From the desk of the WCS President & CEO:
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WCS Looks to Continue Its Community Impact in 2023
While 2022 is not yet a distant memory, we are well into the first quarter of 2023. Looking back at 2022, I marvel at how busy the year was for WCS and all the people whose lives were positively impacted by the programs and services we provide across communities in southeast Wisconsin. WCS is excited and poised to continue its work and mission in 2023. We will continue providing services in response to the needs of people in our communities and improving safety and well-being. We will look for the right opportunities to expand our services to children and adults with behavioral health needs and who are involved or at risk of involvement with the justice system. Supporting them on a self-directed path to stability, wellness, and recovery leading to an improved quality of life. Continuing and deepening our efforts and mission into 2023 begins with ensuring the services that we have provided during the last several years have the same level of quality and commitment to excellence. Making sure that all WCS programs are strength-based, person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally competent will remain a top priority.
In 2023, we will engage in multiple initiatives to strengthen our commitment to be a trauma-informed organization including involvement with a national intensive technical assistance cohort sponsored by the Great Lakes Mental Health Technology Transfer Center. Locally, we will have a team of WCS leaders participate in an intensive Responsive Workplace Training initiative sponsored by Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (also known as SWIM) that focuses on building a trauma responsive workplace.
As the needs and challenges of our communities evolve, WCS recognizes that as an important community resource and partner, we have an obligation to develop services and initiatives that are consistent with our mission, core competencies, and the needs of our communities. Some of the new programs and services that you will see in 2023 include strengthening our work to support people in recovery from substance use by opening Nova House in Milwaukee. Nova House is a permanent supportive housing initiative serving up to 14 adult men and women with a length of stay ranging from six months to two years. Nova House will utilize individuals with lived experience to provide onsite support. WCS will also expand work in providing supportive housing services to people with mental health and/or substance use needs under three new contracts with the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services Housing Division. These services will be provided at three supportive housing sites in the city of Milwaukee.
In December of 2022, WCS received its first national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The three year CARF accreditation is for the agency’s Bakari Center-Residential Care Center (RCC). WCS will devote time in 2023 to ensure that we remain in full compliance with the requirements set forth by CARF and determine if there are other WCS programs that should pursue CARF accreditation.
In 2023, we will also develop and implement initiatives to advance two of our most important strategic priorities:
- Attract develop, support and retain top talent
- Create a more welcoming environment for those we serve and staff
I invite you to stay tuned to see how WCS continues to evolve in 2023, always looking to do a better job meeting the needs of those in our community.
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Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul Visits WCS Hub & Spoke Program
On Friday, February 17th, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and other staff from the Wisconsin Department of Justice paid a visit to the WCS North Avenue Campus and the WCS Hub & Spoke Health Home program. This was the Attorney General’s first visit to WCS. AG Kaul had an opportunity to learn about the important work that WCS is doing in Milwaukee, Waukesha and other Southeast Wisconsin counties to address the opioid crisis and to provide needed services to people in our community with substance use needs. The Attorney General was particularly interested in learning more about the WCS Hub & Spoke Health Home Pilot program. WCS is one of three pilot sites in the state of Wisconsin to offer the new model to treat eligible BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid members who have substance use disorders and at least one other health condition. Since the inception of the pilot in June of 2021, WCS has served almost 400 people and has a current enrollment of approximately 210. AG Kaul spent time talking with program leaders and Recovery Navigators about the positive impact of the Hub & Spoke Health Home program and some of its current challenges.
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Release of New WCS DEI Statement
The new WCS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Statement was finalized and shared with the agency at large in the beginning of January of this year. The statement highlights what the agency is currently doing in its efforts to promote DEI as well as some of its aspirations.
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Wisconsin Titan 100 Awards
WCS was thrilled to have started the year with some exciting news. WCS President & CEO Clarence Johnson has been recognized as a 2023 Wisconsin Titan 100 honoree. Clarence was acknowledged with this award at the annual Titan 100 Awards ceremony on January 12 at Fiserv Forum. The Titan 100 Awards distinguish the area’s top 100 CEOs and C-Level Executives. These individuals are the most accomplished leaders in their industry displaying extraordinary leadership, vision, and passion. The Titan 100 Awards represents the diversity of Wisconsin’s business landscape with honorees in the fields of technology, manufacturing, education, healthcare, construction/real estate, professional services, hospitality, transportation, and non-profit organizations. Other local non-profit organization honorees included Chytania Brown from Employ Milwaukee, Hector Colon from Luther Social Services, Eduardo Garza Jr. from the Center for Veteran Issues, C.J. Lange from Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Carmen Pitre from Sojourner Family Peace Center, Brian Sonderman from Milwaukee Habitat from Humanity, and Tracy L. Williams from YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. The Titan 100 Awards are presented by Wipfli.
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Join the WCS Team!
Are you a dedicated, hard-working, and caring individual? Why not work at WCS and become part of the team in one of the following positions:
Care Coordinator - Wraparound Program
This is an opportunity to become a very important individual in a young person’s life. If you wish to help youth and young adults with identified mental health and life needs, then being a Care Coordinator is for you. The Care Coordinator will work with individuals in the Wraparound Program. They will monitor the quality of services that individuals are receiving, be an advocate for them across a variety of settings, and seek community resources to assist them while in the program. If you are a qualified candidate, you will possess a bachelor’s degree in a relevant area of education or human services, have a minimum of one year of experience providing mental health services and will complete 85 hours of mandatory training on the Wraparound philosophy and policies.
Case Manager - Community Support Program (CSP)
If you are an organized, independent, compassionate person who has experience working with individuals who have mental health needs, then you will make a great Case Manager in the WCS Community Support Program. As a Case Manager you will provide treatment planning, symptom management, medication monitoring, and crisis intervention to individuals in the program who have serious and persistent mental health needs and co-occurring substance use needs. To apply you must have a bachelor's or master's degree in behavioral science; ability to respond appropriately in crisis situations; sensitivity toward cultural, ethnic, and disability concerns; and knowledge of DSM V and psychotropic medications and their side effects.
Youth Care Worker (Full-Time and Part-Time Weekends) – Youth Shelter Care Program
WCS is looking for enthusiastic people who want to work with youth and mentor this generation; being a Youth Care Worker at the agency’s Youth Shelter Care Program will let you do this. Youth Care Workers provide supervision of the young people placed in the program, a 24/7 residential setting. This includes implementing the daily schedule of activities, providing group educational activities, recreational activities, following up individually with youth, and serving as a mentor and role model. Applicants need to have at least three years of experience working with youth.
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Not only does WCS gladly accept financial donations, but WCS also accepts donated goods to support individuals receiving our services. We accept personal hygiene products and toiletries, cleaning supplies, household items, apparel, gift cards to grocery stores, and MCTS bus passes.
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Wisconsin Community Services, Inc.
3732 West Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 320
Milwaukee, WI 53208
Phone: 414-290-0400
Fax: 414-271-4605
Wisconsin Community Services, Inc. (WCS) advocates for justice and community safety, providing innovative opportunities for individuals to overcome adversity.
WCS is a 501(c) 3 non-profit agency that provides services in southeastern Wisconsin.
WCS has been serving the community successfully for over 110 years.
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