HRA - Helping Restore Ability

1635-A W. Division

Arlington, TX 76012

phone 817-469-1977

fax 817-461-2334

8625 King George Dr. Ste 242

Dallas, TX 75235

HELPING RESTORE ABILITY (HRA)

Annual Report 2004

Dear Friends of HRA:

What an incredible year we have experienced here at HRA! At the very beginning of 2004, our founding father John Dycus made the bold prediction that “this is the year of HRA” – and he was so right!

This year, HRA has grown and expanded the range of programs and services available to those with disabilities in our community three-fold. In other words, in 2003 HRA provided services through three programs, and in 2004 we have expanded and now offer services through 10 different programs – and that’s not all.

In terms of programs, HRA secured contracts to offer three different types of Primary Home Care services, both to adults and children throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex area, so that services are available immediately to those who need them while waiting for more extensive programs to open up. We also became a Direct Service Provider for the CLASS program, and in our home health program, we have obtained contracts with third party insurance providers so that we can now provide skilled nursing and therapies to people with health care insurance.

HRA also now provides homemaker services and attendant care to the elderly of Tarrant County through a contract with the Area Agency on Aging. Services have also been expanded to provide care to those with developmental disabilities such as mental retardation and autism through contracts with MHMR of Tarrant County, and Dallas Metrocare Services.

In 2004, HRA stretched out our arms and hands to reach more people in our community and make them aware of our services. Through weekly “Helping Hands Luncheons”, over 500 new people came through our doors and learned what we do, who we serve, and what we need to do even more, and over 200 people attended our first annual “Hand in Hand” fundraising event, where a record $80,000 was pledged and received from these new friends. These newcomers are bringing their friends and associates to assist in achieving our new mission, “To promote independence and enrich the lives of those we serve” , and many are partnering with us to reach out to people in need.

Some examples of these partnerships are the Wheelchair Foundation, which has provided over 270 new wheelchairs to people in our community free of charge, the First Presbyterian Church of Ft. Worth that awarded a grant to HRA to be used to establish the Senior Emergency Fund to assist the elderly in Tarrant County with emergency needs, AMBUCS of Arlington that is working with us to build the first completely accessible playground for children with disabilities, Arlington Women’s Club that provides free household items for our clients, Southwest High School Media Arts students that produced videos of our clients telling their stories – and so many more. It has been through these partnerships that HRA’s ability to reach out and touch so many lives has been possible.

Through the dedication and far-reaching vision of the HRA Board of Directors, the support and devotion of our friends in the HRA Advisory Council, and the ever-expanding circle of volunteers that have built ramps, painted houses, redesigned our brochures and written materials, and provided interpretation services, there has not been a challenge that has gone unmet this year.

And yet we have so many dreams…we want the day to come that through continued expansion of the many services available, there will not be a waiting list for those who need us. It is so hard to tell a single mother who is recently disabled and is about to lose custody of her children because she can no longer care for them that help will be available in about two years – if the state lifts the freeze on taking people off of the waiting list. That mother does not have two years to wait – and neither do we.

Thanks to you and all of the people like you who believe that to give and serve others is what really matters, we are now able to respond and offer a ray of hope. We may not be able to do everything for everyone, but we can do just enough for those who truly need us to make a positive difference in their lives and in the fabric of our community. And that, my friends, is what it’s all about.

Blessings to you all,

Vicki Niedermayer

Executive Director

HELPING RESTORE ABILITY

Helping Restore Ability was originally named “Arlington Handicapped Association” (AHA) and was founded in Arlington, Texas in 1977 by Sam Provence along with John Dycus and friends. As a 501(c) (3) non-profit agency, HRA provides through its programs thousands of hours of services per year to clients with severe physical disabilities throughout the state of Texas, primarily in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area.

Our mission: “To promote independence and enrich the lives of those we serve”

CLIENT MANAGED PERSONAL ATTENDANT SERVICES (CMPAS) - is a personal care assistant program offered to adults with various disabilities. The CMPAS program is funded through the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS) to serve Tarrant County, Dallas County and the nine surrounding counties.

CONSUMER DIRECTED SERVICES (CDS) - is an option for children & adults with disabilities throughout the state of Texas. The program provides Personal Assistance Services and Respite Services within the home. Referrals are received through TDHS.

