Food is Medicine
The link between nutrition and mental health, and how NEXDINE Hospitality can be a differentiator at your Community. Did you know that the brain consumes 20% of a person’s daily caloric intake, approximately 400 calories per day? In fact, it is composed of 60% fat and contains high concentrations of cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acids…
Healthy Board Conflict
Whenever I hear a board member say how like-minded the board is and how everyone agrees with each other, I get worried! Good board governance requires asking hard or unpopular questions, and some healthy dialogue that pushes critical thinking. In the Anabaptist tradition, we value mutual accountability; understanding that Jesus is our model for how…
Empower and Retain Your Front-line Workers
Engaged and empowered employees are the keystone to the success of your organization. Yet, a repeated theme I hear from MHS ministries across the country is you don’t have enough of them. This is particularly true of the front-line worker, the very employees who bring your ministries to life. New employees don’t show up for…
Using Objectives to Make Impact
Are you considering taking on new challenges or seeking growth on a personal or professional level in 2023? Many people look to the beginning of the year as a time to name their intentions for the year. Setting objectives to meet these intentions that inspire and stretch you can set you on a path for…
Engaging New Board Members
What is the best way to ensure the engagement, effectiveness, and commitment of a new board member? The best answer to that question is a good orientation and onboarding plan. A board orientation program does not have to be complicated. It does need to have the commitment of current board members, the organization’s CEO, and…
Gifts That Help Now
Many giving strategies can help your donors increase their impact on your organization immediately and its important initiatives while also building charitable tax advantages. Charitable IRA rollover If a donor has an Individual Retirement Arrangement, they’re likely familiar with the requirement that they must withdraw a certain percentage from their account beginning at age 72,…
Webinar Recap – Finding Revenue and Savings
Organizations are continuously looking for ways to improve their revenues. The more they can save, the more they can put those dollars back into programs and services that benefit their community. In this webinar, Finding Revenue and Savings, Alliance Purchasing Network (APN) and two of their vendors (Entegra and Inovalon) provided solutions to improve MHS…
Three Productivity Hacks for You and Your Team
I have tried more productivity systems and philosophies than I’d care to admit. Finding ways to improve productivity, increase output, and continuously improve is alluring. The ultimate goal is to get back more time to focus on things that matter to us. For teams, the goal is to support your teams in working on the…
Three Foundations of a Successful Board
The importance of the role the Board of Directors plays cannot be overstated. The Board of Directors’ primary goals are to serve in the best interest of their organization and serve as stewards to guide their organization into the future. Despite differences in how an organization may operate and the industry they serve, every Board…
Three Practices for More Effective & Efficient Board Meetings
I am often asked how a board can be more efficient and effective. This is an important topic for busy volunteer board members! The first step to greater efficiency is creating an annual board work plan or board schedule (click here to download MHS’ sample annual board work plan). This can be a very simple…
Amplify your mission. Change the world.
