AREAS OF STRENGTH

CARF found that MSS demonstrated the following strengths: 

·      MSS is a well-established and respected provider of community employment services, community integration services, and employee planning and development services. Each of the organization's locations is designed to support the diverse needs and aspirations of the individuals served. Across all locations, the organization has stayed true to its mission and vision to empower people to live the life they choose by providing opportunities and developing partnerships that are built on collaboration and community engagement.

·      The organization has a fully engaged and involved board of directors composed of community leaders and professionals from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. The executive leadership does an outstanding job of providing the board with real-time financial information and programmatic updates to ensure that the board is well-informed and prepared to provide guidance and counsel to keep the organization dedicated to achieving its key performance indicators. The board has a laser focus on ensuring that MSS stays true to its mission, vision, and beliefs and is sustainable.

·      The organization is recognized for its strong strategic planning and process, risk management plan, and outcomes measurement and management programs. The organization's leadership team is skilled at developing meaningful plans to guide the organization year-to-year and ensure that it is meeting the diverse needs of the individuals served and other stakeholders. Each of these plans and processes are living documents in that they are routinely reviewed to ensure that opportunities are seized and risks are mitigated.

·      The organization is applauded for its well-developed and thorough financial practices and processes. There is significant redundancy in all of the financial functions to ensure that revenues are maximized and expenses are controlled. The operations manager is a skilled financial officer who leads a talented team of professionals who are fully engaged with both the program leadership and all of the organization's other departments to ensure everyone in the organization knows their role in regard to finances.

·      MSS is recognized for its stellar commitment to health and safety practices throughout every level of the organization. There is noticeable attention paid to all staff training to ensure that everyone is prepared to provide safe and healthy environments for all of the individuals served to receive services. The organization provides a significant amount of its service time in the community, and MSS demonstrates daily that it works to ensure that all of the community activities are, whenever possible, as safe as they can be.

·      The organization is committed to workforce development. There is significant attention paid to every detail of the human resources process, from hiring the right people for the right job to onboarding and ongoing training. There is a continuous commitment to the development of each and every employee to ensure that they have the tools and training to provide industry-leading services and that all of the administrative and business functions support and drive the organization. The director of human resources is a savvy and professional leader who has a vision for the future of MSS to ensure that it remains the premier organization, that the staff is fully engaged, and that all of the staff members' talents are utilized to the betterment of the organization.

·      The organization is recognized for its strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Led by a dynamic and visionary president/CEO, who leads by example, the organization works diligently to ensure that all staff members and leadership are engaged and contribute to the organization's success on a daily basis.

·      The organization has a very strong executive leadership team that works well together and keeps the organization on point and always moving forward. The team members are committed to achieving the key performance indicators, staying true to the mission, vision, and values, and ensuring that the organization is sustainable.

·      MSS has been intentional in updating practices, forms, and culture to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. This focus on diversity is evident in the marketing materials, engagement with persons served, and the opportunities made available in the community integration program.

·      MSS truly embodies a person-centered approach. This is evident in the weekly meetings with persons served, known as "MSS Speaks," and in the vast continuum of opportunities offered to persons served on a daily basis, including painting, screen printing, music, dance, 3-D printing, pottery, theater, beekeeping, gardening, volunteering, wellness, and personal development.

·      MSS has developed a web/phone-based employment training curriculum, e-Trac, that provides individuals served with engaging and interactive training covering career exploration, employment paperwork, job searching, interviewing, job negotiation, and job retention. The platform has gone through three major updates to reflect changes in the employment market, technology, diversity, equity, and inclusion. This platform serves to provide career development services to individuals served by the organization and is positioned to generate revenue for the organization's services.

·      MSS is commended for its focus on leveraging the staff members' personal interests in the arts, music, dance, fitness, sports, culture, and hobbies to create enriching opportunities for persons served. The leadership team has fostered opportunities for staff members to explore and grow personal interests for the benefit of persons served. This engagement has resulted in high retention rates of staff, increased job satisfaction, and impactful experiences for persons served.

·      MSS has repurposed unused space at its facility to create a community hub that has created additional opportunities for persons served, including boxing, wellness, volunteering, arts, and personal and work skills development. One parent of an individual served stated that her daughter's life would be less fulfilled and less complete if it were not for the services and supports provided by MSS.

·      Family members, funders, and referral sources consistently reported a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by MSS. Funders noted that the organization's reporting is timely and accurate and that MSS follows up on questions and concerns in a timely manner. One funder reported that its only complaint is that MSS does not have more capacity to serve more job seekers due to its professionalism, responsiveness, and results-driven practices.

·      MSS maintains a standalone art gallery that serves as an outlet for persons served to show and sell their artwork. This space also serves to provide outreach into the community for artists who can engage persons served. The gallery also serves to increase awareness in the community for the services and supports provided by the organization.

·      The art activities used for exploration and employment opportunities for the individuals served are creative and comprehensive, with extensive use of various mediums, including pottery, painting, digital art/printing, drawing, collage, and sculpting.

·      MSS has inviting locations that are welcoming, accessible, and mindfully designed for the individuals served. There are displays of the artwork of the individuals served throughout the buildings. The themed classrooms offer activities that individuals choose where they would like to participate during the day, including technology, sensory, cooking, art, music, gaming, and gardening.

·      Parents and guardians expressed their gratitude for the supports that MSS provides, stating, "We are extremely happy with the services, and the staff go above and beyond for growth and to be a part of a community." Another family member mentioned that MSS "meets the individuals where they are in life and each and every day." Many also indicated that MSS is transparent and communicates both the positives and negatives to ensure that there is consistency in services.

·       Staff members exude dedication to and care and compassion for the individuals served. It is evident that the staff respects and is dedicated to providing new engagement and enrichment activities. Staff members have been creative and think outside of the box for activities and community engagement.

·      Referral sources were complimentary of the services provided by MSS. They stated that MSS is person-centered and provides excellent services for an extremely vulnerable and fragile population. The wide variety of engagement activities is a major consideration when referral sources discuss service locations.