Writing on the Wall: Winter 2022

<strong>Writing</strong>
on the
Wall
Winter 2022
Service & Celebration:
Observing the winter holidays. Page 6-7
3
All in the Family
Mother - Son Providers Janet Young and
Jared Nepal on being called to this career
4 5
Remembering Neal
A tribute poem by Provider Brieann Hale to
the impact of a life lived
New Training Program Coming Soon
A trauma-informed approach to caregiving,
with mindfulness at the center

Director’s Corner
John Weatherspoon
The final Rate Model Proposal has
been released and despite recommendations
from the Virginia Sponsored
Residential Provider Group,
Wall Residences and multiple other
agencies the proposal for Sponsored
Residential Services did not include
the same formula used during the
refresh for determining the Home
Payment. Due to this decision most
Sponsored Residential providers will
receive a cut in pay on July 1, 2022.
The Governor’s proposed budget
was released on December 17th, and
included funding that was based on
recommendation from DMAS and the
rate model. This is the rate model that
will be in place for the next 3-5 years
and any updates to rates will be based
on it. The rate model fails to recognize
that Direct Support Professionals
(DSPs) outside of the Sponsor (Host)
Family exist within homes or that
Sponsors have to increase their pay to
staff just like all other agencies when
prices and minimum wage goes up.
Currently the service is receiving
the temporary rate increase from the
American Rescue Plan Act funds
which is in place until July 1, 2022. In
the proposed budget most sponsored
providers will actually experience
a 3-5 % cut in pay on July 1, while
group homes will receive a substantial
increase for serving the same person
in their residential service.
Sponsored Residential will continue
to fall further behind other residential
payments with this model as changes
are made in the next 3-5 years. The
proposed model includes differences
of more that $100/day for serving
the same person in a Group Home
vs a Sponsored Home. The model
proposed by the Virginia Sponsored
Residential Provider Group did not
expect parity with group homes, but
asked that DSPs be included and
recognized in the rate model which
would have lead to increases over
the current temporary ARPA rate and
safe from cuts. We are beginning to
reach out to members of the General
Assembly to educate them about the
discrepancies for Sponsored Residential
within the proposed rate model
and the risk of cuts to sponsored
providers if the current recommendations
are followed. Our representatives
need to be reminded that DSPs
exist within the model, though they
are not included within proposed rates
for Sponsored Residential and that the
current model will not suffice when
changes are made due to increases in
minimum wage. The regulations and
expectations of DBHDS and DMAS
are that DSPs exist within the model
but they continue to fail to recognize
them when it comes to rate setting.
It looks like it will be another busy
session advocating for Sponsored
Residential Services!
I am excited to welcome Valerie Cooper as the
newest member of the Board of Directors for Wall
Residences! Valerie has decades of experience
in the rehabilitation field as an Occupational
Therapist and Manager. In addition, she has
been a contracted residential provider with Wall
Residences since 2013. Welcome Valerie!
Diversity Corner
Though Dr. King is most remembered for his “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, DC in 1963,
his work toward equality through non-violence started long before that. He led the Montgomery, AL
bus boycott in 1955. He became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference, which worked to promote equal rights in voting, education and labor laws by
strategically organizing protests. We can continue Dr. King’s dream of equality for all by
incorporating the principles of inclusion, respect, and peace
with everyone we encounter.
2

All in the Family
For longtime provider Janet Young
and new provider Jared Nepal, caretaking
is a family business. Janet, a
former realtor, and her husband Kenneth
bought and renovated their home
with the idea of caring for the elderly.
Their drywall installer told them about
Wall Residences. Janet met with the
agency and soon was introduced to a
hospitalized man in need of a home
and caretaker. Janet decided on the
spot to become his provider and a
week later brought him home. That
was the beginning of her journey in
2008 as a Wall Residences provider.
Jared, her son, was ten at the time.
Within a year, Janet was licensed as a
four bed group home and specializes
in complex referrals. “We are the kind
of provider, we stick to it no matter
what,” she says. “The people they look
at and say, ‘Where will they go?’ We
say, ‘They will come here.’” She said
she doesn’t see impossibility or wonder,
“Can I do this?” Instead, she sees
a need she can fill and a life she can
impact for the better, creating chosen
family along the way. Jared expands
on his mother’s statement by saying,
“You get the opportunity to support
people to live their best lives. You see
how people come in and then you see
how they leave.” Watching that positive
growth is what they both love best
about their work as providers.
create a log of every senior center in
Montana and was a representative for
a guardianship reform program. His
roots called him home, however. “By
18, I knew I’d be a provider, but after
Americorps, I was all in.”
At just 24, he is one of Wall Residence’s
youngest providers, and like
his mother, he is ably supporting
individuals with complex needs. “You
make a living and you do it in such
a dignified way,” Jared notes. “It’s
the perfect job. You get paid, yes, but
you also get the emotional reward of
doing something you love.”
Jared is not the first of Janet’s backup
workers to become a provider. In
fact, he is the sixth! This wonderful
mentor shares, “I want my back-up
workers to flourish. I show them they
can become providers too. I help
them get their home ready.” She sees
the positive impact of this lifestyle
on her family too. “To do this work,
you have to have compassion.” She
believes in the benefit of this care
model for families of individuals as
well, mentioning parents and siblings
who now worry less about their loved
one because they know the individual
is loved and cherished by their
providers. Jared agrees. “They... the
individuals and their families... they
know we care about them,” he says.
Being providers has made the two
closer as mother and son, as well.
Doing the same type of work means
they understand each other’s day to
day life in a very real way.
As for that life and career choice, it is
one they foresee continuing for years
to come. Janet says with a laugh, “I
could not go back to being a realtor. I
love what I am doing!”
~Angie Covington
Jared grew up interacting with the
individuals his mom supported and
was licensed as a back-up worker at
18. He echoes Janet’s words about
family, lifting up Neal who has lived
with them for 14 years. “He’s like
my uncle. He’s family.” After graduating
from VCU, Jared moved to
Montana as part of Americorps, a
service organization. He worked with
Adult Protective Services, helping
Front: Neal, Jordan, and Ruth Ann. Back: Provider Jared Nepal,
Provider Janet Young, and Back-Up Worker Kenneth Young.
3

