Submitted By: Jennifer Battaglia, Community Connections, Inc.
Here at Community Connections, we continually have conversations to find out what things people enjoy doing, what changes need to be made to their plans, what they are not happy about, etc. As we approach the person’s annual team meeting, we begin specific conversations with the use of CQL’s Personal Outcome Measures® and create the “What REALLY Matters to Me” Action Plan. We bring the plan to the annual team meeting that helps the person share what his/her dreams, goals and desires are in life.
One of the desires and goals that Daren Murrell shared was to go on vacation. It was discussed that an overnight trip to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana be planned! Jami Martin, our executive director, and Casey Potts, his DSP and day program coordinator, organized and prepared to make it happen! Daren was so excited to be able to go on this trip. Casey was excited and thrilled to be able to be the one to take Daren on his trip as well.
Another desire and goal that Daren shared was to attend a wrestling match. Casey stays up-to-date with the WWE schedule of events and organizes group trips to attend events within driving distance. Casey always makes sure that he goes to these events. There is also a local group that puts on wrestling events, and she makes sure he gets to go to those as well.
Daren went to Holiday World in July 2016 and has attended several WWE events, the last one being at the Hulman Center in February 2016. These are just two of Daren’s desires that were discovered and fulfilled. CQL’s Personal Outcome Measures® is such a great and useful tool that enables us to really get to know people, where they speak freely about their lives, their desires, their hopes and their dreams.
Casey Potts has been with Community Connections since 2011. She is a wonderful staff member who always puts people first. She is not only a DSP and our day program coordinator, but also is the staff scheduler and is the first one to go in and fill an open shift when there is an emergency. She makes herself available 24-7.
No one works harder and is more committed to this company and the people we support, than Casey Potts. Daren’s quality of life has improved immensely because of such caring staff, like Casey Potts.
2016 Direct Support Professional Recognition Week
This article is part of a campaign during the 2016 DSP Recognition Week, to acknowledge Direct Support Professionals who are helping people achieve their individually-defined outcomes, through the use of Personal Outcome Measures®. This campaign was developed through a partnership between CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership and The National Alliance For Direct Support Professionals (NADSP).
Casey Potts: Committed To Improving Quality Of Life