Personal values drive our decisions in a fast-paced society with little time to reflect on why we do what we do. In health and social services organizations, your culture, client care philosophies, operations, marketing, advancement programs, and yes – investments – reflect your values. Your organization exists to create change in your community and…
Webinar Recap – Staying Relevant in Today’s Staffing Market
Recruitment and retention are a constant struggle in today’s health and human service industries. It’s no secret that staffing obstacles are especially challenging in the current market, but how are organizations combatting this? In this webinar, Staying Relevant in Today’s Staffing Market, panelists discuss creative hiring and benefits strategies that have bolstered their staffing abilities.…
Webinar Recap – Fostering the Board & CEO Relationship
It takes more than “putting a ring on it” to unify a Board and CEO relationship – wouldn’t it be nice if it were that easy? Karen Lehman, President / CEO of MHS Alliance and Consulting, shared with us some helpful tips on how to foster that connection – no diamond rings necessary. Karen…
Seeking Your Calling
Jerry Lile, CEO of Fairmount Homes and MHS Board Member, shares a devotional exploring God’s calling on his life. Parker J Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation Listening to Life: Ask Me Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into…
De-Mystifying Strategic Planning
The strategic planning process can seem overwhelming because we do it so infrequently, but strategic planning should be a regular part of your board’s work cycle. It ensures that your organization is proactive rather than reactive, it establishes an opportunity for your board to consider new opportunities or changes to current service lines and programs,…
Engaging New Board Members
Welcoming a new board member is an important time. You have the opportunity to bring a new, fresh perspective to your board and organization. There can be a steep learning curve for a new board member and it can take months for them to get up to speed and feel comfortable sharing ideas. To speed…
Telling Your Story in a Noisy World
How do you get noticed when everyone is competing for the same attention? It is almost impossible for a business today to not have a social media presence. It is the most direct way to communicate and receive feedback from your audience. Since everyone is on social media, it can be tough to cut through…
Productivity Systems and Finding What Works for You
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – Adam Clear, Atomic Habits Many people have spent the last few years trying to find the best and most efficient ways to stay productive, amid ever-changing work landscapes. Where we work, how we work, and what…
Fostering the Board & CEO Relationship
What is one of the most important reasons why an organization goes from being a good organization to being an exceptional organization? It is the people, their values and commitment, that make an organization exceptional! At the helm of an exceptional organization is a strategic and visionary Board of Directors who understand their important role…
A Board’s Role In Fundraising
Board service is truly a labor of love to the organization that you serve. Board members can have a wide range of responsibilities including developing strategic goals and objectives, identifying goals and opportunities of the CEO, and governing the organization, among others. One responsibility that can get overlooked is fundraising. Board members are excellent fundraisers…
MCUSA Delegate Assembly Unanimously Approves Accessibility Resolution and Launches Welcoming EveryBODY Initiative
Delegates at Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) Special Session of the Delegate Assembly unanimously approved the MC USA Accessibility Resolution. The resolution commits to “calling out and employing the leadership gifts of people with disabilities”. This resolution was sponsored by MHS and was a collaboration between MHS and Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN). “This resolution was…
Webinar Recap – CEO Succession Planning Part 2- Lessons Learned from the New CEO
MHS presented “CEO Succession Planning Part 2- Lessons Learned from the New CEO” on May 24, 2022. The webinar focused on the new incoming CEO and their experience transitioning into their role. Sometimes the best-designed plans and considerations may not be what is most helpful or needed. Each organization is unique as is each new…
Webinar Recap – Innovative Leadership and Brain Science: Introducing the SCARF Model
MHS presented “Innovative Leadership and Brain Science: Introducing The SCARF Model” on April 26, 2022. The webinar was presented by Dr. Dino Signore, President of The Signore Group Inc. Brain science has become a hot topic in business over the last few years. New insights into how our brains work are being directly applied by…
