Jeff's Blog

Side-by-Side Technology in MSP, Minnesota: Therap, College of Direct Support (CDS) Training Conference VII – Oct 19-21.

Burnsville, Holiday Inn.
MSP, Minnesota 

Its 15 minutes from the airport. Hotel rooms are $85 a night. You can also call the hotel for shuttle from Minneapolis Airport.
Click here for Direction & Reservation

Therap Services and College of Direct Support (CDS) are excited to present, for the seventh time, their joint training conference on October 19 – 21, 2010 at the Holiday Inn, Burnsville, Minnesota.

Therap Services and CDS are working jointly to enhance the services given to the people with developmental disabilities. This conference brings together the two industry leaders in the field of utilizing web-based technologies to educate and train a workforce delivering support services. The conference will feature multiple interactive sessions and workshops focusing on the services provided by Therap and on the curriculum, the Learning Management System offered by CDS and the presentations from University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration. There will be specific sessions for advanced users, for system administrators and for the potential users of Therap or CDS and also agencies from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota.

For more fun, there will be exciting Therap Games, brainstorming sessions and more surprises waiting for you!

For information on conference attractions, fees and hotel accommodations, click on the link below:

• Download Flyer

• Register Online

NAQ Conference

This week I have been demonstrating and discussing Therap to QDDP’s accross the country at the annual NAQ conference in New Orleans, LA.  We are trying to avoid the tropical storm that seems to be determined to blow into town in the next day or so and this storm has already showed some strength with some brief periods of heavy rain.  The conference has been filled with opportunities to discuss present documentation and where documentation is going as agencies seek to become more effecient, and green with the way that they do their record keeping.  It is great to see those agencies who represent at the conference who already use Therap as they point others in the right direction to improve communication, accountability, and effeciencies.

Denver was the scene of another great Regional Conference.  A time to set down with different providers that attended from a variety of states to look at new steps agencies can take forward with their agency by utilizing Therap.  It was also a time for us at Therap to hear of new ideas and good insight into the applications and functionality of Therap.  I am always amazed at the tremendous people we get to work with in the many agencies we partner with in providing services.

Picture of the Rockies

Thanks to all who came out and joined us in Denver, CO.  I hope you all had a safe journey home and we look forward to hearing of the progress forward as you seek to become more and more effecient and paperless as an agency.

This past week I was able to train the good staff at Disability Supports of the Great Plains in McPherson, KS.  It was here that I saw an incredible way to store the laptops in a very discreet way in the homes.  Check it out.  The boxes have a code for staff to type in and then the box unfolds to allow staff to document records in Therap.  I was very impressed.  The price for each box was under $200 and very sturdy.  I have more info if you are interested.

Great box for computer storage at DSGP

Functional as well as durable!!

The investment I believe is well worth the safety and the functionality this will provide staff.  Have a great weekend!

I just met with and trained the great staff at Community Choice in St. Louis, MO.  Community Choice is led in St. Louis by Linda Taylor who was great to work with and is a tremendous leader.  She and her entire staff were terrific to work with as we set up and trained all their staff on the applications they look to “go live” with at the end of this month.  Thanks to all the staff at CC in getting things started on the “right” side of the state of Missouri.

Community Choice gets logged into Therap

Area Director, Kristen Smith

DSN Staff Training in Kearney, NE

This group in Kearney is the first of many locations that DSN are looking to get up and running.  We will continue with the other locations in the weeks ahead.  It was pretty aparent to me why they started with this group in Kearney as they were a “SHARP” group for sure and caught on quickly.  Remember to be in Test Mode everyone until we go live and keep up the good work.  As for the other locations of DSN, I look forward to seeing you in the weeks ahead.

It was awesome!  A little summer ball played the way it was supposed to be played in Kansas City on Monday night.  No, it wasn’t at Kaufman Stadium, even though the Royals were fortunate enough to win a game.  I am talking about the Exceptional Teams that play at the Blue Springs, MO Complex just East of Truman Sports Complex.  The league is the Exceptional League and it has various participants across many different backgrounds that come together to play a little ball.  Individuals of all different ages all joining together to cheer for one another, support one another, and play a national past time.

There was no need for instant replay, nobody was thrown out of the game, players were not upset at contracts they thought they should be making more money, concessions were actually donated by a large chain that most of us have frequented this past month, and the participants smiles lit up the whole field.  Take a look at some pics I snapped on my phone and enjoy some great ball.

Nick headed for home

It is going to be close...He needs to slide...

Jeremy is safe at the plate!!!

Having a ball!

It may not have been the World Series, but it was definetly the All-Star Game.  From players, to coaches and supporters, to everyone involved.  Thanks for a great night at the ball park.

I am excited to welcome to Therap Cole County Residential Services in Jefferson City, MO.  CCRSI is an agency that I have been discussing Therap for some time and it is great to get started with them.  They offer a wide range of services in the state capital of Missouri.

Cole County is led by Executive Director, Jim Casey and he has a tremendous staff that I was fortunate to have with us at the KC Conference that Therap hosted with College of Direct Support in May.  Welcome aboard Cole County!!!!

Congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks who became owners of one very large cup last night in the NHL.  49  years since the last cup came to Chi-town.  Congrats to all my Blackhawk fan(s)!!! 

NHL Stanley Cup Champs

Enjoy the Michigan Ave. Celebration!!!  It has been a great year for a team with a great future ahead of them.

It is my joy to announce to all of you in Therapville Midwest and beyond the first certified trainer in the state of Missouri is none other than Michelle Saunders. Michelle works with Alternative Community Training in Columbia, MO. Her title is Director of Community Integration, but that title is just one of many hats that she wears. She is also the Provider Administrator at ACT and she has been a tremendous influence in communicating the value and benefits of electronic documentation using Therap through out the state of MO. It has been my great pleasure to work with Michelle and the tremendous team at ACT. Michelle took the test to become a certified trainer at the Kansas City Conference that took place earlier this month.

"Show Me State" Certified Trainer, Michelle Saunders

Congratulations Michelle for the accomplishment of being the very first certified trainer in the state of Missouri!!!!!