News

Patricia Cerrone R.N., of Seven Hills Community Services Chosen To Join Statewide Medication Review Committee
I am pleased to announce the formation of a Statewide Medication Review Committee.  The Committee is part of DDS’ on-going commitment to service improvement and quality of life for the individuals we support.  As many of you so well know, individuals with intellectual disability present unique challenges to service providers and clinicians with respect to diagnosing and treating co-occurring medical, mental health, and behavioral issues.  Individuals with intellectual disability oftentimes have complex clinical needs which require advanced levels of clinical experience, specialized training and significant collaboration for successful outcomes.  Many individuals are on multiple psycho-active medications for long periods of time.

With these challenges in mind, DDS is forming the Medication Review Committee to offer a mechanism by which adults on multiple psycho-active medications can have their drug regimens reviewed and treating clinicians as well as DDS providers can have the benefit of consultation and support from a multi-disciplinary group of clinicians.
The Medication Review Committee will perform its role and provide support and consultation in a number of ways to assist service providers and clinicians in the field including:

1) accepting referrals for an in-depth review from DDS providers, service coordinators and others who are supporting individuals with challenging physical, psychological and behavioral issues,
2) Reviewing the records of individuals on multiple psycho-active medications, making recommendations and disseminating information based on the Expert Consensus Guidelines.
3) Offering consultation and support by members of the Committee to prescribers providing services and supports to individuals DDS supports.

Seven Hills Pediatric Center Receives 5-Star Recognition Again!

In a recent edition of U.S. News, Seven Hills Pediatric Center was once again recognized as one of the best operated nursing homes in the United States.  The facility was one of a limited number of nursing homes nationwide to receive a 5 star rating in every category.  This is the second time in recent years that Seven Hills Pediatric Center has been so recognized by U.S. News.

Seven Hills Pediatric Center provides long-term, continuous skilled nursing care; short-term respite care; and short-term post hospitalization to children and young adults from infancy to age 22, who are profoundly developmentally delayed and have complex medical needs, or who are in need of transitional care after an extended hospitalization. Under the auspices of the Pediatric Medical Director, children receive all the necessary medical, nursing, therapy, and leisure services possible to enhance their quality of life.

The U.S. News rankings rely on data from Nursing Home Compare, a consumer web site run by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS sets and enforces standards for all nursing homes enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. The data for Nursing Home Compare come from regular health inspections carried out by state agencies and from the homes themselves. Using that information, CMS assigns an overall ratings of one to five stars to each nursing home. Homes are also given one to five stars in how well they do in the health inspections, in providing enough nurses, and providing a high level of quality of care.

Seven Hills Foundation Honors Employees at 2010 Dinner and Awards Ceremony

2010 Seven Hills Employee of the Year Recipients

February 4th, 2011

Beautiful floral centerpieces created by the Worcester Day Habilitation and Adult Day Health programs adorned the tables inside the ballroom at the Milford Double Tree Hotel, where The Annual Seven Hills Foundation and Affiliates Employee Dinner and Awards Ceremony took place. The annual event was organized to recognize the selfless efforts of the committed and passionate employees, who dedicate themselves every day to enhancing the quality of life of the 28,000 individuals served by Seven Hills Foundation. Delicious cuisine and the band Guitars & Cadillacs provided employees and guests with a wonderful evening of fun and entertainment.

The Homestead Group to Relocate its Corporate Headquarters in Woonsocket

January 14, 2011

The Homestead Group, an affiliate of the Seven Hills Foundation, has announced its intent to relocate its business office from 68 Cumberland Street and expand its Child and Family Services program to 1 Cumberland Street in Woonsocket.  This building, previously known as the Blockbuster Building, was recently acquired by the Seven Hills Foundation.

This acquisition will allow The Homestead Group to consolidate office space, which will result in revenue savings for the non-profit, human services organization. “By consolidating some of our smaller rental office spaces into the Cumberland Street site, we will not only efficiently merge the office resources, we will also become a hub site for families and partners to more easily access our staff and provide more programs and services for Child & Family Services,” commented Dr. Robert L. Carl, Sr. Vice President and COO of The Homestead Group.

