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Making It Happen since 1963 Board of Directors Christian Diaz MSW JD Chair Irene Kahn Vice Chair Mark Handler Treasurer Scott Gunderson Preety Gupta CPA Jonathan Hawes Erick Montano Neil Polzin David A Bernstein MSW Executive Director Fall 2021 Back to School I cannot remember a time when the excitement about going back to school was so intense until this year The kid s excitement was so much more than words can describe watching their eyes light up you knew that they were smiling ear to ear under their masks of course Priceless When Leslie came home the first day she told us how great it was to be around her friends again Juan said that it was great being back to a normal life Yajaira a staff supervisor affirmed that it was so important for the kids to further their education in a social atmosphere It s vital that they make bonds both emotionally and psychologically The bonds that they make are not only with other students but also with teachers aides and other school personnel It brings out more of their personalities and really helps them when they are out in the community During the pandemic it was hard work to teach the kids how to keep their masks on improve their handwashing skills learn how to zoom with school and their families because they could not visit It is remarkable to see all of the new activities they took part in during the 12 months of quarantine I am so proud of all of our kids They adapted so well as they went back to school Teachers have called to say how impressed they were with their growth and one student even got an award for most improved student That really touched my heart It was scary times we went through These kids are real Superstars Dorothy Gonzalez Administrator

Executive Director s Report Message from Our Board Chair There is finally some great news for residential providers California has created a much fairer method of paying providers for their services After 50 years of a haphazard funding system providers will soon have rates based on current costs And the new rate model can be easily adjusted to consider future minimum wage increases and other cost of living increases This is truly a huge advancement for clients families providers and regional centers alike Here s how it happened In 2016 California legislators required the Department of Developmental Services DDS to conduct a rate study to determine the costs of each type of service provided to persons with intellectual disabilities The current system in place was not standardized across the state and providers offering the same services would receive varying rates depending on when they opened and which regional center was their local agency DDS set some rates while each regional center created its own rate for many other services A nationwide consulting group known as Burns Associates Burns was chosen by DDS for the task as they had a lot of previous experiences re designing rate setting in many states Burns surveyed all providers in California and with that information created a set of standardized rates for the entire state with three levels for each rate to account for rural areas Los Angeles Orange Counties and the San Francisco Bay area The study results were submitted to the legislature in 2019 and the results acknowledged most programs were underfunded and residential programs the most underfunded However the additional funding was projected to cost the state 1 6 billion dollars and there were no specific timeframes developed to implement the recommendations of the study Flash forward to this year and the huge influx of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan to assist states to recover from the Covid pandemic The legislature supported using some of these funds to initiate the recommendations of the Burns report A three year phase in of the new rates was created thus giving providers an opportunity to plan and better predict the sustainability of their businesses The exact rates haven t been determined yet however the state is expecting to produce that information before the end of the year In addition DDS is creating a new wage enhancement system for bi lingual staff with needed languages and new DSP certifications On April 1 2022 the first phase begins This represents 25 of the rate increases On July 1 2023 the second phase begins adding 50 more of the increase Finally on July 1 2025 an additional 15 is added with 10 remaining as a quality incentive What will this mean for Hope House It means we can continue to increase staff wages enhance our working conditions and increase staff retention Our clients will benefit by having a more consistent support team around them and they will enjoy a greater choice of daily activities Don t miss the Holiday Gift list in this newsletter

Hope House for the Multiple Handicapped Inc provides the following services in Some of our favorite shots this year 12 Residential Facilities Homes for Children Hope House serves15 children with developmental disabilities mental health and behavior challenges Halifax and Redstone Homes each serve four children with autism and mental health issues Holiday and Park Homes each serve three children dually diagnosed with developmental and mental health disorders MaryJo Home serves four children that lack hazard awareness impulse control and severe behavioral issues Homes for Adults The Wyland Fairgreen and Mildred Homes each serve four adults with severe intellectual disabilities and co occurring mental health needs The Ranchito Cedar and Schmidt Homes each serve six adults with developmental disabilities complicated by epilepsy blindness autism schizophrenia and physical disabilities Respite Reachout In Home respite services assist families in the San Gabriel Valley by providing temporary relief or care for families caring for a loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability at home For information regarding Respite Reachout contact Gloria Bonilla gbonilla hopehouse org or 626 532 0871 Therapeutic Services and Consultation Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Mental Health Counseling Nursing Medical Specialties Dietary Management Developmental Therapy Recreation and Leisure Therapy Speech and Language Therapy Positive Behavior Support These are just a few images of experiences the kids and adults enjoyed And to the dedicated staff The Hope Heroes We could not have done it without you

The Safe Hassle Free alternative to selling or trading your vehicle Fast Friendly and Free Service Donate online hopehouse org vehicle donation or Call 877 999 8322 El Monte CA 91732 2113 4215 North Peck Road Permit No 110 El Monte CA PAID U S Postage Non Profit Organization