Trends in Retention and Recruitment
It is no secret that a tight labor market continues to plague industries across the country with health and social service providers being among the hardest hit. While health and social service doesn’t have the option to transition staff to remote work, employers are finding success by utilizing several new trends in workforce recruitment and…
Our Journey Towards Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
By Roy Teramoto, MHS Board Member One of the values identified by the Board of Directors for MHS Alliance is pursuing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. As Anabaptists, reconciliation is the center of our work. We seek peace, wholeness, and justice for and with all people. While this should be reason enough to embark on…
MHS Awards Six Academic Scholarships
Pictured left to right: Elmer-Ediger Memorial Scholarship recipients Carissa Mast, and Gabrielle Ott of Goshen College and Miller-Erb Nursing Scholarship recipients Abigail Keiwua and Rosabel Evangelisa Rios of Goshen College. MHS awarded six academic scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year. The Miller-Erb Nursing Scholarship presented two eligible students $2,500 each to pursue a bachelor of…
Webinar Recap: February 17, 2022 – Selecting the Right People: Effective Hiring Strategies and Best Practices
MHS presented “Selecting the Right People: Effective Hiring Strategies and Best Practices” on February 17, 2022. The webinar was presented by Jeremy Kauffman, Managing Director of MHS Consulting. With continued workforce pressures, there’s been lots of conversation about recruiting and retention. But sandwiched in the middle of these two things is the process of screening…
Good Governance Practices – Board Policies Part 2
When everything is running smoothly and everyone knows their role and responsibility, the need to have good governance policies and practices is not a high priority. But the minute something bad happens or leadership changes, the value of having a set of policies to fall back on and guide board action becomes critical. An article…
5 Ways to Be a Better Leader Using Brain Science
It’s no secret that as leaders you want to maximize your team’s engagement and their ability to collaborate. It’s also no secret that ongoing change fatigue, being chronically under resourced, and a persistent sense of threat from COVID are not tools to improve engagement and collaboration. This is no wonder as social neuroscientists will tell…
Webinar Recap – “Pandemic Stress and the Power of Resilience”
MHS presented “Pandemic Stress and the Power of Resilience” on February 8, 2022. The webinar was presented by Steve Chupp, a Consultant, Facilitator, and Speaker. The current pandemic is undermining the mental and emotional wellbeing of many individuals, families, organizations, and churches. Combined with the rising tide of anger and division in society, debilitating levels…
What Are Board Policies?
Even the most organized, responsible, and amiable board needs to document its activities, internal policies, practices, and processes. Some of the documentation is legally required while some is simply helpful to have in guiding the work of the Board and Executive Leadership. Some documents should be kept confidential, while other information can be shared beyond…
Webinar Recap – “CEO Succession Planning: Best Practices and Lessons Learned ”
MHS presented “CEO Succession Planning: Best Practices and Lessons Learned” on January 25, 2022. The webinar was presented by Karen Lehman, President/CEO of MHS. Karen was joined by J. David Yoder, recently retired CEO of Sunnyside Village and Will Barnhart, Board Chair of Mennonite Services Northwest. Karen and our panelist shared their experiences of their…
Three Factors for Hiring the Right People
With continued workforce pressures, there’s been lots of conversation about recruiting and retention. Organizations are putting significant time and resources into developing strategies in these areas. This effort is understandable and necessary. But sandwiched in the middle of these two things is the process of screening candidates and making decisions about how to hire. Hiring,…
Mediation for MHS Board
By Larry Miller, MHS Board member & MHS Consulting Board Chair We are familiar with the 3 great passages in the scripture. They are: The great commission – Matt 28; 19 “ Go and make disciples”The great commandment – Matt 22:37 “ Love the Lord your God”The great requirement – Micah 6:8 8 He has told…
Webinar Recap – “What Motivates Employees: A Multi-generational Roundtable Discussion”
MHS presented “What Motivates Employees: A Multi-generational Roundtable Discussion” on December 16, 2021. The webinar was presented by Jeremy Kauffman, Managing Director of MHS Consulting. Jeremy was joined by Rose Schrock (Baby Boomer) from Pleasantview, Grace Esquivel (Millennial) from Pleasantview, Devon Reynolds (Millennial) from Tel Hai Retirement Community, and Mindy McLaughlin (Gen X) from Tel…
