It has been a busy year at Independent Living Services. We are continuing to serve more and more individuals within the community. As we serve more people, we also increase the number of staff we employ. We have had a 47 percent staff increase since this time last year. We are expecting more growth in the upcoming year.

At this time, ILS has seven small community homes. The homes are typically rented homes that are shared by one staff member and one to four consumers. Last year at this time, we had four such homes in the community. We are planning for the possibility of opening seven to 10 more of these type homes within the next year.

A live-in staff that serves as the adult companion occupies the community homes. The individuals living in the homes receive Medicaid Waiver services. The waiver services allow for funding to pay the staff that lives in the home and additional staff working in the home. The adult companions are paid based on a daily rate. Waiver services do not pay things such as rent and transitional needs such as furniture and deposits.

Independent Living Services prides itself on the dedication of its direct line staff. We believe we have some amazing employees working for our agency. We are highlighting two of our exceptional employees today. Both of these employees work in our community homes.

Mark Ealy is the live-in adult companion at one of these community homes. Mark has lived in this home for two years and shares it with one consumer. The individual who lives with Mark lived at CHDC before receiving services at ILS. Mark has been employed by ILS since 1992 and also works at CHDC. Mark continues to work for CHDC during the day and comes home to live and work with a consumer at ILS. Mark is off one weekend a month and also has an additional staff that works in the home to give him relief time.

In addition to his duties at his house and his duties at CHDC, Mark is a certified Special Olympics coach at ILS. Mark has been coaching Special Olympics for ILS since 1992. The athletes take part in a variety of different sports including basketball, baseball, bowling, bocce ball, volleyball, softball, track and field, and aquatics. About 75 athletes from ILS take part in different events. Mark said they have traveled all over the state to events. They go to Fayetteville, Searcy, Springdale, Wynne, and Cabot.

Every summer they have a sports camp in Monticello for a week. During this time, athletes from all over the state get to spend time together to socialize and increase their athletic skills. Mark said this is also when coaches are certified. He said during the sports camp a coach can be certified in up to three different sports. We have three other certified coaches at ILS.

Mark was recently recognized by our board of directors as a very special employee both for the volunteer time he spends as a Special Olympics coach and the dedication he has consistently shown working with consumers. Mark has proven over the past 11 years to be an employee that can be counted on to assist whenever asked. He is also very dedicated to the consumer he works with and all of the athletes he coaches.

Laura Ealy (Mark's sister) also works as a live-in adult companion in a community home. Laura has been at the home since it opened two years ago. She shares the house with two consumers. Laura has five staff that work in the home. The staff enables Laura to have two weekends off a month and also provide her with relief time throughout the week. Laura also works full-time at CHDC and has been there for 15 years.

Laura, like Mark, has proven to be an exceptional employee. She is very dedicated to the women she works with and is always willing to take the extra steps to ensure they receive quality services. Laura is also a certified Special Olympics coach. She assists Mark in coaching some of the athletes at ILS.

One of the individuals who lives with Laura lived at CHDC prior to coming to ILS. The other woman lived with her family until she moved into the home. Her family had spent years looking for the right placement for their daughter; they looked throughout Arkansas and in other states trying to find a home for their daughter. They believe they found that place living with Laura.

Laura said that they are very active within the community. They go to the movies, local parks, the McGee Center, shopping, to the malls in Little Rock and to Razorback games. In addition, the women take part in activities with Laura's family. Laura said they go on 15 to 16 outings each month.

As we continue to serve more people here in Conway, we are going to be looking for additional staff. We are searching for new employees, especially people who would be interested in sharing a home in the community with one or more consumers. If you have any questions regarding these types of positions, you can contact Elissa Douglas at 329-8249 or elissa@indliving.org.