One hundred twenty celebrants, rhinestone-studded eyewear for all who dared, dazzling outfits for the occasion, live music, delectable food stations, an open bar and the main celebrant who turned thirty—what a party! For Kevin Leonard (pictured at right), thirty was not an identity crisis but rather Christmas in springtime. For him the marker was as thrilling as the Muppets’ Thirty Year Special. A fan of the Muppets since he was a boy, Kevin could not wait until he turned thirty and have his own “Thirty Year Special” as fanciful as his fuzzy friends. That which started as a family gathering of thirty people at a local trattoria grew four-fold into a spectacle at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, chandeliers and all. The grander the better, Kevin co-signed the banquet contract with Peter and Eileen, his parents, and began expanding the guest list. The guests’ ages spanned eight months to eighty-eight years—the youngest cousin to the matriarch of the Leonard family, Kevin’s grandmother. In addition to aunts, uncles, cousins and sibs (Bridgett and Tim), he invited a broad spectrum of friends from the community and a substantial contingent of co-workers and staff from New Horizons. Before the main event, Kevin’s unique Broadway imitations of Carol Channing belting out show tunes and his extravagant recital of happy feet, there were a line of speakers: Connie Boyle, his first babysitter who confessed “I thought it wasn’t possible that he could be cuter than when he was brought home but he is” ; Jeannie Yglesias, godmother who instructed us about Kevin’s penchant for “making a deeper and happier grove in our lives”; Liza Hoffman, first provider of community supports who publicly admitted that “I would never dress so over-the-top except for Kevin”; Maria Marewski who summarized the revel-ry of guests as “using Kevin as our window on to self-acceptance”; Monica Robinson, staff supervisor at Kevin’s New Horizons’ residence who pro-claimed “I’m usually in jeans but I’m wearing this dress and these boots only because of Kevin”; music teacher Judith Muir who realized out loud that “Kevin is the best therapist because he knows how to make people feel better”; and Regis Obijiski, executive director at New Horizons who recounted Kevin having many teachers, but “you have taught us what complete self-acceptance looks like”.

“Broadway” Kevin is Thirty by Regis Obijiski

Enabling people with developmental disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives within their local communities.

Inside NHR May 2011

Inside this issue:

Welcome New Employees to NHR

2

NHR Birthdays & Anniversaries Celebrated in May

3

Employee of the Month, May Work Anniversaries continued…, Trivia Question of the Month

4

Team of the Quarter 5

CQL Corner, May Safety Spotlight

6

Earth Day Tree Planting and Spring Egg Hunt at Briggs Farm

7

“Broadway” Kevin is Thirty continued, Key@Work

8

Current Job Openings at NHR

11

May Training Calendar

12

National Nurses’ Week 2011

9

Inside NHR Scavenger Hunt

10

Continued on page 7...

Inside NHR Page 2 Inside NHR

All of us here at NHR would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new employees:

Corinna Connors DSP (Clintondale)

Nyshaun Johnson DSP (Float)

Kendra Holloway DSP (Canal Path)

Alan Montanya DSP (Relief)

Jessica Martins DSP (Dwight Street)

Milie Spiak DSP (Relief)

Alice Weston DSP (Relief)

Valerie DeVore DSP (Relief)

Inside NHR Page 3 Inside NHR

Thomas McCluskey, Human Resources—5/1 Elizabeth Pulst, Morehouse—5/1 Jill Bruschini, Morehouse—5/2 Catherine Lawrence, Morehouse—5/2 Jonathan Taub, Deer Run—5/2 Alexandra Watson, Canal Path—5/2 John Shanks, Residential Program—5/5 Susan Jackowski, Relief/Floater Group—5/6 John Lee, Dwight Street—5/6 Donna Newkirk, Clintondale—5/6 Donna Carman, Millerton—5/9 Jacqueline Mika, Community Programs—5/11 Sarah Heilman, Service Coordination—5/12 Larry Holden, Tyrrel Road—5/12 Santa Credaroli, Community Programs—5/14 Debra Murray, Relief/Floater Group—5/14 Cynthia Sherman, North Clove—5/14 Sandra Warren, Canal Path—5/14 Michael Concanno, Maintenance—5/15 Linda Hornbeck, Canal Path—5/15 Alison Heady—Gerry Road—5/16 Shirley Mercure, Roundhill—5/16 Danielle Egan, Clintondale—5/17 Samuel Laganaro, Human Resources—5/17 Patricia Stenger, Relief/Floater Group—5/17 Yahne Goode, Roundhill—5/18 Lori Ortiz, Mountain View—5/18