To accommodate The Homestead Group’s office space and program expansion, the organization has plans to undertake substantial renovations on several floors. The first floor work will be to accommodate their successful and innovative Child & Family Services Early Intervention program, on the third floor the renovations will provide for the operations of their HBTS and PASS programs; and the renovations on the fourth floor will be to accommodate the  business operations, human resources, finance and information technology. Furthermore, a “Corporate College” program with meeting/training rooms will also be added to the fourth floor.  The second floor will remain leased to the current tenant.

In conjunction with this purchase and move, the Seven Hills Foundation also announced recently that The Homestead Group will be changing its corporate identity to become Seven Hills Rhode Island, effective March 1, 2011.  Dr. Carl sees the future of human service delivery requiring greater efficiencies in these turbulent economic times.   “Our new name will serve to further our alignment with our parent organization, Seven Hills Foundation, which means greater economies of scale and enhanced clinical outcomes to those we serve,” commented Dr. Carl.

Deborah Wood, a current Seven Hills Foundation Board member from the Woonsocket area, also applauded management’s intent to shift the operating name of The Homestead Group to Seven Hills Rhode Island. “Taking the name of Seven Hills Rhode Island will allow us to more clearly identify ourselves with our parent organization and help us better explain the breadth and diversity of the services we provide to those in our Rhode Island communities,” Ms. Wood said.  “It also allows us to brand the use of ‘Defining Dignity’, the hallmark of Seven Hills; words we strive each day to honor through our work with individuals and families,” she concluded.

“Dignity is the defining hallmark of everything we do at Seven Hills Foundation and our clinical affiliates”, said Dr. David A. Jordan, President and CEO of Seven Hills Foundation, “The evolvement of the name change from The Homestead Group to Seven Hills Rhode Island signifies the pride we have in both our health and human services organization and in the state of Rhode Island. In making this branding change, we hope that more people recognize and are drawn to the important and life changing work of Seven Hills Foundation in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”

“Our new name will serve to further our alignment with our parent organization, Seven Hills Foundation, which means greater economies of scale and enhanced clinical outcomes to those we support,” concluded Dr. Carl.  Upon completion of the renovations and the consolidation of the programs and offices, the organization will be holding a dedication of its new Rhode Island headquarters in the spring.

Seven Hills Foundation/Seven Hills Family Services awarded three-year CARF accreditation

November 9th, 2010

CARF International announced that Seven Hills Foundation and its affiliate, Seven Hills Family Services,  has been accredited for a period of three years for its Community Employment, Community Integration, and Host Family  programs. This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards.

An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable. In his letter to Seven Hills Foundation, Dr. Brian J. Boon, CARF President and CEO, stated, “The CARF surveyors made no recommendations, which signifies that there were not any areas of non-conformance to the standards. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, as only 3% of CARF surveys worldwide result in no recommendations.”

“This is a unique honor to the dedicated staff at these particular programs and it is a testament to the culture of service we work hard on each day to foster,” commented Dr. David A Jordan, President and CEO of Seven Hills Foundation.

Seven Hills Foundation is a non-profit health and human services organization that currently offers program sites at 160 locations throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island employing nearly 3,000 professionals. Seven Hills Foundation offers a continuum of support and services to 26,000 children, adults and seniors with disabilities and other life challenges through its eight affiliate organizations that are part of the Foundation.  Seven Hills Family Services offers programs throughout Worcester County, which includes Adult Day Health, Day Habilitation, CareerSource, Shared Living, Respite Care, Sports-Recreation & Leisure,  Adult Family Care, and the affiliate operates three Family Support Centers in Worcester, Fitchburg and Sturbridge.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

Seven Hills Foundation, Corporate College Welcomes Judy Giacomuzzi and Roger Miller

November 4, 2010

Please welcome Judy Giacomuzzi and Roger Miller as the newest members of the Corporate College staff.  As training coordinators, they will be responsible for developing and delivering core trainings and other training curriculum to meet the needs of the SHF affiliates. They will also be coordinating professional development and training activities including continuing education opportunities for our professional staff.

In addition to her role as a trainer, Judy will be working as a liaison with Seven Hills Clinical Associates, CAFS and Seven Hills Family Services.  Judy has a Master’s degree in Moderate Special Needs education and an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Psychology.  She has many years of experience working as a special education teacher in several public school systems and as a staff teacher for UMass.  She has a wealth of experience working with individuals with behavioral problems and autism, and with adolescents in crisis.