Mark Leinbach transitioning December 31
Mark Leinbach is transitioning as Executive Director of SpringHaven after 8 years of service. Prior to his role as Executive Director, he served as Clinical Director of Woodside Rest at SpringHaven. Mark also worked as a Mental Health Clinician at YHRC Leinbach received his BS in Social work from Goshen College. He also received master…
J David Yoder Retiring January 14
J. David Yoder is retiring as Executive Director of Sunnyside Village after 13 years of service. Yoder, in his retirement announcement, said “We [J David and, wife, Nancy] are grateful to the Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve at Sunnyside and are committed to work with the Board and staff for a smooth…
Leland Sapp transtioning December 31
Leland Sapp is transitioning as CEO of Peaceful Living after 6 years of service. Sapp will transition to become CEO of Vista Care, a multi-state provider of more than 40 service lines, based out of Wisconsin, including residential, life sharing, and day programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, addiction recovery, traumatic brain injury,…
Gwen Shuit Retires November 30
Gwen Shuit will retire as CEO of Friendship Communities on November 30. She has been with the organization for over 11 years. Prior to her service with Friendship Communities, she also served as Healthcare Administrator at Willow Valley Retirement Communities and as NHA Administrator, VP at Tel Hai Retirement Community. Shuit received her BSN in…
COVID-19 Impact on Supply Chain Disruptions and Price Increases
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be the catalyst to the disruptions within the global supply chain, but it is not the only contributing factor for these ongoing shortages. There have been several supply chain interruptions within the past 18 months, such as the logistical conundrum of the Suez Canal blockage, the freight backlog and plastic…
Assessing excellence through the lens of faith-based mission
Educational Assessment Guidelines Leading toward Excellence (EAGLE) has gained recognition in recent years as the only faith-based accrediting body in the country. It focuses on ministries serving older adults, children, youth and families, and developmentally disabled persons. EAGLE’s ten principles place emphasis on service and operational excellence, quality and how applicant organizations incorporate their Christian…
Seeking Board Nominations
The MHS Board is seeking nominations for three Board positions that will open at the end of March 2022. The Board meets three times per year, in-person two times per year at locations near MHS member organizations, and one time per year via zoom. If you are interested or know of someone that would be able…
MHS Announces Two Academic Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MHS109 E Clinton St., Suite 5Goshen, IN 46528info@mhsonline.org MHS will offer the Miller-Erb Nursing Scholarship and the Elmer-Ediger Memorial Scholarship for 2022-2023 school year. The application period for both scholarships is January 1through March 15, 2022. The Miller-Erb Nursing Scholarship is for $2,500 and will be awarded to two eligible students pursuing…
Jeff O’Neal Started as the New CEO at Brook Lane on October 18
Jeffery D. O’Neal, MBA, LCPC, FACHE, began as the new CEO at Brook Lane on October 18. Prior to this, Jeffery was with UPMC Western Maryland for 17.5 years, with 12 years as System Director of the Behavioral Health Service Lines, and and the past 5 years as the Executive Director of Clinics, Practices and…
Karl Brummer New President and CEO at Messiah Lifeways
Karl Brummer started as the new President and CEO at Messiah Lifeways in September. Prior to this role, Karl served as Senior Vice President. Before coming to Messiah Lifeways, Karl was the Senior Executive Vice President for Cross Keys Village, a neighboring Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). Before working in long-term care, Karl has worked…
Linda K. Lownsbery Named Vice President of Human Resources at Landis Communities
Linda K. Lownsbery, of Elizabethtown, Pa., has been named the new Vice President of Human Resources at Landis Communities. Most recently she served as Vice President of Human Resources for The Wenger Group, Inc., where she led Human Resource functions for an organization of nearly 500 employees. President/CEO Larry Zook commented, “From our beginning we…
Adriel School, Inc. Receives Reaccreditation
Adriel School, Inc. has been reaccredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) as of October 1. In addition, Adriel School, Inc. was expedited through the Pre-Commission Review Report (PCR) process as a result of not receiving any out-of-compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice standards. Congratulations Adriel!
