Issue VI - December 14, 2021
Grateful for our Community
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Dear Members, Families, and Friends,
This holiday season, we are reminded of the many things we are grateful for:
- Our members and families, who are steadfast and strong in realizing their goals, working and advocating with STC to achieve the fullest lives possible for themselves and their loved ones;
- Our incredible staff, who go above and beyond every day to serve the people who choose Southern Tier Connect as their CCO;
- And for our network partners, who are paramount in the work they do for the people in our community with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
One thing that proudly sets Southern Tier Connect apart from the other CCOs is our small size. Our staff live and work in the same hometowns as our members, giving us a unique opportunity to forge strong relationships with our provider network. We strive in all ways possible to provide our families, members, and provider partners with the best services possible.
As the year comes to a close, we want to extend our gratitude to all of you for choosing Southern Tier Connect. We are proud of all we have accomplished together this past year. Please read on for the latest inspiring stories and upcoming resources we have to offer in this latest edition of The Connection.
Sincerely yours,
Jess and Carey
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Jessica Colon
Assistant Director - Eastern Region
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Carey Peters
Assistant Director - Western Region
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Finding A Place of One's Own |
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Above: STC Member Patrick Keenan with his two pups, Chip and Dale, at Patrick's home in Oneonta.
Below, Right: Patrick and STC care manager, Ellen Pernat, sit at Patrick's dining table while having a check-in meeting.
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Patrick Keenan lives in a private apartment in Oneonta with his two small dogs, Chip and Dale. Chip and Dale have been close companions of Patrick since they were pups and they take daily walks together throughout the neighborhood. Often, they’ll take different routes, which gives them an opportunity to see and learn more about the city. Taking the dogs for a walk is one benefit of Patrick’s current living situation, but it took a bit of work to get him here.
Ellen Pernat is a care coordination manager at Southern Tier Connect who started working with Patrick in 2019 when she first started with the agency. Patrick had been living with his parents at his family home in New Berlin, but when his parents were moved to a nursing home, the house was put up for sale. Patrick was on his own and needed to find himself a new home. After connecting with Ellen through STC, it was evident that the first problem they would have to overcome together would be to locate a home for Patrick that also allowed Chip and Dale. Ellen used her network of local supports and worked with Patrick’s cousins, Tom and Karen Koch, to find the perfect apartment for Patrick in just two months.
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Thomas Slicer: Racing to the Top |
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Above: Thomas Slicer sits with Care Manager Terri McCue in the sunroom of his apartment in Oneonta. Below, Left: Thomas and his friend, Nick, out on a practice run.
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Thomas Slicer is a very determined 27-year old man. When he sets a goal for himself, he completes it, no matter what it takes. He excels in many areas but is particularly accomplished in athletics. Lately, Thomas’ main passion has been for running.
On October 10, 2021, Thomas ran the Mohawk to Hudson marathon in under three hours—2:48:33, to be exact—a time that qualified him to participate in the New York City and Boston Marathons. This is a huge accomplishment for anyone and Thomas achieved this goal entirely on his own with encouragement from his friends and family.
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Thomas grew up in Harpersfield on his father’s dairy farm. In his youth, he attended the School at Springbrook as a residential student for six years and a day student for four years. During that time, he played with the Springbrook Scorpions basketball and soccer teams, but he soon outgrew that level of athleticism and knew he was ready for more.
In July 2013, Thomas’ mother, Wendy Slicer, asked him if he would like the opportunity to attend Oneonta High School. It was a huge transition, but he was very successful. Right away he began to work with OHS Athletic Director Jerry Mackey and the Yellow Jackets’ Varsity Basketball team.
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Above: Thomas (center, white shirt) running the Mohawk-Hudson Marathon this past October.
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Thomas graduated from OHS in 2014 and spent another year obtaining his GED. “That was when I started my running career,” he said. Following graduation, he spent two years at SUNY Delhi majoring in Recreation and Sports Management. “I was a walk-on for the track team there,” said Thomas, “but the coach told me his roster was already too big to take me on unless I felt like I was ready to race. Those were my first two years running.” In 2017, Thomas left SUNY Delhi with an associate’s degree and a newfound passion for long-distance running.
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Just last month, Thomas’ application for the Boston Marathon was approved! Congratulations, Thomas!
Thomas is training now for the race on April 18, but in order to participate, a registration cost of about $200 was required. Fortunately, Thomas was able to pay the fee with money he has in a pooled trust with Springbrook.
Members of Southern Tier Connect are eligible for participation in the Springbrook Pooled Trust. This flexible, special needs trust allows people with I/DD to protect their assets — such as an inheritance, a lump sum payment, or any income — while remaining fully eligible for governmental programs and benefits such as SSI and Medicaid.
A pooled trust account can be opened for an initial investment of just $100. Upon the death of the beneficiary, any amount remaining in their account will be given to Springbrook to further its mission.
The pooled trust is a unique opportunity for individuals with disabilities and their families to realize ‘real time’ benefits with the potential to pay it forward and help ensure Springbrook’s financial future.
