Writing on the Wall: Spring 2021
The quarterly newsletter of Wall Residences: a Virginia agency who provides services for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Services include sponsored residential, group homes, community engagement & community coaching, nursing, therapeutic consultation, and behavioral support. This issue highlights recent achievements of residents, providers, staff, and the agency as a whole during the first quarter of 2021.
The quarterly newsletter of Wall Residences: a Virginia agency who provides services for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Services include sponsored residential, group homes, community engagement & community coaching, nursing, therapeutic consultation, and behavioral support. This issue highlights recent achievements of residents, providers, staff, and the agency as a whole during the first quarter of 2021.
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Writing</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Wall</strong><br />
<strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
Our Best Shot:<br />
Vaccine clinics offer hope. Page 7<br />
3<br />
Serving O<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
Trina finds joy and growth in<br />
volunteering through WRAP<br />
5 6<br />
Our Happy Place<br />
Nancy reveals <strong>the</strong> simple secret to<br />
a happy home and life as a provider<br />
Goals Met with a Smile<br />
Hard work has a big payoff<br />
for Missy
Director’s Corner<br />
John Wea<strong>the</strong>rspo<strong>on</strong><br />
As I write this it has been almost <strong>on</strong>e<br />
year since I sent <strong>the</strong> first email to<br />
our Sp<strong>on</strong>sored Residential Providers<br />
letting <strong>the</strong>m know we were canceling<br />
our upcoming face-to-face regi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
provider meetings. It has been a year<br />
since we first implemented changes to<br />
our leave policy for employees adding<br />
days to encourage staff to take time<br />
off instead of coming to work with<br />
symptoms of COVID, well before this<br />
was supported by <strong>the</strong> Government.<br />
Now with new cases finally declining<br />
and more and more of our staff<br />
and <strong>the</strong> individuals we serve getting<br />
vaccinated, our leadership team has<br />
begun having c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>s about<br />
when we may be able to begin to<br />
ga<strong>the</strong>r in groups like that again this<br />
year. We know <strong>the</strong>re are still many<br />
hurdles ahead of us but with over<br />
1600 doses being received within <strong>the</strong><br />
agency, we are beginning to see that<br />
being toge<strong>the</strong>r again may become a<br />
reality this year.<br />
We would not be in this place without<br />
<strong>the</strong> volunteers, health department<br />
employees, and staff at pharmacies<br />
working every day to get people<br />
vaccinated. We learned early <strong>on</strong> in<br />
<strong>the</strong> vaccinati<strong>on</strong> process that some<br />
communicati<strong>on</strong> had been crossed<br />
in relati<strong>on</strong> to Sp<strong>on</strong>sored Residential<br />
homes and access to <strong>the</strong> vaccine<br />
through <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al vaccinati<strong>on</strong><br />
program.<br />
I want to thank Craig Camidge,<br />
Michele Thomas, and o<strong>the</strong>rs at<br />
DBHDS for seeing a need and<br />
stepping in to catch <strong>the</strong> sp<strong>on</strong>sored<br />
homes that would have been missed<br />
in <strong>the</strong> vaccine roll-out. I also want<br />
to thank <strong>the</strong> family pharmacies that<br />
stepped up to help make this a reality<br />
for not <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>Wall</strong> Residences but<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r Sp<strong>on</strong>sored Residential agencies.<br />
In particular, I want to thank Elkt<strong>on</strong><br />
Family Pharmacy, The Pharm House,<br />
BREMO Pharmacy, and <strong>the</strong> Emmet<br />
Street CVS in Charlottesville for<br />
setting up large vaccinati<strong>on</strong> sites and<br />
making sure our services and o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