Coaching: One Approach to Retaining Your Staff
by Jeremy Kauffman Only 26 % of employees strongly agree that feedback helps them do better work Only 2 out of 10 managers know how to coach employees. 87% of Millennials list professional growth and development opportunities as important in their job The pressure to retain our employees continues to mount. Large numbers of the…
Your Words Responses for October
What’s your “go-to” work snack? A piece of fruit and raw almondsJen Foster, Executive Director of CCMRS Protein barChrista Held, Director of Donor Engagement at Peaceful Living Black bean brownies! (full of protein, and just a little sweet!)Geneve (Evie) Telfer, Director of Pastoral Ministries at Messiah Lifeways AlmondsAllen Rutter, Executive Director of Shalom Ministries Cashews…
Leadership Changes
Curt Stutzman will be retiring from Messiah Lifeways on September 30, after eight years with the organization. Stutzman oversaw the Project Envision expansion that created new living spaces across the Messiah Village campus, and the expansion of Mount Joy Country Homes. During his tenure, the Rising Leaders Academy developed leaders at all levels and encouraged…
In Pursuit of Board Excellence
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO The financial and strategic pressures from COVID make a highly functioning Board of Directors more important than ever. MHS offers a number of tools and resources to support excellence in Board Governance. Are you making the most of your MHS membership? The following are available to all MHS Members at…
Leading the Path to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
By Cynthia Miller, MHS Executive Coordinator You cannot lead others to a destination you have never been. The journey of many begins with your own personal journey. In John Maxwell’s wisdom he writes: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Diversity, equity and inclusion is the new…
A First-hand Look at a Risk Manager’s Role
MHS interviewed Arielle Schultz, Compliance and Risk Manager at Mennonite Village in Albany, Oregon to give our readers a first-hand look at the experiences of a risk manager. Share how you came to the role of Risk Manager at Mennonite Village. I worked at the Mennonite Home as a CNA/Team Leader in the rehab unit…
Your Words Responses for August 2021
What’s your happy place? Sitting on the beach in Hilton Head, South Carolina watching the waves crash.Jerry Lile, CEO of Fairmount Homes Lido BeachLeland Sapp, CEO of Peaceful living My happy place is seeing an organization achieve it’s mission and strategic initiatives!Allon Lefever, Board Chair of Landis Communities With my family, wherever that may be!Jennifer…
The Board’s Role in Risk Management
by Karen Lehman What is the role of the Board when it comes to risk management? There are several reasons why a governing Board needs to pay attention to issues that relate to organizational risks; It is the Board’s responsibility to ensure effecting planning for all of the programs and service lines of the organization,…
Alisa Miller to Leave MHS and MHS Consulting
After more than eight years of service, Alisa Miller will resign as MHS Chief Financial Officer and MHS Consulting Managing Director, to pursue a new opportunity as CEO of Kairos Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of LeadingAge PA. Alisa joined MHS Consulting in January 2013. In that role, she served MHS members and other…
Upgrade Your Quality of Care with Obie, An Award-Winning Interactive Gaming System
Obie for Seniors is an award-winning interactive gaming system that offers meaningful play for seniors. Seniors engaged in high quality, active play-based experiences will feel better about their physical capabilities and improve their willingness to socialize. 97% of seniors using Obie show significant motoric improvement, Senior Care During Covid-19. Obie for Seniors is a high…
Engaging Yourself and Others Missionally
by Clare Krabill Engagement. It’s a buzz word we hear a lot lately. How do we engage our colleagues and keep them engaged? How do we engage our clientele in our services and our donors in our cause? How do we keep ourselves engaged in our ministry’s mission? We ask these questions because we know…
The Board’s Role in Fundraising
Things to Remember: The number one reason why people do not donate to an organization is that they are not asked to do so. (Faith-based organizations — churches, etc. — receive 32 percent of all giving because they ask for donations every week.)Involvement invites investment.The board must role model giving behavior for other prospects and…
Keep your community safe: Emergency Preparedness
Do you know your disaster risk? Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and tornados, are more likely to happen in certain geographical locations because of weather patterns and regional characteristics. Are you prepared? Your community likely has an emergency plan in place to keep your residents, staff and structures safe, but it doesn’t hurt to…
Your Words Responses for July 2021
What is the best lesson you’ve taken away from meeting in virtual formats? That I really miss meeting in person. More challenging to pull yourself away from the the usual daily tasks when Zoom meeting in the office.Delvin Zook, CEO of Rock of Ages Mennonite Home First I will say being in person is always…
Dreaming of Post-Pandemic Normalcy, So Why Am I Feeling Tired & Anxious?