Matthew Wells, Community Programs—5/18 Marie Kluge, Millerton—5/19 Lynn Quick, Canal Path—5/19 Aaron Abolafia, Angelo Boulevard—5/20 Scott Atkins, Clintondale—5/21 Wendy Hawkins, Morehouse—5/21 Barbara Hines, Unionvale—5/21 Melissa Poulin, Finance—5/21 Warren Schmall, Independent Living—5/21 Andrea Pollack, Program Admin.—5/22 Maureen Burchfield, Poughquag—5/23 Anthony Palazzo, Maintenance—5/23 Maryann Simonelli, Mountain View—5/23 Nyshaun Johnson, Relief/Floater Group—5/24 Carl Bartles, Pleasant Valley—5/25 Jonathan Platt, Independent Living—5/25 Towanna Crawford, Relief/Floater Grp.—5/26 Joshua Steinberg, Mountain View—5/26 Karen Grecke, Stormville—5/27 Nancy Gutshall, Tyrrel Road—5/27 Jonathan Horowitz, Independent Living—5/27 Teresa Dixon, Canal Path—5/28 Lesley Hoffman, Clinical—5/28 Mary McNamara, Clinical—5/28 Annmarie Mitchell, Canal Path—5/28 Linda Sofka, Gerry Road—5/28

Birthdays at New Horizons in May

Benard Alila, Relief/Floater Group—1 year Doreen Brown, Dwight Street—1 year David Butler, Unionvale—1 year Teena Hirsch, Clinton Corners—1 year Kyle Rosenfeld, Relief/Floater Group—1 year Colleen Deloatch, Morehouse—2 years Patricia Stenger, Relief/Floater Group—2 years Chris Gillespie, Deer Run—3 years Nicole McCluskey, Relief/Floater Group—3 yrs. Kim Mulpeter, Clinical—3 years Benita Singleton, Relief/Floater Group—3 yrs. Sarah Beaumont, Res Hab—4 years Rosalie Elliott, Dover Plains—4 years Stacia Passaro, Relief/Floater Group—4 years Vanessa Serino, Unionvale—4 years

1-5 years!

6-10 years!

NHR Employees Celebrating May Work Anniversaries

Peri Fazio, Pleasant Valley—6 years Alison Kunkel, Jansen Road—6 years Jennifer Hall, Unionvale—7 years Janna Levinson, Unionvale—7 years Debra Murray, Relief/Floater Group—7 years Winsome (Hope) Badroe, Tyrrel Road—8 years Jennifer Patrick-Harris, Tyrrel Road—8 years John Clausson, Community Programs—9 years Richard Nest, Pinewood—10 years Marie Sleight, Tyrrel Road—10 years

Kristin Tompkins, Human Resources—4 years Kevin Crosson, Unionvale—5 years Victoria MacDonald, Albrecht Lane—5 years Jerilynne Smith, Human Resources—5 years

May Work Anniversaries are continued on the following page...