were not forgotten. Thank you as well<br />
to staff and providers who helped run<br />
<strong>the</strong> clinics. Because of this, we can<br />
look at <strong>the</strong> summer with optimism<br />
that more outings, safe ga<strong>the</strong>rings,<br />
and greater freedom of movement in<br />
and around <strong>the</strong> community may safely<br />
start to return. Thank you to every<strong>on</strong>e<br />
helping make this a reality!<br />
Making a New Choice<br />
Randy is a friendly, social guy with<br />
a great sense of humor who loves his<br />
family and his dog, Daisy. Ask him<br />
about <strong>the</strong> antics Daisy has been up<br />
to lately and you’ll hear all about her<br />
delivering packages for USPS and<br />
driving tractors with hay bales! He enjoys<br />
riding his tractor, visiting local attracti<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
helping cook meals at home,<br />
NASCAR racing, and Judge Judy.<br />
Prior to starting Therapeutic C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong><br />
Randy would sometimes get<br />
upset when things didn’t go <strong>the</strong> way<br />
he thought <strong>the</strong>y would, such as when<br />
something wasn’t working correctly<br />
or plans were changed. When Randy<br />
became upset, he had a difficult time<br />
expressing how he was feeling and<br />
getting help in a way that was safe<br />
and effective. Visual supports were<br />
implemented to help Randy identify<br />
what to do during <strong>the</strong>se times. He has<br />
made huge strides in asking for help<br />
and is a pro at finding new activities<br />
from his choice board that he can do<br />
instead. He has a great understanding<br />
of things that are triggering for him<br />
and almost every week identifies a<br />
new replacement behavior... although<br />
petting Daisy is <strong>the</strong> favorite by far!<br />
Now, if you ask Randy how things<br />
are going, he’ll tell you “I am okay”<br />
because he chooses to just “let it go.”<br />
2
The Satisfacti<strong>on</strong><br />
of Serving O<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
WRAP participant Trina discovered<br />
a new passi<strong>on</strong> for volunteering at <strong>the</strong><br />
Rescue Missi<strong>on</strong> of Roanoke thanks to<br />
support from her WRAP DSP, Carey<br />
Case. Trina and her WRAP group<br />
were looking for ways to get involved<br />
in <strong>the</strong> community, meet new people,<br />
and try new no-cost activities so<br />
Carey c<strong>on</strong>tacted <strong>the</strong> Rescue Missi<strong>on</strong><br />
of Roanoke to see if <strong>the</strong>y welcomed<br />
volunteers who needed extra support.<br />
Plans were made and Trina started<br />
serving meals to people experiencing<br />
homelessness in November.<br />
“Volunteering at <strong>the</strong> Roanoke Rescue<br />
Missi<strong>on</strong> by serving food to <strong>the</strong> homeless<br />
has given Trina a huge boost in<br />
her self-c<strong>on</strong>fidence, evident by her<br />
friendly, upbeat attitude towards fellow<br />
volunteers and <strong>the</strong> people whom she<br />
serves. Trina has learned <strong>the</strong> value<br />
of teamwork and pitches in to help<br />
at every opportunity without being<br />
asked,” Carey noted. “I have offered<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r community activities for Trina to<br />
explore and each time she says, ‘I want<br />
to go back to <strong>the</strong> Rescue Missi<strong>on</strong>. I<br />
love serving food to <strong>the</strong> homeless.’”<br />
Stacy Boris, Volunteer Coordinator<br />
at <strong>the</strong> Missi<strong>on</strong>,<br />
said, “Trina has<br />
come in and<br />
jumped right into<br />
our food service<br />
ministry with an<br />
open heart. She’s<br />
flexible and<br />
willing to take<br />
<strong>on</strong> whatever resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities<br />
are<br />
presented for <strong>the</strong><br />
day. She is truly<br />
just a light!”<br />
Trina especially<br />
likes joking around with <strong>the</strong> people<br />
and making new friends. Her familiar<br />
greeting to regular patr<strong>on</strong>s is “I got<br />
you!” as she anticipates <strong>the</strong>ir preferences.<br />