For more information please contact:
Stacey Grady, Director of Development at 607-286-7171 ext. 283
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Special Guest Webinar with
Syracuse University's InclusiveU
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Syracuse University is known all over the world as a leader in disability and higher education. At SU, we celebrate disability because it makes our campus stronger, more diverse, and much more interesting; until everyone is included, there is no real inclusion for anyone. InclusiveU is an initiative of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, committed to individualized and inclusive higher educational opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In this webinar, you'll hear first-hand from program staff and students to find out what it's really like to attend InclusiveU's program. Visit our website here for more information about the guest speakers.
Wednesday, December 15 | 11:30 p.m.
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Special Guest Webinar with College Works |
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CollegeWorks is a two-year post-secondary program for young adults with developmental disabilities on the campus of Mohawk Valley Community College. The goal of the program is to provide the training necessary for students to obtain employment at the time of graduation while enjoying life on a college campus. This program is funded through the NYS Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver.
Wednesday, January 15 | 11:00 a.m.
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More Information about CollegeWorks
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It's never too early to think about summer...
learn about the summer camps in YOUR area!
Please join us for a special Summer Camp two-part webinar series with ARISE, Camp ARCO, Pals, Lion's Camp Badger, Sky Lake Camp & Retreat, Arrowhead Shepherds Camp, and 4-H Camp Shankitunk. Representatives from each camp will give mini-presentations on their programs, eligibility requirements, cost, and registration process. Also joining us will be Stacey Grady, Director of Development at Springbrook, to discuss ways that Springbrook can help cover the fees for your child's camp this summer. Come see which one is right for you!
Wed Jan 19 & Wed Jan 26 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
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While COVID-19 prevention is still our first and foremost concern, we must not overlook the seasonal flu. It is more important than ever to receive a flu vaccination to protect yourself and your family. This is a simple and effective step to reduce the transmission of flu viruses and decrease the severity of symptoms if you were to get sick. To learn more about the flu click here.
To find a complete list of the places dispensing flu vaccinations please visit vaccines.gov. Below is a list of a few local organizations dispensing flu shots for your convenience.
· Walgreens - No appointment required
· Rite Aid - No appointment required
· Price Chopper - No appointment required
· Wal Mart - Appointment required
· Hannaford - No appointment required
· Well-Now Urgent Care - Appointment required
· Oneonta Specialty Services - Appointment required
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Updated Mask Mandate Throughout New York State |
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We are currently confronting a winter surge of COVID-19 throughout the state, with hospitalizations and positivity rates on the rise. In response to this, Governor Hochul has announced that New York businesses need to require proof of vaccination or mask-wearing indoors, starting Monday, December 13 through January 15 (when this policy will be re-evaluated).
While there have been new cases of the omicron variant found in NYS, the dominant strain being seen is still the delta variant. You can protect yourself against this variant with the vaccine and may want to consider getting a booster.
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Covid-19 Booster Shots - Do I need one? |
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health have recommended that everyone who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine should get a booster shot at least six months after their initial series, or anyone who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months after their single-shot receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine shot as a booster dose. |
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Other Covid-19 News
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On November 24, 2021, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529, was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). This variant is commonly known as the Omicron Variant and was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC). The CDC has been collaborating with global public health and industry partners to learn about Omicron, as they continue to monitor its course. In an interview with the Associated Press, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said the data is very limited and the agency is working on a more detailed analysis of what the new mutant form of the coronavirus might hold for the US. She said “the disease is mild” in almost all of the cases seen so far, with reported symptoms mainly cough, congestion, and fatigue. One person was hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported, CDC officials said. You can read the full article here, or visit this page for the latest updates from the CDC. You can also revisit the email we sent out regarding this announcement.
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PandaDoc & Electronic Signatures |
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Back in September, we introduced PandaDoc as a way for our members to complete and sign documents electronically. You can now electronically sign off on Life Plans, annual consents, reimbursement forms, checklists, and more!
You can always decide to sign documents in person if you prefer, but we hope that implementing this software will provide our members with more convenient options. Linked below is a recipient's guide to show you what PandaDoc looks like and what you need to do to complete a document. As always, reach out to your care manager if you have questions about PandaDoc.
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Thomas Slicer isn't the only STC member who likes to run! On November 7th, Janet Vance (seen here in the photo at right with her staff, Ed) participated in The Arc Otsego Hot Cocoa 5K Run & 1K Walk, Run, and Roll. Proceeds benefited The Arc Otsego's Helping Hands Fund, which assists individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to seize life's opportunities and overcome life's challenges. This race truly makes life sweeter for people with I/DD in our community!
The timed 5K course traversed through Neahwa Park, down War Memorial Drive, through the City of Oneonta, returning to end in the park.
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The untimed 1K Walk, Run, and Roll took place entirely within Neahwa park. For a delicious finish, all participants received a cup of hot cocoa!
Janet also participates in the Pit-Run every year. Thanks for sharing, Janet!
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We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Connection e-newsletter. Do you have a story to share? Email Emily Falco at marketing@southerntierconnect.org, or by calling 607-644-3946. You can also tell your care manager you if would like to be featured in our next issue and have them set up a time for us to interview you. Tell us about your goals, your accomplishments, or just something fun you have been up to. Your stories are important to us!
If you would like to share your story or know of a resource that could be useful to our members, please reach out to us. We want to hear from you!
Know someone who might want to join our mailing list? Please forward them this email and have them visit our website to sign up.
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