Page 4 Inside NHR

Congratulations to Karina Montgomery (DSP, Clintondale) for being selected as NHR’s Employee of the Month! “I would like to nominate Karina Montgomery for Employee of the Month. Karina goes above and beyond the call of duty. Her care and con-cern for the folks is beyond recognition. When an individual’s mom was in the hospital and passed away, she came in of her day off to pay her respects. When someone calls out, Karina is always the first person to stay and the last person to leave. She listens to her co-workers when they are stressed out from a hectic day and gives advice with a smile. Karina makes the best gravy in the world (that is an CDR inside joke!). She says what is on her mind in regards to the needs of the house and the people we provide supports for. She also leaves smiley faces in the log book that make everyone’s day. Karina appreciates everything everyone does in the house, no matter what it is. I could go on but there isn’t enough time in a day! Her loyal-ty to NHR is more than words can say. I would

like to thank Karina for being a part of our Clintondale family team.” Karina will receive a $50 gift certificate to the location of her choice for being selected Employee of the Month.

Please congratulate her when you see her!

Nominations for Employee of the Month are reviewed at our

monthly Unity meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday May 5th at 11am at the

Training and Administration Building on West Road.

All are welcome, we hope to see you there!

NHR Employees Celebrating May Work Anniversaries

11-15 years!

Carla Bowen, Relief/Floater Group—11 years Calvin Dyer, Angelo Boulevard—11 years Roseann Smith-Peacock, Overlook—11 years Barbara Delventura, Morehouse—12 years Nancy Howell, Program Admin.—14 years Cynthia Sherman, North Clove—14 years

16-20 years!

Maureen Burchfield, Poughquag—17 years Lorraine Denunzio, Unionvale—18 years Vincent McDonald, Amenia—19 years

Trivia Question of the Month

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?

David Griffiths, Medicaid Service Coordinator

Page 5 Inside NHR

Congratulations to the Unionvale team for being selected as Team of the Quarter! Their nomination said the following: “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I’ve been with NHR for almost 10 months now and have had the pleas-ure of being part of the Unionvale team for 6 months. Since arriving at NHR, I have worked at Dwight Street, Pleasant Valley, Albrecht Lane, Tyrrel Road, and Briggs Farm. Like any other workplace, rumors tend to fly. When I was assigned to Unionvale, I was told by many people that it was a “tough” house. Interesting terminology! Upon my arrival, the entire staff welcomed me and supported me through my transition. Being in a large house and still being a rookie nurse, I needed all of the support that our team could offer. We have many residents that are quite medically needy. The staff at Unionvale have a wealth of knowledge regarding running the house and an expertise in really knowing each individual’s nuances and histories. What would I do without them? I am informed immediately of every rash, running nose, pink eye, scratch, pimple, cough, high sugar, low sugar, etc. The staff are finely tuned to each resident’s regular behavior and know when someone is not feeling well. They are my eyes and ears. With exceptional medical coordination between staff, we have minimized emergency room visits and I am very proud of that! There have been numerous medical emergencies at Unionvale (high fevers, seizures, hypoglycemia) that could have evolved into life threatening situations. Whenever an emergency occurs, the staff jump into action and utilize their specialized training. Is Unionvale a “tough” house? Only if you consider the fact that our team is blessed with seasoned “tough” professionals. We are more than a team, we are a family.

The next time you see them, please congratulate the staff of our Unionvale House — David Butler, Sara Carter, Paul Clemmons, Kevin Crosson, Lynda Cussick, Lorraine

Denunzio, Jeanne Georgiou, Jennifer Hall, Sophia Hayles, Barbara Hines, Alfonzo Johnson, Courtney Johnson, Lola Johnson, Isaac Kamau, Janna

Levinson, Maureen Munisteri, Paul Njora, Vanessa Serino, Debra Whispell, Jennifer Wolven, Timothy Sweeney, and Melissa Frank!!

The Unionvale team will receive a $200 gift certificate to the location of their choice for being

selected Team of the Quarter!

Team of the Quarter!