Roger comes to Seven Hills with many years of experience in business and industry.  Roger has a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on education.  He is a certified OSHA instructor and a certified American Heart Association CPR/FA instructor.   In addition, he has advanced training in MS Office Suite.  Roger has worked as a business operations consultant, director of operations, and a manager for several businesses in the Greater Boston area.  He has taught over 20 different executive-level business workshops and has developed training curriculum on a range of management topics.  Roger will be working as the liaison with The Homestead Group.  Also, he will be supporting the professional development and training needs of the Central and Northeast regions of the Seven Hills Community Services affiliate.

Seven Hills Foundation Welcomes Rachel Kralian as Health Education Coordinator

October 29, 2010

Please join me in welcoming Rachel Kralian to the Seven Hills Foundation.  Rachel will be assuming the position of Health Education Coordinator.  She will be responsible for the implementation of Seven Hills’ health and wellness strategies and programs geared towards the reduction of our health insurance costs.  She will be providing education and information sessions to employees throughout the organization on our health benefits plans, benefits utilization, cost saving measures and a variety of health promotion topics such as disease prevention, nutrition, exercise, stress management, etc.  Rachel graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise Science concentration) and a minor in Nutritional Sciences and Interdisciplinary Disabilities Studies.  She is also certified by the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Health and Fitness Specialist.

Seven Hills Foundation’s HR Office Adds Recruiter

October 21, 2010

Marilyn Lopez-Haddad, JD, Vice President of Human Resources for the Seven Hills Foundation, recently announced the appointment of Susan G. Ash as the Human Resource Associate Recruiter for Seven Hills Foundation and its clinical affiliates.

Ms. Ash, who has over ten years of experience in recruitment and training, will be primarily responsible for development and implementation of recruitment and training strategies for Seven Hills Foundation and all of its clinical affiliates. Ms. Ash, who resides in Barre, obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business from Victoria University which is located in Wellington, New Zealand.

Previously, she was in recruitment and training positions with Borders Group, Inc. and Claim Creations – both located in Massachusetts. Ms. Ash also worked for several years as a vocational services coordinator for IHC, which is the largest human services organization in New Zealand providing support services to adults with physical and developmental disabilities.

Seven Hills Foundation Promotes Kathleen Reville

October 12, 2010

Dr. David A. Jordan, President and CEO of the Seven Hills Foundation, recently announced the promotion of Mrs. Kathleen Reville to Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer. Prior to this promotion, Mrs. Reville had been serving the past four years as the organization’s Vice President of Advancement.

In making this announcement, Dr. Jordan stated, “This is a critically important position to the future development of our organization and I have complete trust in Kathee’s ability to help guide us as we move forward to meet the shifting program demands in the health and human services sector.” In her new position, Mrs. Reville will oversee all of the clinical programs operated by the various affiliates of the Seven Hills Foundation.

A BS graduate of West Virginia University along with a Master of Education degree from Boston College, Mrs. Reville has extensive experience and knowledge working for various organizations and institutions in the non-profit sector. Prior to joining Seven Hills Foundation, Mrs. Reville was employed at a company that directly worked with various non-profit agencies, colleges and universities to develop comprehensive management and development plans. Mrs. Reville has also served in development at educational institutions such as Boston College, Merrimack College, La Roche College, West Virginia University and Worcester’s Alliance for Education.

The promotion of Mrs. Reville was part of a larger corporate restructuring undertaken by Seven Hills Foundation to guarantee its continued ability to serve those in its care effectively and efficiently. “Given the clinical demands of our clients and the economic realities of the times we live in,” Dr. Jordan said, “the organizational changes that we have made will go far in assuring our health and sustainability as an organization providing services to over 26,000 individuals throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”

Mrs. Reville lives in Worcester with her family and she is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Health Administration at Central Michigan University.

Fitchburg Family Support Center Opening

October 12, 2010

On Friday, October 15th, Seven Hills Foundation will be opening its first ever Family Support Center in the Greater Fitchburg area and will be holding an Open House from 11AM to 1 PM. The center will be located at 1460 John Fitch Highway in Fitchburg. The new center will be operated by Seven Hills Family Services, an affiliate of the Seven Hills Foundation.

The Seven Hills Family Services’ Family Support Center (FSC) is open to individuals with disabilities and their families who are seeking information and resources tailored to their specific needs. With an emphasis on cultural competency, families are provided with a variety of options that enable them to network with other families, have real-time access to pertinent information, explore avenues to community inclusion, and receive support while navigating the social service system.

