Attending: Mona Strom, Kate Dwyer, Jody Docken, Mary Thirsten, Darlene Scott

Not attending: Pat Egan, Pat Smith, Larry Quist, Wally Sherseth

Agenda:

• Continued the review of systems for New Employee Orientation


• At last meeting reviewed the topic covered on Monday and Tuesday of New Employee Orientation.


• Discussed Wednesday’s orientation
  
  • Job Description - Review with the employee again the details of their job description.
  • Review through the company Paid Time Off and Attendance Policies
  • Train employees how to correctly punch in/out
  • Discuss the on-going training requirements for employees throughout their employment.
  • Introduce new employees to staff within central office.


• On Wednesday afternoons the new employee then goes to the site they will be working at to start on-site training. This training includes:
  
  • Introduction to team members and individuals living at the home.
  • Review of schedule for training and on-going
  • Review the individuals Risk Management Plans; this outlines each individuals risks and what staff need to do to prevent risk.
  • Review the homes Program Abuse Prevention Plan
  • Discuss how house meetings are scheduled and attendance.
  • Review of the house emergency procedures.
  • Review systems to contact on-call staff (manager, nurse, maintenance, administration)


• On Thursday staff will go through CPR and First Aid Certification class if they have not had this training recently (within the last year). The employee who has had the training needs to provide us with proof of training or they go through the class again.


• On Friday and the following Monday; staff will go through Trained Medication Passing. Discussed that this is required for all staff to go through and pass the class. The nurse provides this training and then the employee must pass a written and demonstration test. The employee then must complete observations and then be checked off by a nurse at the site in passing the meds.


• When employees get to the site they then have on-the-job training. This is where employees are assigned to work with other staff and they receive training on all aspects of the job. They are trained on each individual’s needs, likes/dislikes, personal cares, program plans, etc.


• There is an on-the-job training checklist that the trainer, supervisor and employee will go through.


• Discussed that we have certain aspects of the job that employees have to be competent in within the first 60 days. If employees are not able to demonstrate an understanding on certain tasks within their position we will start them on a growth plan.


• On-going training throughout employment. There are requirements for on-going training for each employee. The number of hours employees are required to have is based upon the number of hours they work and their years of service.


• Some of the training must be done live (i.e. emergency procedures, certain resident specific topics); this is generally done at household meetings.


• There are also mandatory training topics that are done; employees review information and then must take and pass a competency test.


• Discussed Van Driving; training. Employees who have a valid drivers are required to go through the company van training program. They have to pass a drivers license check and then go through a class and demonstrate competency in how to properly tie down wheelchairs. At some homes and for some positions it is a requirement that the employee have the ability to drive in order to be hired for the position.


• Discussed our Train-the-Trainer Program. We offer a course to Support Professional Staff where they go through a course on how to become an effective trainer for new employees. When they go through and pass the course, when they are assigned to provide this training they receive a pay differential.


• Also provide training to employees on attending medical appointments; if employees go through the training, meet the criteria and attend a certain number of appointments they are eligible for a wage increase.


• Scholarship Fund- We have a fund where employees can apply for scholarship if their course of study that is related to the work.


• Manager Training- They go through all the same training as any newly hired Support Professional. The manager then also has a second week of orientation to discuss some of the basic management functions.


• In addition, managers also go through a leadership, rules and regulations and QMRP (qualified mental retardation professional) course. The QMRP requirement is a Federal Requirement of ICF regs and in the waiver sites we are required to have a person designated to oversee the program plan (writing, implementing, monitoring and revising).


• We are also members of ARRM (trade association); they have a convention in where there are also inservices available for staff to attend.


• Family members discussed that there seems to be at lot of information and training for employees; realization that are many expectations of employees and there is a lot the employees have to do on a daily basis.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 6:15 p.m.

Agenda:

• How to meet individual needs; provided the resources we have (financial and/or human resources)
• Fundraising
• Volunteer Opportunities