She has also developed new<br />
skills, such as learning food safety<br />
practices and to c<strong>on</strong>fidently greet new<br />
people in a professi<strong>on</strong>al manner.<br />
Trina has appreciated that joining in<br />
<strong>the</strong> meal after serving has helped her<br />
to practice budgeting her m<strong>on</strong>ey for<br />
splurging <strong>on</strong> Starbucks and sushi as<br />
well as saving up for a trip later in<br />
<strong>the</strong> year. Residential Provider Susan<br />
Trina and Carey volunteer frequently at<br />
<strong>the</strong> Rescue Missi<strong>on</strong> of Roanoke.<br />
Lewis noted that <strong>the</strong> social isolati<strong>on</strong><br />
caused by COVID-19 is hard <strong>on</strong> an<br />
extroverted social butterfly like Trina<br />
but her WRAP outings have allowed<br />
her to get out more, learn about building<br />
community through service, and<br />
feel more relaxed overall. WRAP is<br />
an integral part of meeting Trina’s<br />
social needs where she can explore<br />
her larger community <strong>on</strong> her own<br />
terms.<br />
Meet <strong>the</strong> New ESOP Advisory Committee<br />
Angie Newman<br />
Admissi<strong>on</strong>s &<br />
Program<br />
Management<br />
Caitlyn Davis<br />
Wrap &<br />
In Home<br />
Services<br />
Amanda Craig<br />
Administrati<strong>on</strong><br />
Employee<br />
Stock<br />
Ownership<br />
Plan<br />
Kl’Methia<br />
Merriman<br />
Group Home<br />
DSPs<br />
India Eanes<br />
Office<br />
Pers<strong>on</strong>nel<br />
Rebecca<br />
Ledingham<br />
TC, Training &<br />
Nursing Teams<br />
3
Self Care<br />
As <strong>the</strong> pandemic moves into its<br />
sec<strong>on</strong>d year, it feels like “self<br />
care” is <strong>the</strong> buzzword of <strong>the</strong> moment.<br />
However trite <strong>the</strong> term may<br />
seem, finding ways within and<br />
outside of work to look after your<br />
holistic wellbeing is very important.<br />
Doing so well... or<br />
ignoring it... can and will impact<br />
not <strong>on</strong>ly you, but those around<br />
you. Here are a few ideas to try in<br />
various areas of self care.<br />
Workplace/Professi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Join a peer support group<br />
Read professi<strong>on</strong>al journals<br />
Attend professi<strong>on</strong>al development<br />
Physical<br />
Develop a regular sleep schedule<br />
Take a walk at lunchtime<br />
Take time off work for yourself<br />
Psychological<br />
Keep a journal<br />
Take up a hobby<br />
Turn off your email and ph<strong>on</strong>e<br />
Emoti<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Nurture supportive friendships<br />
Write three good things about<br />
each day<br />
Spiritual<br />
Attend religious services<br />
(even if <strong>on</strong>line)<br />
Do yoga<br />
Spend time in nature<br />
Relati<strong>on</strong>ship<br />
Prioritize your closest loved <strong>on</strong>es<br />
Attend special events of<br />
friends & family<br />
Thanks to Stephanie Moore for<br />
<strong>the</strong>se self care tips!<br />
A S<strong>on</strong>g in Her Heart<br />
Lora’s face lights up as she sits down<br />
at <strong>the</strong> keyboard. She plucks out a few<br />
tentative notes to be sure everything<br />
is working correctly, <strong>the</strong>n opens up<br />
<strong>the</strong> s<strong>on</strong>gbook. So<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> room is filled<br />
with music as Lora’s fingers fly across<br />
<strong>the</strong> keyboard and she gleefully belts<br />
out s<strong>on</strong>gs of<br />
praise.<br />
Music is <strong>on</strong>e<br />
of her favorite<br />
ways to<br />
relax in her<br />
new home.<br />
Lora achieved a big goal in November:<br />
she moved out <strong>on</strong> her own! DSP<br />
Christina Cruz supports her <strong>on</strong> weekdays<br />
with chores, cashing her weekly<br />
checks, and grocery runs. Lora shares<br />
that Christina is a “good worker” who<br />
helps her with things that need to get<br />
d<strong>on</strong>e around her new home. The two<br />
also have fun toge<strong>the</strong>r. Christina sings<br />
at Lora’s request as Lora plays her<br />
piano. Outside <strong>the</strong> house, trips to little<br />
