Allison's Blog

Today, I was down at Catholic Community Services, working with the FIRST brokerage in Oregon to take the Therap leap: Integrated Service Network Support Services Brokerage (yeah, that is a long name!).

And they were awesome, of course (most Oregonians are!).

Jill also introduced me to her three pugs…new friends in Salem for Archie: Lily (pictured above), Roxy, and Mr. Chompers.

Everywhere, I go: pugs.

Allison

We have a handful of new certified trainers to introduce…They will soon learn the secret handshake! There are several more but they are not official until I get a photo…they must prove their existence before they show up here.

Beverly Eschbach is the SECOND Beverly (our Beverlies are the best!) on the trainers’ gang. She is the Quality Management Coordinator for The Arc of Somerset. She knows tons about individual supports and has been one of their provider administrators since 2009. They are also tinkering with the Training Management System, Personal Finance and getting the MAR on board. She sounds super busy…AND SHE IS THE FIRST NEW JERSEY-AN to be a super Therap nerd. It’s like being an astronaut when you’re first at something…all new territory. One small step for Beverly, but one giant step for Therapkind.

Kristy Dominy is another first! She is from The Jessamine Place in Fitzgerald, Georgia, and is THE FIRST GEORGIAN to join the secret trainerhood. Kristy is their quality assurance nerd so you know she knows what’s up…and it sounds like Jessamine is using EVERYTHING they can find in Therap, including running the pilot for billing in the state of Georgia. She is as busy as Beverly!

David Van Hook is the IT Technician for Living Opportunities in Medford, Oregon. He has been with them for several years and was working as a support person before moving into the IT position. David actually has spent most of his time in the field of technology; Living Opportunities was his first experience in human services. He is presently becoming their central provider administrator, as well as trainer. Right now, he is figuring out the Training Management System…

More to come when they cough up some pictures.

Allison

Kristen Thompson did a “first rate” session yesterday on provider administration!

Check out all of Therap’s stuff on YouTube here!

Allison

I’m back in Utah (after I dared to take a few days off!) with Rachel and the Rise-inians!

They are already moving into Health Tracking, the MAR, and ISPs (‘cos they are speedy little Therapheads!).

Today, we’re in Lindon much of the day…and later on, I’ll be catching up so if you’ve been looking for me, you’ll find me in your inbox later (so pay attention)…

Allison

It was a rough day for many friendies down in The Lone Star state. If you didn’t hear because you live in a cave or something, the Dallas-Fort Worth and broad surrounding areas got struck with major storms including a multitude of tornadoes-some reported to be over a half mile wide-touching down and decimating parts of places like Kennedale and Arlington. Major scariness. I touched base with several Texas pals and fortunately, Jo was alright as were all of the staff and residents. Then I dropped an email:

On Apr 3, 2012 5:59 PM, “Allison Dudo” wrote:

I just heard about the severe weather in Texas, especially in Arlington and Kennedale. A friend in Greenville was just telling me how rough it was down there today and it sounded downright scary to me. I hope that this note finds you and all of your residents and staff safe and unharmed. Please let us know that you all are okay!

Fondly,
Allison
Sent from my iPhone

And the reply I received from our Arlington-based provider gave me chills:

Alison the hand of God protected all of us….the tornado hit  all around us but not our building….some outside damage…we heard it pass over

She later sent the picture of a building that was right behind them.

Send Texas some love, friendies! Our prayers and bestest wishes go out to them for sure!

Allison

So, I have been in Arizona since Sunday night. First in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix, and now in Tucson.

Rise Services continues Rising. Rachel has a lot of work ahead of her as Rise implements Therap across Arizona and Utah!…She will rock it, no doubt. She just needs fresh air, deep breaths and…well, a new nursery…

AND today, I spent the day with a true Therap legend, Sue Henning-Mitchell, the deputy director at Community Living Program in Tucson. Not ONLY Sue, but Michele Betanco, Francis Sumba and my friend, Timothy, who’s most likely sleeping already in his new sleep number bed.

Arizona is new territory for me…I will need to readjust to warmer temperatures (cough, cough!! Richard!) and figure out all the different categories of cacti…

Hmmm.

Watch out, Arizona.

Allison

The latest Certified Trainer webinar has hit YouTube:

Watch away!

Allison

Kim is on the left...Pat is in the center...Anitra, also A SMARTY PANTS, but just not oh-ficially nerdy (yet)

Kim Champney is from Juneau, Alaska, and she is the latest in a stream of certified trainers. From Alaska. And the world.

Her partner in crime, also from Juneau, Alaska, is Pat Watt, also a certified trainer.

Smarties. (They always hang out in nerdy herds.)

Rob Sterling presently reigns as THE Excel nerd in my life (boy, will I have things to show you once I steal all of his ideas!).

Kim is the Quality Assurance Director for Reach, Inc., and she knows lots of stuff  may know everything. Really. Billing, provider administration, individual supports, Excel, attendance…

(But does she have super powers??…Well, yeah, kinda…that is another story!)

And I am sure she is a very adept blogger as well…I’m waiting.

Allison

Aside from saving my life, Susie Buchanan is ALSO the newest certified trainer! She is the Quality Assurance Specialist for Coast Rehabilitation Services in Warrenton, Oregon.

Tough life…on THE COAST OF OREGON.

Susie has worked in the field for a long time…she may get mad if I told you the dates (but email me if you’re curious!) in residential programs and within school districts.

She is a west coast girl, from California originally, and a bit of a gyspy…having moved from a mountaintop in Colorado back to the coast of Oregon where she has been with CRS for two years.

Watch for her insightful blogs…

Allison