Remembering Neal
Provider Brieann Hale and her family recently suffered the loss of
Russell “Neal” Ball, who had been in their home for over 10 years. She held
a memorial for him at her home, planting a red maple tree (his favorite) in
his honor. She shared this beautiful poem she wrote in tribute to Neal for the
lessons he taught and the joy he brought her and her family.
As a caregiver I’ve learned many things
Things I thought I understood, things I thought I knew
I’ve learned how to listen, with not just my ears, but also my heart
I’ve learned that often listening plays the very biggest part!
I’ve learned how to walk, sometimes with the strength for two
I’ve learned, while walking, to consider: In whose shoes
I’ve learned how to share, and I’ve learned how to give
I’ve learned to love each one’s very special story they live
Yes, as a caregiver I’ve learned many things anew
Things I thought I understood, things I thought I knew
I’ve learned how to set goals, and how to go with the flow
I’ve learned how a smile can help heal most any woe
I’ve learned to have hope, ya know, a little goes a long way
I’ve learned to lean on HIS grace, His mercies are new each day!
Yes, truly, as a caregiver, I’ve learned many things anew
But, how do I say “Goodbye?” My friend, my buddy, my sweet Neal.
www.wallresidences.com
Neal with provider Brieann Hale, who was his caretaker for over a decade.
4

New Training Program Coming Soon
Wall Residences Training Department
is excited to announce that our new
Crisis Management and Response
Training (CMRT) program is in
progress! Its key components are
trauma-informed care and mindfulness.
Both help us recognize states of
high arousal in the people we support
– as well as ourselves. This is important
because trauma causes physical
changes to the brain resulting in
over-interpretation of threats, which
in turn result in fight, flight, or freeze
reactions.
Individuals with developmental disabilities
are two to four times more
likely to have had traumatic experiences
than those without developmental
disabilities. People cannot think
or rationalize when they are having
a trauma-triggered response, because
the most developed part of their brain
is not working. Regular practice of
mindfulness helps bring brain functioning
back to more optimal states.
It improves our ability to co-regulate
with others, which helps heal trauma.
Mindfulness also assists us to assess
situations calmly instead of reactively.
Evidence from research supports the
many benefits of mindfulness. People
with developmental disabilities who
practice mindfulness reduce anxiety,
aggression, self-injury, emotional
outbursts, and incidents that require
physical restraint and/or use of PRN
medication. They increase happiness,
learning, hope, and the quality of
relationships with staff. Caregivers
who practice mindfulness increase
satisfaction with their work while
decreasing stress levels and the use
of physical restraints. There are so
many ways to integrate mindfulness
practice into daily routines and the
time we are already spending pro-
viding services. It’s a win-win for
everyone!
Other topics in the CMRT curriculum
include relationships, inclusion, health
and sensory issues, the crisis cycle, assessment
of risks in different environments,
and most importantly: self-care.
The physical skills are similar to those
people may have used in the past, with
a greater focus on non-verbal dynamics,
prevention, self and environmental
awareness, threat assessment, and
holding the person in place while
moving ourselves. Special thanks
go out to Kevin Hiatt, BS, for his
extensive work on the physical skills
development within this program.
We aim to transition from TOVA to
CMRT throughout 2022. We hope to
see everyone soon for an in-person
class (as safety allows). Be well!
~Rebecca Ledingham
Group Home Door Decor Contest
The residents and staff of the Boonsboro
and Longwood group homes
enjoyed a Thanksgiving Door
Decorating Contest. Staff partnered
with individuals, with the winning
teams enjoying prizes of fun outings
for meals, movies, or bowling. Congratulations
to our winning individuals
and the staff who assisted them:
Boonsboro
First Place:
Titana Palmer & Shelisha Turpin
Runner-Up:
Belinda Dean and Brittney White
Longwood
First Place: Kathilla Clark
Runner-Up: Linda Anderson Longwood’s winning door Boonsboro’s winning door
5

Merry
&
BRIGHT
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.
www.wallresidences.com
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
6

7
Individuals,
Providers, Back-Up
Workers, Family
Members, and Staff
celebrated the
holiday season.

Healthy Habits Pay Off for Jamie
Jamie moved in with provider Masambe Tate
in 2018. At the first appointment with his
Nutritionist, she let the two know that it was
important for Jamie’s health that he lose weight.
Masambe didn’t want him to do it alone, so
together the two followed the instructions
the Nutritionist provided. They began to eat
healthier and drank plenty of water. They
also began walking twice a week for about
30 minutes each time. Masambe notes that
Jamie really stuck to the directions given by
the Nutritionist to pursue this goal.
Three years later, you can see at right the results!
In December of 2021, Jamie hit his goal weight,
having lost 60 pounds! Masambe says, “I’m
extremely proud of him!”
Well done Jamie! You’re looking great and we
hope you are feeling even better!
Digital
Bonus
An extra peek at all the
fun had around Wall
Residences this fall
and through the winter
holidays. For ongoing
news and photos,
connect with us on
Facebook and/or
Instagram.
FOLLOW US
ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
www.wallresidences.com