free libraries are a favorite. Lora c<strong>on</strong>fides<br />
that <strong>the</strong> medical books are her<br />
favorites as she loves to learn about<br />
how things work.<br />
“<br />
I check my email. Read. Talk to my<br />
friends. Play my piano and sing.<br />
When <strong>on</strong> her own at home, she enjoys<br />
checking her email and chatting with<br />
friends <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> ph<strong>on</strong>e...but it is music<br />
that clearly<br />
makes her soul<br />
come alive. If<br />
you are really<br />
lucky, when<br />
visiting her in<br />
her new home,<br />
she’ll show<br />
you to where her keyboard holds a<br />
place of significance and treat you to<br />
a c<strong>on</strong>cert. And this c<strong>on</strong>cert is <strong>on</strong>e that<br />
is a treat for <strong>the</strong> eyes and <strong>the</strong> ears<br />
because at <strong>the</strong> completi<strong>on</strong> of each<br />
s<strong>on</strong>g, she will look up as you applaud<br />
and her beaming smile will fill your<br />
own heart with joy.<br />
As Lora herself says describing her<br />
present happiness, “I’ve come a l<strong>on</strong>g<br />
ways!”<br />
4
Put My Home Where My Mouth Was<br />
“This is My Happy Place” reads <strong>the</strong><br />
sign next to Nancy Kaplan’s fr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
door. Spend even a few minutes in<br />
Nancy’s home and <strong>the</strong> truth of that<br />
statement is quickly clear.<br />
Nancy has been a provider with <strong>Wall</strong><br />
Residences for over six years, after<br />
years of experience with supportive<br />
apartment living, group homes, prevocati<strong>on</strong>al,<br />
and o<strong>the</strong>r work with individuals<br />
with disabilities. She’s a fierce<br />
advocate who gave speeches from<br />
<strong>the</strong> viewpoint of DSPs during budget<br />
hearings and fought to have <strong>the</strong> training<br />
centers closed down. When <strong>the</strong><br />
effort was successful she says she felt<br />
str<strong>on</strong>gly she needed “to put my home<br />
where my mouth was.”<br />
That good fight has included supporting<br />
<strong>the</strong> men with healthy changes<br />
and proper medicati<strong>on</strong> management,<br />
equipping <strong>the</strong>m for happier lives. It<br />
has meant advocating for employment<br />
in <strong>the</strong> community and seeking creative<br />
soluti<strong>on</strong>s when a positi<strong>on</strong> wasn’t<br />
easily found. Both men held jobs pre-<br />
COVID. Brand<strong>on</strong>’s job will resume<br />
<strong>on</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> church where he provides<br />
<strong>the</strong> valuable services of sweeping and<br />
cleaning returns to in pers<strong>on</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>rings.<br />
Grays<strong>on</strong> will be seeking new<br />
employment <strong>on</strong>ce he is fully vaccinated.<br />
The men use <strong>the</strong> m<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>the</strong>y<br />
earn from <strong>the</strong>ir jobs for horse riding<br />
less<strong>on</strong>s and are also active in a bible<br />
study at church. Weekly outings for<br />
take out are ano<strong>the</strong>r feature of life in<br />
this happy place. As Brand<strong>on</strong> notes,<br />
“Nancy. Zach. Grays<strong>on</strong>. Me. We are<br />
happy.” Laughter flows as all agree<br />
that statement is a very accurate<br />
<strong>on</strong>e and share <strong>the</strong> household motto,<br />
“D<strong>on</strong>’t break <strong>the</strong> provider!”<br />
While Nancy adores her role as a<br />
provider, she recommends those<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidering it be thoughtful about if it<br />
is <strong>the</strong> right fit for <strong>the</strong>m. “You have to<br />
share your life. Be h<strong>on</strong>est and weigh<br />
that first. But if this is right for you, I<br />
have worked under a lot of agencies<br />
and <strong>Wall</strong> is <strong>the</strong> best. I adore it (being<br />
a provider). I love what I do. I found<br />
a place where my heart can be as<br />
open as I want.” Nancy appreciates<br />
<strong>the</strong> relati<strong>on</strong>ships with <strong>Wall</strong>’s support<br />