by Karen Lehman, MHS President/CEO Burnout, exhaustion, stress, anxiety, depression or just an overall blah feeling are real issues that many of us are experiencing right now. As pandemic restrictions are starting to lift and there is movement toward normalizing our lives again, many of us are dreaming about gathering with family and friends and…
Four Qualities for Stronger Governance
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO “If only I knew then what I know now.” This is something we all tell ourselves at some point in our leadership journey. Most likely, at many points along the way! When I was 36, I began my first tenure on a board of directors and at 42, I moved…
Wishing Twila All the Best
After more than three years with MHS, Twila Albrecht, Program Manager, will be leaving to pursue a Masters in Conflict Management at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego in California. If you haven’t interacted with Twila directly, you almost certainly benefitted from her prolific work at our…
Your Words Responses for June
Who is your favorite professional development author? Richard Rohr and/or Brian McLarenTimothy Weaver, Chaplain at The Community at Rockhill John MaxwellJohn C. Maxwell, Founder-Author at Injoy Services Stephen coveyDennis Koehn, Principal at Koehn Consulting Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen (Thanks for the Feedback)Evie Telfer, Residential Living Pastor, Assistant Director of Pastoral Ministries at Messiah Lifeways…
New CEO Roundup
Marcy Johnson began as CEO at Prairie View Inc. on May 5. Johnson comes to Prairie View from Mirror Inc. where she served as the Vice President of Treatment/Chief Clinical Officer. She has over 18 years of experience in behavioral health, with 13 being in various clinical and leadership roles within Community Mental Health Centers…
Equipping Leaders to Sustain Anabaptist Values
By Mim Shirk, President/CEO, Anabaptist Providers Group Leaders of Anabaptist nonprofit organizations are responsible to maintain organizational cultures that align with the organization’s mission and values. Regardless of how familiar the leaders are with Anabaptism, keeping mission and values alive happens only with intention. Here are three ways organizations can equip leaders for an Anabaptist values-driven…
Be part of the Safer in Senior Living Movement
Webinar: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 @ 2:00 pm CST Safer in Senior Living was launched on May 1, as a new initiative to promote the benefits of senior living communities. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed how senior living is perceived resulting in record low occupancy levels, a drop in public confidence, and fewer seniors considering…
Your Words Responses for May
What spiritual practices have improved your ability to positively motivate, develop and lead your colleagues? Motivating others starts with motivating myself and being the best role model, which means that my own self-care and emotional/psychological wellbeing is critical. Spending time daily on a spiritual practice has been most important for me in my leadership role.Karen…
Employee Retention: practicing your faith
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO I remember almost 15 years ago hearing about a leader named Steve from those who had worked with him. They all agreed they would have given their absolute best for Steve. They knew he gave his best for them, believed the best in them and invested in their best outcomes.…
Employee Retention from a Millennial’s Perspective
by Twila Albrecht, MHS Program Manager My parents still get a kick out of telling their friends about the letters I used to write to the president of the United States when I was in 2nd grade. We were learning about rainforests and deforestation and I became deeply concerned why the president was cutting down…
Your Words Responses
What is your favorite interview question to ask? Why? Tell me what attracts you to this organization and how do those characteristics fit with your own values? Because I believe this gets to how an employee or student fits within the system, their own values, and their motivations.Don Tyson, Professor of Nursing, MSN Programs Director…
Reduce Your Kitchen Risk and Deliver What Residents Crave
Managing cooking oil and grease disposal is one of the most dreaded tasks in any kitchen. It’s dangerous. It’s messy. It’s labor-intensive. It can even be costly if someone gets hurt in the process. That’s why you need Total Oil Management—the all-in-one solution for fresh cooking oil delivery, grease removal and recycling at the push…
2021 Mennonite Health Assembly Meets Member Needs in a New Way
Enlightening, uniformly excellent, relevant and dynamic. These are how some Mennonite Health Assembly attendees described this year’s Mennonite Health Assembly, held March 9-11. Attendance was up about 50% over past, in-person Assemblies. 230 MHS members and friends registered for this year’s event. The three days were filled with opportunities to learn, engage, grow and be…
Seeking Indoor Air Quality Enhancements?