HOME HEALTH SERVICES – At the direction of your doctor, home health services are provided to those living in Dallas, Tarrant and the thirteen surrounding counties may include but is not limited to:

· Skilled Nursing Care following the physician’s plan of care.

· Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy.

· Medical Social Services to help patients and their families with emotional, social and environmental difficulties which may hinder the patient’s recovery.

· Home Health Aide Services to assist with the patient’s personal care and activities of daily living.

PRIMARY HOME CARE PROGRAM – The PHC program has three types of services available in Dallas, Tarrant and the nine surrounding counties. All three programs provide in-home attendants for adults and/or children whose health problems cause them to be functionally limited in performing activities of daily living.

COMMUNITY LIVING ASSISTANCE & SUPPORT SERVICES (CLASS) – The CLASS program provides home and community-based services to individuals (Tarrant, Dallas, & thirteen surrounding counties) who have a qualifying disability, other than mental retardation, which originated before age 22 and which affects their ability to function in daily life. Services include: Adaptive Aids & Medical Supplies, Case Management, Habilitation, Minor Home Modifications, Nursing Services, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychological Services, Respite Care, Specialized Therapies, and Speech Pathology.

MR Services – HRA also provides services to individuals with mental retardation or autism living in their own homes through contracts with the local Mental Health Mental Retardation (MHMR) centers in Fort Worth and Dallas. Screening, eligibility and referrals are determined by the local MHMR center.

Elder Care – HRA partners with the local Area Agency on Aging to provide habilitation and in-home supports to the elderly living in our community while working to link them to long-term supports that are available. The Senior Emergency Fund assists in providing funds for emergency needs that are unavailable anywhere else.

Accomplishments and Milestones in 2004

HELPING RESTORE ABILITY (HRA) is the primary agency in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area with a 27-year history of providing awareness, information, case management, assessment, and in-home services and supports to the residents with disabilities in our community.

	In partnership with the Texas Department of Human Services (TDHS), HRA provided services and supports to 82 adults with disabilities through the CMPAS (Client Managed Personal Assistance Program) in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
	HRA was awarded a contract with TDHS in April, 2004 to provide Primary Home Care (PHC) Services to both adults and children with non-medical support needs, and served 10 people referred this year.
	Consumer Directed Services (CDS) is our largest program, providing financial case management and support to over 130 people *throughout the state of Texas*, including adults and children with significant disabilities.
	Home Health Care has been provided to 22 people this year, providing skilled nursing care, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and social work services to people with short-term health care needs as ordered by local physicians.
	HRA was certified as a Medicaid and Medicare provider, thereby expanding our ability to serve people through these programs. Services were also expanded to people with third party insurance provided by such carriers as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Amerigroup, and Primary Healthcare Systems (PHCS).
	Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) program began in October, providing extensive supports to people with significant disabilities. HRA has already received clients through transfers from other agencies in this newest program.
	Services were further expanded to people with developmental disabilities, including mental retardation and autism, through contracts with Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County (MHMRTC) and Dallas Metrocare Services. Habilitation, nursing and therapies are provided to persons living in their family homes. Although this is a relatively new contract, six persons have already been served through this new program.
	Homemaker and Personal Assistance Services were provided to 12 elderly residents of Tarrant County through an arrangement with Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to provide short-term care while we assist clients in enrolling in other, long-term care programs.
	In collaboration with the Wheelchair Foundation and Rotary International, HRA assisted in providing 270 free wheelchairs to clients in the community and over 30 other social service agencies, enabling people to mobilize and fully access their community.
	As a recipient of Virginia Hulse grant funds, HRA partnered with First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth to establish a Senior Emergency Fund. This program has provided adaptive aids such as walkers, shower chairs, and wheelchair and scooter repairs, installed grab bars, built ramps, purchased electric blankets and wheelchair batteries, and assisted with prescription medication costs for almost 100 elderly people in Tarrant County who have no other place to go for help.
	HRA staff continued to reach out into the community, attending multiple job and health fairs which reached over 1,500 people.
	An estimated 2,000 people have received information about various disabling conditions and the services available to assist individuals and families through educational presentations that have been given by HRA in a variety of forums, including businesses, Chambers of Commerce, churches, Rotary, Optimist, and Kiwanis Club meetings, and other locations.
	Over 60 people have provided in excess of 1,000 hours of volunteer service to HRA, valued at $30,000 in donated services and supports.

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