staff, but even more so <strong>the</strong> relati<strong>on</strong>ships<br />
with all with whom she shares<br />
a home, noting that each household<br />
member is different and yet meld<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r well. She gets joy from<br />
watching Brand<strong>on</strong> and Grays<strong>on</strong>’s<br />
friendship c<strong>on</strong>tinue to deepen. In<br />
<strong>the</strong> end though, it comes down to<br />
something very simple. “I love <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
I just love <strong>the</strong>m.”<br />
Below: Grays<strong>on</strong>, Nancy, Brand<strong>on</strong>, and<br />
Zach share a happy home.<br />
Cover: Grays<strong>on</strong> gets his vaccine.<br />
In becoming a provider, she<br />
found not just a job, but a<br />
calling. “I find it fascinating,”<br />
she shares. “I like a good fight.<br />
I like advocacy. I like watching<br />
<strong>the</strong>m grow.” “They” are<br />
Brand<strong>on</strong> and Grays<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> two<br />
young men Nancy has supported<br />
since 2016 and 2014 respectively.<br />
Grays<strong>on</strong> and Brand<strong>on</strong><br />
call each o<strong>the</strong>r “bro<strong>the</strong>rs from<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r mo<strong>the</strong>r” and <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
obvious affecti<strong>on</strong> between<br />
<strong>the</strong> two, Nancy, and Nancy’s<br />
grown s<strong>on</strong> Zach, a full time<br />
backup worker who also lives<br />
in <strong>the</strong> home.<br />
5
Perseverance Pays Off in Goals Met<br />
Missy is a young woman with a zest<br />
for life! Her love for o<strong>the</strong>rs (especially<br />
her family) is str<strong>on</strong>g and she<br />
will often giggle while talking about<br />
her young nephew’s antics. Missy<br />
has c<strong>on</strong>tinuously stood back up again<br />
when life has knocked her down and<br />
kept her eye <strong>on</strong> her goals al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
way. Despite having visi<strong>on</strong> and hearing<br />
impairments, Missy has worked to<br />
adapt to her world around her.<br />
When starting Therapeutic C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong><br />
Services, Missy explained she<br />
just “wants to have a job like every<strong>on</strong>e<br />
else my age.” At <strong>the</strong> time, Missy<br />
was receiving supportive employment<br />
services but not quite ready to start<br />
<strong>on</strong> site job coaching. She tackled <strong>the</strong><br />
goals she needed to reach and when<br />
<strong>the</strong> time was right started training<br />
at Food Li<strong>on</strong>. Meanwhile, Missy<br />
worked toward o<strong>the</strong>r goals with Therapeutic<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> to prepare for<br />
new types of interacti<strong>on</strong>s a job would<br />
bring. The effort she put in did not go<br />
unseen! She expressed she “wanted<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs to like being around me” and<br />
“to be proud of myself” frequently<br />
when discussing her goals in life.<br />
The road was tough for her some<br />
days, as old habits are hard to break.<br />
However, if you put a challenge in<br />
fr<strong>on</strong>t of Missy, she will overcome it<br />
with a smile <strong>on</strong> her face. Her hard<br />
work at Food Li<strong>on</strong> prepared her for a<br />
part time job offer at a local daycare<br />
facility, working in <strong>the</strong> kitchen! Missy<br />
is a blessing to her employer and<br />
works hard to prepare snacks/meals<br />
for <strong>the</strong> children she serves, as well<br />
as clean <strong>the</strong> lunch area to ensure it is<br />
safe for all. She interacts with adults<br />
and children at her job and has been<br />
praised for her dedicati<strong>on</strong>, smile, hard<br />
work, perseverance, and ability to<br />
relate to both <strong>the</strong> staff and children.<br />
Missy recently had her annual planning<br />
meeting and identified areas she<br />
would like to work <strong>on</strong> next. She is<br />
always striving to improve herself<br />
and is <strong>the</strong> definiti<strong>on</strong> of an overcomer!<br />
