A Message to Families, Residential Providers, & Guardians:
We are happy to announce that we have received further guidance from the MN Department of Human Resources that allows us to begin providing remote services and also onsite support services for a limited number of clients at our programs. This guidance includes the following:
To help ensure physical distancing can be implemented, for each licensed site onsite occupancy will be limited to no more than 50% of the licensed capacity or a maximum of 50 people at a time, including employees, whichever is less.
Clients can be onsite for a maximum of a three (3) hour shift and program must document the start and end time of each shift, the DSPs who worked those shifts, and disinfect client areas between shifts.
Each client program area will have their own plan supplement detailing how they will implement the plan.
Our staff is reaching out to clients and their families to determine when they will return to Merrick.
We have created and updated a Covid-19 Preparedness Plan that follows the Minnesota Department of Health template and guidelines. Our Covid-19 Preparedness Plan can be viewed in its entirety here. We believe we are well prepared to meet the needs of the clients we support and understand that homes will decide when clients can return to our programs and hope that our plan provides you with details that are helpful in making this decision. We welcome any suggestions to improve the completeness and/or clarity of the plan and are happy to answer questions.
We will continue to update you as we receive additional information from DHS. As always, please contact me at 651-789-6209 or jwb@merrickinc.org with any questions or concerns.
We know that Merrick’s Bowl-A-Thon (BAT) is one of the events that clients and their families look forward to the most each year. While it was a difficult decision, the committee decided to cancel the postponed 2020 BAT. We will be contacting registered bowlers to determine if we can preregister them for the 2021 BAT. Thank you for your understanding and support of Merrick, especially during this unpredictable time.
We are grateful to our presenting sponsor, IPS CRANES for their dedication to Merrick and to the annual BAT. We look forward to working with this outstanding company next spring to host our 2021 BAT (date TBD).
As a non-profit organization, Merrick, Inc., uses contributions and revenue from our business operations to provide important life enrichment and employment supports for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
A crucial part of our business plan is to provide logistical support for business partners and our copy paper sales division. This requires some heavy equipment, including forklifts. Merrick has three forklifts, and at this point, two of the forklifts are inoperable and beyond repair. I am reaching out to you, a fellow business leader to ask for your help in identifying a reliable source where we could obtain a used forklift (donated or at a reduced price). Do you have a forklift that you will be replacing soon? Do you know a business owner you could refer us to?
If you think you could help us, please contact Merrick Operations Director, Pat Hanson atpath@merrickinc.org or 651-789-6222.
As you know, Merrick, Inc.’s Charity Golf Scramble was originally scheduled for one week from today but was ultimately postponed due to Covid-19. We are pleased to announce that arrangements have been made for the event to take place on Monday, August 17, 2020, at Troy Burne Golf Course.
Please mark this new date on your calendar and look for future updates regarding the event. If you haven’t already, register as a golfer or a sponsor today. The event costs $175 per golfer with sponsorships starting at $100. Thank you for your cooperation.
During the Corona virus peacetime emergency in 2020, Merrick, Inc., closed its support programs for adults with disabilities. This is a message of encouragement from staff to clients as we await their return to our programs.
Due to COVID-19, Merrick, Inc.’s Charity Golf Scramble will not take place on May 18, 2020, as planned. We are looking into rescheduling the event in the future. Thank you for understanding.
Unfortunately, Merrick, Inc.’s 18th Annual Bowl-A-Thon has been postponed and will not be taking place on Sunday, April 19, 2020, as originally planned. We hope to announce a new date for the event in the near future.
Merrick, Inc., a day training program located in Vadnais Heights, MN is dedicated to supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (aka clients) as they engage in a variety of vocational and life enrichment opportunities.
Some of these individuals served are interested in working at jobs that pay at least minimum wage and meet their personal interests. To best meet the needs of these individuals as well as those that are part of community-based work crews, our Independent Services Team focuses on identifying meaningful and preferred employment opportunities and works with these individuals to enhance their work and personal skills, empower them through self-advocacy, and expand participation in their communities. At this time, we are seeking an Employment Services Manager to oversee and champion the Independent Services Team so that adults with disabilities have the opportunity to pursue and achieve their goals of community employment.