Enhancing indoor air quality is a top priority for many communities. A community with a safe indoor environment provides overall health and peace of mind for residents and families, eliminates fears of communal living, and increases resident occupancy levels by differentiating the safety within the community. As a result of COVID-19, indoor air quality equipment…
Your Words Responses
What is something that started during the pandemic that you will continue to do when it’s over? I will continue to strategically connect with team members via zoom for brief meetings and check ins to mitigate transportation challenges and reduce travel time in our schedules.Jen Foster, Executive Director of Central California Mennonite Residential Services Continue…
Five Strategies for Recruitment
by Karen Lehman, MHS President/CEO At the MHS Members’ meeting in December, MHS asked members to rank their most pressing issues. It is not surprising that your highest priorities are recruitment and retention. MHS will continue to provide tools and resources that address these issues. Here are five recruitment ideas worth considering: Hire Displaced Workers.…
Gearing Up for Mennonite Health Assembly
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO You and your ministries have been on our minds a lot lately! One big way has been in planning an interactive, educational and inspirational online event for you. We have given quite a bit of thought to making it super accessible to your organizations as well. There are many ways…
You Spoke. We Listened
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO Many of you participated in the recent MHS member priorities survey and the annual MHS Members’ Meeting. You named the top 3 priorities you would like MHS to work on to support your ministries: staff recruitment and retention; board governance; and strategic planning. MHS staff have spent focused time considering…
Welcome Tim Stoll, New CEO at Thurston Woods
Tim Stoll started as the new CEO at Thurston Woods Village January 4th. Stoll comes from St. Joseph County Commission on Aging, and prior to that was COO and interim CEO at Heritage Community of Kalamazoo. Stoll says, “I’ve lived in this community my whole life and have had many personal connections to Thurston Woods.…
Welcome Kevin Paluszak, New Executive Director at Pleasant View, Inc.
Kevin Paluszak began his role as Executive Director for Pleasant View, Inc. at the beginning of this year. He comes to Pleasant View, Inc. from a consulting practice where he served providers of mental/behavioral health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services. Before that, Paluszak had over 20 years experience in residential programs, as a teacher,…
NEW Infection Control Solution
The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the landscape for infection prevention. Lessons learned continue to generate new guidelines and protocols to limit the spread of emerging viruses. New testing and technologies have arrived to mitigate surface bacteria, monitor contamination levels, and track infections. In order for communities to drive CMS compliance, the adoption of an…
Your Words Responses for February
What is one thing you’re looking forward to doing once you’re vaccinated? As more people on our campus are vaccinated, I’m looking forward to our residents getting some normalcy returned to their lives, and to seeing residents and family members physically reunite!Allen Geckle, CEO of Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg Travel! (I’m sure this is…
Thoughts on Self-Care in the New Year
by Karen Lehman, President/CEO of MHS The new year provides us with a symbolic opportunity to re-set how we care for ourselves and others. It’s a time to develop new resolutions for the year and consider changes we want to make. This year in particular, in the midst of a pandemic, there is a heavy…
MHS Innovation Grant
Are you looking for a resource to fund a new and innovative program to enhance the mission of your organization? MHS is pleased to announce the launch of the first annual MHS Innovation Grant. In August 2020, the MHS Board of Directors approved the launch of this grant program, making restricted endowment funds available for…
Manage Your Energy for Better Outcomes
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,’” Matthew 11:28, NLT The past year has been jam packed with challenges and change. If you are like many people you have learned about your ability to adapt and to innovate under pressure.…
Book Review
Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson by Karen Lehman, MHS president/CEO It is not often that I can read a nonfiction book in the same page-turning way that I read a good book of fiction. Sharing stories and providing short provocative narratives makes this book easy to read and hard to put…
2020 Members Meeting