When an individual or family member initially contacts the Family Support Center, the FSC will respond with a collaborative assessment of specific needs and a planned course of action. This individual/family action plan is then supported by an information specialist who will work one-on-one with the individual/family to ensure that they are receiving information, training and support on a timely basis and to their complete satisfaction.

Various services will be provided by the FSC through a number of Family Support Specialists, the web site, Town Hall Meetings, and video conferencing, and include:

Information & Referral (I&R) includes research and connections to the appropriate Federal, State and local supports; a parent newsletter; access to a Lending Library; and “Meet and Greet” nights with other agencies.

Family Trainings are multilingual and held monthly at area training sites, the Seven Hills’ Corporate College in Worcester, and through teleconference. Child care is provided.

Parent Networking includes a weekly drop-in parenting group, a family blog, and listserve in English and Spanish. The listserve delivers announcements regarding events and provides real-time connection to share successful strategies, etc.

Seven Hills Foundation Reorganizes Administrative Structure

September 16, 2010

In response to an ever changing marketplace in the heath and human services sector, which has been adversely impacted by substantial budget cuts and loss of revenue, Dr. David Jordan, President and CEO of the Seven Hills Foundation, announced last week a series of moves to create a new administrative organizational structure. For the past decade, Seven Hills Foundation has been independently recognized by several national accrediting firms as an efficient and well run organization. The administrative overhead in their current operating budget is just 5.9%.

Dr. Jordan’s announced restructuring, the first major moves of this kind in over 10 years at Seven Hills Foundation and its clinical Affiliates, came after a significant and time consuming internal review. “With these changes,” commented Dr. Jordan, “Seven Hills Foundation and its Clinical Affiliates will be better positioned to favorably address the needs of those we support in this uncertain economic environment.”

The major piece of this restructuring was the consolidation of a top senior leadership position. Seven Hills Family Services’ Vice President position has been eliminated. Dr. Katharine Cleary, who currently serves as the Vice President of two other clinical affiliates – Seven Hills Clinical Associates and Children’s Aid & Family Services, will assume the responsibility for oversight of Seven Hills Family Services.

In addition, to better streamline the clinical functions of all its affiliates, Seven Hills Foundation has created the position of Senior Vice President/Chief Program Officer and Kathleen Reville has been appointed to this position. Prior to this promotion, Mrs. Reville has served as the organization’s Vice President for Advancement. In making these appointments, Dr. Jordan stated, “In order to continue to serve those in our care effectively and efficiently, periodic change is necessary to meet the shifting program demands.”

“Given the clinical demands of the people we support and the economic realities of the times we live in, the changes we have made will reassure our continued health and sustainability as an organization and an employer of over 3,000 support and professional staff,” Dr. Jordan concluded.

35th Annual Lori Lajoie Charity Golf Tournament A Great Success

Beautiful weather and a scenic landscape provided the perfect backdrop for the 35th Annual Lori Lajoie Charity Golf Tournament at the historic Worcester Country Club.  Members and guests took to the fairways to support and celebrate over three decades of tradition and generosity.  For the 6th consecutive year, this tournament raised over $200,000.

The tournament commenced with honorary starter, Tom Ushiniski, driving the ball down the first fairway.  Tom is supported by Seven Hills Foundation in one of its day programs and he participates in Seven Hills Family Services’ golf program.  Later in the day, Jim Ciociolo served as the honorary starter for the afternoon round.  Jim also participates in a Seven Hills Program and has won a gold medal in golf at the Special Olympics. Special guest and PGA President Jim Remy also played in the tournament.  Mr. Remy’s first job in golf was at Worcester Country Club when he was hired by Ray Lajoie.

For more than three decades, Worcester Country Club’s  annual Lori Lajoie Charity Golf Tournament has honored the late Lori Lajoie and her family. This one-day event provides tremendous support for Seven Hills programs and services.  Over the past thirty-five years close to $5 million has been raised.

On behalf of all the individuals and families being supported by Seven Hills Foundation and its Affiliates, we would like to thank the Worcester Country club, as well as its members, guests and staff for your continued commitment and support. It is greatly appreciated.

The Seven Hills Foundation mission is to promote and encourage the empowerment of people with significant challenges so that each may pursue their highest possible degree of personal well-being and independence.