Primary job duties of the Employment Services Manager
include:
Ensure client service delivery complies with applicable licensing regulations including MN Statutes 256.4914 Subd. 3, Clauses 23, 24, and 25, MN Statutes 245D.081, MN Rule 9544, etc.;
Direct the daily operations of Independent Services and oversee the development, implementation, and efficiency of daily schedules;
Supervise, train, evaluate, and support assigned Direct Support Professionals, ensure that they meet all required staff competencies, and maintain systems to verify hours worked and time off used;
Continually evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery, methodologies, and the progress made on clients’ individual CSSP-A outcomes;
Support and oversee Employment Exploration Services and Employment Development Services and support Employment Support Services;
Work closely with the Employment Support Manager, Program Plan Coordinators, and Direct Support Professionals to identify the skill sets and employment preferences of clients supported in community employment, assess the skills of individuals interested in transitioning to independent community employment, and be familiar with key communities of potential employment searches; and
Establish, cultivate, and maintain professional and respectful relationships with both current and potential employers as well as beneficial community partners such as DEED, Voc Rehab, Work Force Centers, VHEDC, and the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce.
Qualified candidates should possess the following:
A baccalaureate degree in a field related to human services, and one full year of full-time work experience providing direct care services to persons with disabilities or persons age 65 and older; or
An associate degree in a field related to human services, and two full years of full-time work experience providing direct care services to persons with disabilities or persons age 65 and older; or
A diploma in a field related to human services from an accredited postsecondary institution , and three full years of full-time work experience providing direct care services to persons with disabilities or persons age 65 and older; or
A minimum of 50 hours of education and training related to human services and disabilities; and four years of full-time work experience providing direct care services to persons with disabilities or persons age 65 and older under the supervision of a staff person who meets one of the educational/experience qualifications listed above.
Prior work experience placing people with an intellectual or
developmental disability into jobs that pay minimum wage or more.
Demonstrated management and supervisory skills and the ability to
productively converse with people in both formal and informal settings and
collaborate with clients, coworkers, and external constituents.
Good writing skills with an ability to use computer technology to
promote efficiency and enhance presentations/materials.
The physical demands described here are representative
of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential
functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the
employee must (i) be able to continually sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear
throughout each work day; (ii) be able to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel,
twist, and run; (iii) use hands to continually finger, handle, assist, grasp,
and feel; (iv) occasionally reach, push, and pull with hands and arms; (v)
regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up
to 50 pounds; and (vi) push and pull wheelchairs used by individuals weighing
100-200 pounds.
In addition, you
must be able to pass a criminal background check, a motor vehicle record check,
and a drug screen.
This is a full-time
position, working Monday through Friday/day hours, and is benefit eligible.
Join our team and
make a difference in someone else’s life!
Merrick, Inc., is an Affirmative Action/Equal
Opportunity Employer.
To apply, complete an online application or send a resume to Jane Peltier at Merrick, Inc., 3210 Labore Road, Vadnais Heights, MN 55110. You may also email a resume to JaneP@MerrickInc.org.
Assigned to Utility Services located at 3210 Labore Road in Vadnais Heights. Our Direct Support Professionals working in the vocational programs support, train, and supervise adults with intellectual disabilities who are interested in performing facility-based work contracts and/or community-based work opportunities. Specific duties include:
Supporting and supervising individuals with intellectual disabilities while they are engaged in a variety of work/vocational tasks and occasional rec/leisure activities;
Overseeing the work performed by the individuals to ensure that they are performing their duties in a manner that meets/exceeds business expectations;
Implementing a variety of person-centered planning goals;
Documenting on service delivery, progress on goals, outcomes, relevant events, activities, and payroll;
Assisting with personal cares as needed; and
Driving company vehicles as assigned.
Qualified candidates must possess the following:
A minimum of a high school diploma or GED. A community college AA degree, technical school degree, Human Service degree, or a four year Bachelor of Arts/Sciences is preferred;
A minimum of six to 12 months of work experience supporting individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities is preferred;
A sincere and passionate desire to work with persons with disabilities;
Committed to self-advocacy and person-centered planning principles;
Basic computer and data entry skills;
Comfortable and respectful when assisting individuals with personal cares;
Focused on the quality of work at all times; and
Meet the physical demands of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, including regularly standing, walking, and bending, occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds, and assisting persons with personal cares, ambulation, etc.
Candidate must able to pass a criminal background check, a motor vehicle record check, and a drug screen.
The position is part-time (27.5 hours per week, M-F day hours, is not benefit eligible) with the hourly rate of pay starting at $15.00. Position includes paid time off and paid holidays.
