will develop monitoring systems that equip our Board with the tools necessary to fulfill its oversight responsibility and help align Liberty’s operations with our mission, vision, values, objectives and pillars of excellence.
VI. Work Processes: Establish a management system to control and improve key work processes —To achieve this objective we will identify the work systems that are critical to Liberty’s mission and then focus efforts on ways to improve and measure how effectively these systems perform.
VII. Community: Increase community awareness of Liberty’s services and contributions to the community and enhance community partnerships—We will develop a comprehensive plan to address public awareness and perception of Liberty, continue and expand volunteer relationships with community organizations, and identify & respond to opportunities to work with other community agencies.

In the beginning of the planning process five “Pillars of Excellence” were identified.
These pillars, Quality – Customer – Workforce – Financial – Community, represent the areas that are most important to Liberty and are closely aligned with our Mission, Vision, and Values. As the image above implies, they will remain a solid foundation upon which the Strategic Plan for 2009–2011—and future plans—will be built. We look forward to working together to put this plan into action. Posted 041709

Take me out to the ballgame! It was a sea of blue at Shuttleworth Park, Amsterdam, on July 21 with more than200 Liberty supporters in attendance to help celebrate NYSARC’s 60th anniversary and cheer our own local collegiate team, the Amsterdam Mohawks.

NYSARC, Inc. is Celebrating its 60th Anniversary. People. Progress. Potential. As the largest not-for-profit organization serving people who have developmental disabilities and their families, we welcome you as we celebrate this milestone throughout the summer. "NYSARC, Inc. 60th Anniversary Celebration Run/Walk: People, Progress, Potential.", events will be held all across the state to raise public and legislative awareness of our mission and our work, culminating in a rally at the Capital steps in Albany on September 17, 2009. Posted 090109

Steve Brown, Vice President of Brown Coach (right) proudly displays CEN’s 2009 Employer of the Year award recognizing their commitment to employment of individuals with disabilities. Joining Brown are Greg Melita, CEN Enclave Coordinator; Jim Lomanto, Special Operations Manager at Brown Coach; and Charles Brown, CEN Job Coach.

Liberty’s Career & Employment Network (CEN) recently named Brown Coach as the 2009 Employer of the Year at its 17th annual awards luncheon. Steven Brown, Vice President and Jim Lomanto, Special Operations Manager at Brown Coach were on hand to accept the award recognizing their ongoing support and employment of people with disabilities.

Gina Warsaw, Assistant Director of Day Supports at Liberty Enterprises stated, “We have established a wonderful partnership with Brown Coach over these last four years. Jim Lomanto was instrumental in getting the enclave off the ground and has been a great supporter of the individuals and the program since the relationship began.” At present three individuals work at Brown Coach where they clean buses and coaches, inside and out.

At the October 28 luncheon, Mike May, an individual who works in the Liberty Enterprises’ production area, was presented the Joslin Award by Andrew Grosso, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at New York State Industries for the Disabled (NYSID). The award, introduced by NYSID in 2004, is designed to highlight the significant employment achievements of New Yorkers with disabilities. May was nominated by Liberty Enterprises in recognition of his exceptional work ethic, positive attitude and willingness to take on any challenge in the manufacturing area. Fifteen individuals in the CEN program who have made significant strides toward their employment goals also received special recognition at the event. Several area businesses that work with CEN were cited for their support of people with disabilities, including St. Mary’s at Amsterdam Memorial Hospital, Handy Ups and Downs, Amsterdam Print, Amsterdam Recorder and VESID. The Career & Employment Network is Liberty’s supported employment division, providing a broad range of services, including job development, job preparation training, résumé writing assistance, career exploration, job coaching, transportation and more. The organization works with more than 45 local employers and provides supported employment programming to over 260 individuals. Working together, necessary jobs are filled, while individuals with disabilities are able to pursue their employment and personal goals. Posted 111809

Liberty recently received a four year accreditation of its programs by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL). Liberty is one of 200 organizations accredited by CQL worldwide and one of only three organizations in New York State.

In addition, Liberty’s subsidiary corporation in Delaware, Choices for Community Living, Inc., also received a four-year accreditation. It is the first organization in the state of Delaware to be accredited by CQL.

Based in Maryland, CQL is a recognized leader in developing and measuring quality indicators and standards for services for people with disabilities, emphasizing values-based supports and services, individualized planning and personal outcomes.Liberty received a two year accreditation from CQL in 2005 and again in 2007. This is the first time CQL has bestowed its highest level of accreditation to Liberty. “Our organization sought review of its services and support by this internationally respected agency to provide an outside and objective look what we do well and where we can improve”, said Liberty’s CEO Frank Capone. “CQL holds to standards and principles that are the most person-centered and quality-driven in our field and we feel very proud to have accomplished this level of recognition.”

Liberty hosted the first of two open house events to celebrate the accreditation on Tuesday, November 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Arkell Library & Museum. A second celebration was held on Thursday, November 12 at Liberty Day Support Center at 47 Liberty Drive in Amsterdam. The public was invited to attend. Posted 111809