Our 2020 Year End Review
A year in review . . .
What a challenging year it has been! While we’ve certainly had our fair share of mountains to climb, we at West Mont know that we could not have done it without the amazing work done by our Direct Support Professionals and staff working on the front lines to keep the people we support safe. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of you.
We are proud of how the West Mont staff and clients have weathered the pandemic crisis. All group homes and vocational sites continued to operate, often with less than recommended staffing numbers, still maintaining our client’s safety, health, and happiness. You, our field staff, never faltered and continued to work with the same passion as before the pandemic. As December past and Jimmy V week, I remember the inspirational speech from Coach Valvano where he told us, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” As a man with cancer throughout his body, he gave us the inspiration to know that we can overcome all obstacles and if we keep moving forward. This speech reminded me of the bravery and courage I have seen at our group homes. The West Mont staff refused to give up when faced with COVID in their locations. The staff banded together and said to each other, the virus is not going to spread to other group homes and took to the challenge of covering all the shifts with their own staff. Some staff members took two weeks off from their other job, just to cover a sick staff member’s shift. Group home staff with compromised immune systems refused to let the virus spread and showed up to their job with the attitude of never giving up.
To all the staff members at West Mont thank you; with courage, bravery, and compassion you have shown why you are the greatest at what you do and even faced with a pandemic and difficult times you showed up and gave the best care to our clients.
Yet, as 2020 comes to a close, we at the Administrative office are proud to share the accomplishments of our staff and the clients that we serve; they provide us steady hope for the future.
- We hired 32 staff members in 2020 that are still with us!
- Our motto this year became “Heroes work here!”
- West Mont paid out $276,250.00 in incentives in 2020! This includes shift differentials, year-end incentives, extra shift incentives, and most recently hazard pay for those working in COVID-19 positive homes.
- Our flower shop, West Mont Flower and Trading Co., was awarded #1 flower shop in Helena in the Best of Helena contest.
- West Mont contributed $5,231.88 in 2020 per employee enrolled in our health insurance.
- West Mont brought in a bit more technology this year to the locations. All group homes and vocational programs were given a tablet for time entry and a laptop with wi-fi access to be used to help our clients stay in touch with their families.
- West Mont was awarded this year with 12 COVID relief funding grants that have allowed us to pay employees’ “hazard” pay, keep employees safe with PPE equipment, and purchase Wi-Fi and computers for each location.
As a trying year has past and we look toward the future, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the clients that are smiling down upon us…. Terri Barraugh, David Speich, Val Morris, Duane Gervais, John Kirley, Mary Zent, and Ronnie Nye. Each have touched our lives in one way or another and we are better humans because of it. Our hearts go out to our staff, parents/guardians, and community members near and far that were able to spend time with one or more of these beautiful people.
We now are excited to take on the challenges 2021 has to offer and continue to provide the services and advocacy for so many developmentally disabled adults whose voices and stories need to be heard. We feel confident that our advocacy and future preparations will be successful because of the passion of our staff, the dedication of our wonderful board of directors, and the support from our local community. So, as we look to the future, thank you for being part of our journey; we can’t wait to share with you what we have planned next.
Sincerely,
Ashleigh Heimbach
President/CEO