Trivia Question of the Month

A. Their Birthplace

Page 6 Inside NHR

As we continue to examine the twenty-one areas that are included in the CQL Person Outcome Interviews, we are brought to the next two areas that will further help define the individuals’ sense of self. The next areas found in the interviews relate to the individuals’ sense of personal safety and their right to the best possible health. When we address the issue of people being safe, it is most important to ask the individuals if they feel safe in their home, their neighborhood, and their workplace. It is essential to find out the safety concerns of the people we support and what safety equipment is available to them in both the home and workplace. To ensure the safety of the individuals, it is also important to note what they would do in case of an emergency, how they would react to a stranger approach-ing, and if they feel that their living and working environments are free and clear of anything harmful and unhealthy. A person’s good health has much to do with determining his or her overall quality of life. In this case, it is necessary to find out if the individuals feel that they are being properly cared for. Questions will be asked on whether or not the individuals feel healthy, if regular exams are available to them, and if they think that the treatments, medicine, and interventions are working for them. If the people we support feel that something is not working then it is important to note what changes are being made in order to provide the individuals with the best possible health. Additionally, we must also ask people how they define health in order to ensure that they are able to live a healthy and satisfying life.

Remember: the more we know, the more we can help.

CQL Corner : Continuing Topics in a Person Outcome Interview People are Safe, People Have the Best Possible Health

By Kathleen Oswald

1. Make sure to turn off the grill after use. 2. Clean/check the drip pan. 3. Clean the grill before using it each time. 4. Never leave the grill unattended. 5. Make sure the grill is 10 feet from the house when in use. 6. Use long utensils when barbequing.

7. If you do not know how to use the grill ask for help. 8. All cooking utensils should be properly and thoroughly cleaned before use 9. In the event of a grease fire, shut of the gas and close the lid of the grill 10. Make sure everyone knows to Stop, Drop and Roll in case a piece of clothing does catch fire.

Safety Spotlight: 10 Tips for BBQ Safety by Kristin Tompkins

Page 7 Inside NHR

Earth Day Tree Planting and Spring Egg Hunt at Briggs Farm by Heather Atkins

Jill Bruschini and Carl Bartles John Lee

Bill Habekost Amy Filipek David Diaz

From left to right: Carl Bartles, Heather Atkins, Jill Bruschini, Tammy Dellacamera, Rose Palazzo, Mark Gosiewski

Page 8 Inside NHR

One greeting card Kevin received pictures a nonchalant-looking cat wrapped from head to toe in Mardi Gras beads. The cat’s attitude seemed to suggest: “you looking at me? That’s good.” Inside the card are the words: “Anything worth doing is worth over-doing.” The last gig at gathering was a dazzling hip-hop performance by the City of Poughkeepsie’s own youth performers, the “Empower Dance Troupe”. At the end, the one hundred twenty guests hung on every engaging, fun-loving, in-the-moment tidbit of life’s eloquence that Kevin could muster. We went to his party, entered his world, and glowed in his joy.

“Broadway” Kevin is Thirty continued

Key@Work is a workplace banking program that features a variety of banking services perks that are available to all NHR employees.

Some products offered through program: - Choice of 4 checking account options, including free interest bearing checking - Free personalized checks - Free unlimited use of Key ATM's - Premium rates on CD's - Discounted Fee's on loan products - Financial planning services - Savings on loans and mortgages

For more information on Key@Work, stop by any Key Bank branch, visit key.com, or call 1-888-KEY-1234.

From left to right: Karen Coburn, Rose Palazzo, Kevin Leonard, Gordon Riggs (kneeling), Joe Parker, Tammy Dellacamera,

and Steve Georgiou

Current Employee Checking Promotion:

$100 Giveaway with New Account

Key@Work

Page 9 Inside NHR

New Horizons employs 14 full time and per diem Registered Nurses at 29 sites. These nurses work closely with the house staff and physicians to supervise and coordinate the health maintenance of the individuals in these sites. The nurses are always only a phone call away for an emergent need.

Please Take a Moment to Recognize Your Nurse!!