Missy’s mom has expressed gratitude<br />
for <strong>the</strong> help Missy received to<br />
improve social and communicati<strong>on</strong><br />
skills, as well as teaching her alternative<br />
behaviors to use.<br />
When she is not working, Missy<br />
enjoys going to day support, shopping<br />
with her mom, getting her nails<br />
d<strong>on</strong>e, helping to babysit her nephews,<br />
and having girl time with her sister.<br />
Watch out world, Missy has found her<br />
wings and taken flight!<br />
Know Some<strong>on</strong>e Who Could Benefit from Our Services?<br />
The <strong>Wall</strong> Residences Admissi<strong>on</strong>s team has staff in all parts of <strong>the</strong> state to resp<strong>on</strong>d to your referral needs and<br />
answer questi<strong>on</strong>s about <strong>the</strong> services we offer. We work quickly to find <strong>the</strong> right match for l<strong>on</strong>gterm success<br />
while striving for <strong>the</strong> quickest placement in services possible. The Admissi<strong>on</strong>s Team is here to serve you.<br />
www.wallresidences.com<br />
Alex Jacks<strong>on</strong><br />
Admissi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Director<br />
(434) 610-7578<br />
Emily Eagle<br />
Central Virginia, Danville,<br />
Charlottesville, Staunt<strong>on</strong>/<br />
Waynesboro/Lexingt<strong>on</strong><br />
(434) 907-5067<br />
Ashea Green<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Regi<strong>on</strong><br />
(202) 760-6411<br />
Brooke Keen<br />
Roanoke, NRV,<br />
SWVA<br />
(540) 250-8482<br />
Lisa Schalasny<br />
Eastern<br />
Regi<strong>on</strong><br />
(804) 380-4309<br />
6
Two Shots at Hope<br />
Over 800 individuals, providers,<br />
DSPs, and staff rolled up <strong>the</strong>ir sleeves<br />
in early <strong>2021</strong> for <strong>the</strong> opportunity to<br />
receive both doses of <strong>the</strong> Pfizer or<br />
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. This<br />
massive undertaking included clinics<br />
around <strong>the</strong> state. Six clinics were<br />
held in Madis<strong>on</strong> Heights, two each<br />
were held in Staunt<strong>on</strong> and Floyd, and<br />
clinics were held <strong>on</strong> a rolling basis<br />
in Richm<strong>on</strong>d. In additi<strong>on</strong>, several<br />
providers hosted clinics for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
area. Creativity and safety were <strong>the</strong><br />
hallmarks of <strong>the</strong> clinics, which took<br />
different forms, including creating<br />
private cubicles within bigger open<br />
rooms at <strong>on</strong>e locati<strong>on</strong> and using a<br />
drive through model at ano<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
Diana Dyer was <strong>on</strong>e provider who<br />
hosted a series of clinics in her home.<br />
Diana said, “I said yes to <strong>the</strong> clinic<br />
because <strong>the</strong> individuals we live with<br />
have been talking a lot about wanting<br />
to get <strong>the</strong> shots and be able to go back<br />
to work less worried about COVID.<br />
I myself was nervous but decided it<br />
was <strong>the</strong> right thing to do to get <strong>the</strong><br />
shots.” Hosting a clinic wasn’t without<br />
frustrati<strong>on</strong>s. Diana noted ensuring<br />
<strong>the</strong> right amount of doses would be<br />
brought was <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> most difficult<br />
parts. There was joy in it too, though.<br />
“Once we knew we had enough shots,<br />
<strong>the</strong> clinics were really a lot of fun. I<br />
really liked meeting new people. It<br />
was fun talking, serving snacks, helping<br />
with <strong>the</strong> forms, taking temps, and<br />
determining arms for shots. We got<br />
pretty efficient with <strong>the</strong> process!” A<br />
huge thank you to Diana and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
providers who opened <strong>the</strong>ir homes for<br />
clinics.<br />
with disabilities. A November 2020<br />
study by <strong>the</strong> West Health Institute<br />
and Johns Hopkins found people with<br />
intellectual and developmental disabilities<br />
were three times more likely<br />
to die of COVID-19.<br />