The annual MHS Members Meeting was hosted virtually by MHS staff on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Karen Lehman provided updates on MHS members who are retiring and welcomed new CEO’s as well. A financial report was provided by Alisa Miller as well as an update on MHS Consulting. Clare Krabill provided updates on new MHS…
COVID-19 CARES Act: Funding, Reporting and Compliance Requirements
Mueller Prost, a CPS vendor partner, is supporting organizations as they navigate the CARES Act. Tiffany Karlin, Partner, Consulting Services and Director of Healthcare for Mueller Prost, provides the following insights and guidance. 2020 brought monumental shifts in how we live our lives, operate our organizations, and protect ourselves and loved ones. In response to…
Your Words Responses for January
What is one way you have practiced self-care during the pandemic? I downloaded the “pray as you go ” app and walk and listen as the sun is rising. Kevin King, Executive Director at Mennonite Disaster Service Making sure I walk between 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day. I listen to podcasts and books when…
John Hendrickson to Retire in February
John Hendrickson, CEO at Frederick Living will retire February 28, after more than 15 years with the organization. During his time at Frederick, Hendrickson is proud to be part of a 124 year heritage of service to older adults. He is particularly proud of the passion and dedication of his coworkers which have been even…
Thoughts on Accountability
by Karen Lehman, MHS President/CEO Like many others right now, I am completely drawn in to the Netflix series, The Crown. The perspective on history has been really interesting, but what has given me the most pause is the duality of the character’s role, the legal side and her personal needs and feelings; the…
Peace on Earth
by Clare Krabill, MHS COO “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” Luke 2:13-14 With this heavenly birth announcement came the good news of the ushering in of peace on earth.…
Your Words Responses for December
What is an innovative process your organization has employed for staff recruitment or retention during the pandemic? For recruitment, we have done a couple virtual job fairs through Indeed. We have done some zoom meeting interviews as well. For retention, we have partnered with We Care Connect to do Onboarding surveys. We are able to…
Navigating Your Procurement Strategy
As 2020 concludes, Care Purchasing Services (CPS) rejoices the achievements and recognizes the challenges that the pandemic has created for communities, staff and residents. Our goal at CPS is to understand what matters most to your community and support your procurement needs as you continue to navigate the pandemic and the new year. As MHS’s…
Is Telehealth Here To Stay?
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the acceptance of telehealth, and it is here to stay. Community leaders know that ignoring telehealth is not an option and are now incorporating telehealth strategies into their communities. Are you currently faced with selecting a technology platform that will elevate resident care, as well as address workflow and operational…
Nancy Hopkins-Garris to Retire in January
Nancy Hopkins-Garris, Executive Director at Pleasant View, Inc. (PVI), is scheduled to retire in January after 35 years with the organization – 29 years as Executive Director. During her time at the helm, PVI has grown in the number of services and the number of people supported. They have been innovative in their services in…
Making employees happier, healthier and more productive during COVID-19
by George Finney, CRPSEverence Director of Retirement Services One significant stressor challenges many employees Many organizations are trying creative ways to help employees stay positive during the pandemic. Yet, these methods often don’t address one key cause of their employees’ underlying stress: personal finances. Companies need to look at this issue if they want to…
Save the Dates for 2021 Mennonite Health Assembly
Our 2021 Mennonite Health Assembly will be completely online on Tuesday, March 9 through Thursday, March 11 from noon to 3:00 pm Eastern Time each day. We will have three excellent keynote speakers: Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, author of Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others; Philip Gulley, author…
Book Review: Virus as a Summons to Faith
by Clare Krabill, MHS Chief Operating Officer Purchase book for $12.88 at bookshop.org Virus as a Summons to Faith: Biblical Reflections in a Time of Loss, Grief, and Anxiety by Walter Brueggemann Walter Brueggemann, world renowned author and old testament theologian, published this book in 2020 after the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. As health…
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