“When you are a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” -author unknown

“Nursing is not for everyone. It takes a strong, very intelligent, and compassionate person to take on the ills of the world with passion and purpose and work to maintain the health and well-being of the plan-et… “-Donna Wilk Cardillo

Page 10 Inside NHR

Congratulations to the winner of the March Scavenger Hunt, Barbara Stefanic, Direct Support Professional at Mountain View! Barbara, please contact Jerilynne in the HR Department at (845) 473-3000 ext. 323 or jlsmith@nhrny.org to arrange a time to claim your $50 gift card!! The best reason to read Inside NHR is still to learn about important news within the agency and our field; acknowledge significant milestones; and, learn about and celebrate the many good things happening in the lives of people we support as made possible by the efforts of a talented and dedicated group of people on a mission to enable people with de-velopmental disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives within their local communities. To encourage everyone to read the new electronic version of Inside NHR, we will be conducting a treasure hunt open to all NHR employees (except HR department staff and agency directors).

Here is how it works!

Search through the May Inside NHR and find the answers to following 6 questions:

1. What birthday did Kevin Leonard recently celebrate?

2. Name one new relief employee.

3. Who won team of the Quarter?

4. What is one tip for BBQ safety?

5. When is National Nurses’ Week?

6. How many CPR classes are being offered in May?

Send an email with all 6 answers to Jerilynne Smith, HR Coordinator, at jlsmith@nhrny.org

by Friday, May 20th. (Make sure you follow up with a phone call to ensure that she received your e-mail!)

To pick the winner, Jerilynne will enter the name of each person who answers all 6 questions

correctly into an Excel spreadsheet. She will then use this website http://www.random.org/integers/ to pick one winner at random.

The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the location of his or her choice. Everyone who enters and answers all 6 questions correctly will have a chance to win!

Have fun and if you have any questions please contact Jerilynne at (845) 473-3000 ext. 323 or jlsmith@nhrny.org.

Inside NHR Scavenger Hunt!

Page 11 Inside NHR

AMENIA—PART TIME Saturday 3pm-9pm, Sunday 11am-11pm, Monday 3pm-8pm CLINTON CORNERS—PART TIME Sunday 8am-3pm, Monday 2pm-9pm, Tuesday 3pm-9pm CLINTONDALE-PART TIME Thursday 3pm-11pm, Saturday 7am-1pm, Sunday 7am-1pm INDEPENDENT LIVING—PART TIME 20 hours over 4 days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday); schedule is flexible but ultimately determined by the needs of the program DUTCHESS FLOAT—FULL TIME Regularly scheduled days off are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ULSTER FLOAT—FULL TIME Regularly scheduled days off are Monday and Tuesday

ULSTER FLOAT—FULL TIME Regularly scheduled days off are Wednesday and Thursday ULSTER OPTS FLOAT—PART TIME Friday 11pm-9am, Saturday 11pm-9am TYRREL ROAD—FULL TIME—TEMP Tuesday 5:30am-1:30pm, Wednesday 5:30am-1:30pm, Thursday 5:30am-1:30pm, Friday 5:30am-1:30pm, and Saturday 7am-3pm UNIONVALE—PART TIME—TEMP Monday 7am-11am, Tuesday 7am-11am, Wednesday 7am-11am, Thursday 7am-11am, Friday 7am-11am RES HAB (CRH) & AT-HOME RESPITE Per diem opportunities available in both Dutchess and Ulster County. 4-12 flexible hours per week (depends on the needs of the family served). Some appointments may be able to be combined for part time

Contact Jerilynne, HR Coordinator, at (845) 473-3000, extension 323 or jlsmith@nhrny.org for more information on any of these positions.

**We are also accepting relief applications for all areas**

Do You Know Someone Who Would Make A Great New Horizons’ Employee??

Any NHR staff member (except Directors, Administrative

Coordinators and HR Department staff), who refers a friend, family member or colleague to NHR will receive $500 for each person we hire in a full or part-time position who successfully completes his or

her probationary period.

Please help us add to our great team by referring someone you know to one of the positions currently available at our agency listed below!