Classificati<strong>on</strong> of individuals living<br />
in sp<strong>on</strong>sored residential and group<br />
homes, providers, and DSPs as Group<br />
1a was <strong>the</strong> first step. This opened <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong> about ensuring those associated<br />
with <strong>Wall</strong> Residences could<br />
safely access vaccines as so<strong>on</strong> as<br />
possible, with offices immediately<br />
offered as potential vaccine clinic<br />
sites. Numerous staff worked closely<br />
with state authorities and multiple<br />
pharmacies to make <strong>the</strong> clinics a<br />
reality. Thank you to all whose hard<br />
work resulted in so many gaining<br />
access to this critical protecti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
In total, over 1680 doses of <strong>the</strong><br />
vaccine were given over several<br />
m<strong>on</strong>ths at <strong>Wall</strong> Residences supported<br />
clinics, in partnership with state officials<br />
and pharmacies. A remarkable<br />
statistic and accomplishment! With<br />
so many people who are part of <strong>Wall</strong><br />
Residences now fully vaccinated, we<br />
look to <strong>the</strong> future with hope!<br />
“<br />
In total, over 1680 doses<br />
of <strong>the</strong> vaccine were given at<br />
<strong>Wall</strong> Residences supported<br />
clinics, in partnership<br />
with state officials<br />
and pharmacies.<br />
Tri<strong>on</strong>a (top), Branch<br />
(left), and Willie<br />
(above) were am<strong>on</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> over 800 who<br />
received <strong>the</strong>ir vaccine.<br />
Leadership at <strong>Wall</strong> Residences had<br />
been following with great c<strong>on</strong>cern <strong>the</strong><br />
heavier impact of COVID <strong>on</strong> people<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Writing</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Wall</strong>, <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2021</strong> Editor Angie Covingt<strong>on</strong><br />
C<strong>on</strong>tributing Writers April Bourgois, Patience Holdren, Meredith Kapalka<br />
7
An Artist Emerges<br />
Sebastian has l<strong>on</strong>g been a fan of<br />
art but now he has become an artist<br />
himself! In September, he was paired<br />
with DSP Fitz Brown for In Home<br />
services. WRAP Coordinator Joey<br />
Warren noted, “Fitz and Sebastian<br />
are an amazing match and excepti<strong>on</strong>ally<br />
active. Over <strong>the</strong> past few m<strong>on</strong>ths<br />
<strong>the</strong>y have g<strong>on</strong>e hiking, kayaking, and<br />
many o<strong>the</strong>r outdoor activities, but<br />
<strong>the</strong> thing that stands out <strong>the</strong> most is<br />
Sebastian’s artwork.”<br />
make marks <strong>on</strong> his own while<br />
Fitz drew with him. Sebastian<br />
mastered this skill and is now<br />
making art independently.<br />
He now enjoys sitting to copy<br />
his sister’s artwork for l<strong>on</strong>g<br />
periods of time and finishes<br />
each drawing by writing <strong>the</strong><br />
character’s name.<br />
Before working with Fitz, he did not<br />
draw, but loved to watch o<strong>the</strong>rs make<br />
art. Sebastian is n<strong>on</strong>-verbal but would<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sistently ask o<strong>the</strong>rs to draw for<br />
him while he watched by bringing<br />
<strong>the</strong>m paper and pencils.<br />
Sebastian and Fitz started working<br />
<strong>on</strong> having him hold <strong>the</strong> pencils and<br />
Sebastian has moved from art appreciati<strong>on</strong> to<br />
<strong>the</strong> joy of drawing images himself. One of his<br />
drawings is pictured at left.<br />
Digital<br />
B<strong>on</strong>us<br />
The first m<strong>on</strong>ths of <strong>2021</strong> at <strong>Wall</strong><br />
Residences have included snow day<br />
fun, exploring new skills, creative<br />
crafts, game time, and more. Many<br />
individuals, providers, DSPs, and<br />
staff also did “not give up <strong>the</strong>ir shot!”<br />
We hope you enjoy this digital editi<strong>on</strong><br />
b<strong>on</strong>us image gallery.<br />
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