Air Quality Safety

Health and Wellness

Clean air is something that is taken for granted in New York State. Climate Change has affected some weather patterns and caused hotter and bigger fires in Canada. Yes, Canada does have fires annually, but the smoke is usually pushed out to sea. This time, the weather pushed north to south – also not typical for this time of year. That brings out all the wildfire smoke. Any smoke is inherently bad for you as is any particulates within the smoke. The body can handle things in small doses but not nearly enough to contend with fires. Just remember that …

Summer Safety: Heat Waves

Health and Wellness

Summertime can be nice to enjoy since it only lasts a few months in a region known for long and harsh winters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) announced last week that El Niño is in effect. This means the Pacific Ocean surface temperature is warmer, effectively, making most of the world warmer. There is a high chance that there will be heatwaves in the Rochester area that can be lethal to even healthy people. Here are general tips to have a safe summer for yourself and others. Plan outdoor activities early in the morning or in the evening. …

Kathy Scorse Selected to Receive 2023 RBJ Financial Leaders Award

Staff Perspectives

The Arc of Monroe is thrilled to announce that the Rochester Business Journal (RBJ) and the Rochester Chapter of Financial Executives International have selected Kathy Scorse, Payroll Manager at The Arc, as a Financial Leaders 2023 honoree in the Payroll Director/Manager Category. Financial Leaders recognizes financial professionals who have made outstanding contributions to their organizations and to the Greater Rochester community during the past year. Nominees were judged based on their professional accomplishment within their category and on their civic commitment to the Rochester community by their contribution to the economic growth and stability of the region. Honorees for Financial …

Professional Spotlight: Behavior Intervention Specialist

Health and Wellness

What is mental health? It’s heard in the news here and there, but it’s often hard to find a definition of what “mental health” is. Are they talking about how many people need anti-depressants? Or do people talk about it more now because medical treatments are more widely available? What factors are at play, and is it more than chemicals bouncing around in the brain? Politicians and media will push around simple answers when it’s all entirely nuanced and solving the problem systemically would nearly be an upheaval of major parts of society. Mental health encompasses living conditions, health, security, …

Professional Spotlight: Speech Language Pathologist

Health and Wellness

How humans build a language from scratch is amazing and complex. At birth, an infant can only use its vocal cords to cry. They feel emotions and laugh, coo, and babble. In about a year, they can manage to form a first word. In a few more years, they can add more words, build sentences in grade school, and start to make abstract arguments by the end of high school. Commands from the brain, movement of the diaphragm, vocal cords, tongue, and mouth all work in sync to make all the parts of verbal communication possible. But the more complex …

Professional Spotlight: Creative Art Therapist

Health and Wellness

Communication. It’s speaking and writing. It’s tone and body posture. It’s fidgeting with hair, avoiding or engaging eye contact, a nervous tick, a smile, or a scowl. It involves culture – how a person grew up and how they view the world. It involves what a person wears, the condition of their clothes, the style of their hair. It is art in all forms. It’s music, literature, drawings, and paintings. A lecture from a professor down to the excited babbling of a two-year-old child. Conscious and unconscious thoughts of each person are utterly unique in their style of communication. There …

The Arc of Monroe Welcomes New Senior Director of Job Path Employment Services

Staff Perspectives

The Arc of Monroe recently promoted Kathryn Davidson to Senior Director of Job Path Employment Services following the retirement of Tammy Reynolds who celebrated more than 40 years of employment at the agency. Davidson received a BS in Social Work from Nazareth College before working at The Arc of Monroe in a variety of roles for the last 18 years. Prior to her promotion, Davidson held roles as a Direct Support Professional in The Arc’s residential program, an Employment Specialist at Job Path, an Enrollment Coordinator, a Community Based Assessment (CBA) Manager, and Director of Transition Services at Job Path. …

LifePrep@Naz Mentors

Volunteer

Having student mentors as part of the fabric of LifePrep@Naz is what makes this program such an incredible experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They not only provide support for LifePrep students, but also become genuine friends who make a life-long impact on their peers. Recently, we sent out a survey to all of our LifePrep Mentors to learn more about what makes this program so meaningful to them. The responses were amazing and truly highlighted the sense of comradery and respect that we strive to encompass in all Arc of Monroe programs.   100% of Mentors Agreed …

Grant from NADSP and OPWDD Allows The Arc of Monroe to Offer Professional Development Opportunities

Employment, Staff Perspectives

The Collaborative of NY recently received a grant through a collaboration between the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) that allows member agencies to offer professional development through the NADSP E-Badge Academy. The Arc of Monroe is excited to announce that we are one of those agencies! Participation provides an opportunity for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and values as they earn NADSP E-Badge Academy electronic badges (e-badges). Direct Support Professionals provide so much more than just assistance with daily tasks. They advocate for people with …

Holiday Emotions

Staff Perspectives

It’s near the end of the year, and winter holidays are drawing ever closer. Family and friends. Cookies and pies. Shiny lights and decorations. Nostalgic music and movies. Traditions from years past. There seem to be feelings of happiness wherever you go. There’s excitement in the air. So, why should you feel anything but joyful? You might get sad or angry and then feel guilty about that because you are supposed to be happy. You may think, “Am I broken?” It’s not explicitly said, but sometimes inferred as such, around this time of year. There are a lot of moving …