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By: Cathy Wentz
Residents with disabilities in the Cedar City area have a wide variety of services available to them through TURN Community Services.
Susan Johnson, director of operations for TURN in Southern Utah, said the agency provides any service that allows an individual with disabilities to remain integrated in the community where they live. Those services include family support services for a young child living at home as well as transition services for students in the schools and employment.
There are services for adults who live with their families, residential services and day programs, in individual or group settings, to assist disabled citizens who are unable to work. One of those programs is a day care program for situations where disabled citizens require daytime supervision such as someone suffering from age-related Alzheimer's Disease as well as other problems.
"We really try to tailor it to what the state offers and what we can offer," Johnson said.
She said TURN owns a small building next to its main office in Cedar City with some residents living there. However, their residential areas are all over the city, with many of the people that TURN helps renting their own apartments, and the agency goes to them.
Johnson said it is easier for TURN to own the property for some of its group homes because they can be maintained better for those who require 24-hour service.
"And we can do rent control and keep them low-cost," Johnson said.
She also said they work very closely with local housing authorities to make sure the people they serve qualify for available housing subsidies, and that their homes fit into those categories.
Linda Reeves is Director of Program Services for TURN, and she runs the rural program that provides services to disabled people at their homes in areas such Panguitch, Kanab and Beaver. Reeves also runs the day program in Cedar City.
She said the day program brings in individuals that do not have work skills to come in and learn skills and have a safe place to participate in activities rather than just sitting at home.
"They can be with their friends and visit," Reeves said.
She also said TURN tries to place individuals in jobs in the community if possible to see how they do.
"If they are able to work in an outside job, then that's our goal," Reeves said.
There is also a workroom on the premises where TURN clients can be employed making file folders for Smead, a local company.
Johnson said TURN got its start in 1973 when a group of parents from the Salt Lake City area had children with disabilities and wanted them to receive services in their own communities rather than having to be placed in institutions. Those parents got the program started in the Salt Lake area.
Johnson said TURN has merged with other non-profit organizations in Southern Utah and has grown that way. She said one of the organizations with which TURN merged in Cedar City was Iron Parke Corporation. That happened in 2001.
She said TURN has also merged the Association for Retarded Citizens of Washington County, which is located in St. George. She said that ARC is doing advocacy work, but not providing services at this time. TURN took over the provision of services in the Washington County area.
Johnson said TURN had an acronym a long time ago when the organization first began. She said the group continues to use the word TURN because they like the idea that people can turn a corner, turn their lives around and turn dreams into reality.
Although Johnson said she does not know the specifics about the first federal aid TURN received, the group that started TURN wanted to get more community-based programs and the government provided some funding for that. She said she believes they found a program that would help them get started, incorporated as a non-profit organization, and have been expanding ever since.
Johnson said most of the funding for TURN is through Medicaid-sponsored programs. The organization has contracts with the Department of Services for People with Disabilities through the state's human services department. She said the state provides funding directly to individuals who choose TURN, which is contracted as a Medicaid service provider, to assist them with the services they require.
Johnson said TURN has a contract with Five-County Area Aging, and receives grants for some of its programs such as housing.
"We also have some really nice donors in the business world who have helped with some of our programs," Johnson said. "In a non-profit (organization) you pretty much run by the skin of your teeth, and then try to get people to help you with donations."
Johnson said as a non-profit company, TURN is always faced with the fact that it will be looking for funding. She said although the SPD is wonderful resource for funding, they provide only the minimal amount needed, and not everyone served fits into that category.
She said the organization does its best to stay consistent with the growing economy in the area and provide good wages and health benefits for the staff.
"That's always a challenge," Johnson said.
TURN Community Services is located at 295 S. 300 East in Cedar City, and can be reached by phone at 586-1128.
Residents with disabilities in the Cedar City area have a wide variety of services available to them through TURN Community Services.
Susan Johnson, director of operations for TURN in Southern Utah, said the agency provides any service that allows an individual with disabilities to remain integrated in the community where they live. Those services include family support services for a young child living at home as well as transition services for students in the schools and employment.
There are services for adults who live with their families, residential services and day programs, in individual or group settings, to assist disabled citizens who are unable to work. One of those programs is a day care program for situations where disabled citizens require daytime supervision such as someone suffering from age-related Alzheimer's Disease as well as other problems.
"We really try to tailor it to what the state offers and what we can offer," Johnson said.
She said TURN owns a small building next to its main office in Cedar City with some residents living there. However, their residential areas are all over the city, with many of the people that TURN helps renting their own apartments, and the agency goes to them.
Johnson said it is easier for TURN to own the property for some of its group homes because they can be maintained better for those who require 24-hour service.
"And we can do rent control and keep them low-cost," Johnson said.
She also said they work very closely with local housing authorities to make sure the people they serve qualify for available housing subsidies, and that their homes fit into those categories.
Linda Reeves is Director of Program Services for TURN, and she runs the rural program that provides services to disabled people at their homes in areas such Panguitch, Kanab and Beaver. Reeves also runs the day program in Cedar City.
She said the day program brings in individuals that do not have work skills to come in and learn skills and have a safe place to participate in activities rather than just sitting at home.
"They can be with their friends and visit," Reeves said.
She also said TURN tries to place individuals in jobs in the community if possible to see how they do.
"If they are able to work in an outside job, then that's our goal," Reeves said.
There is also a workroom on the premises where TURN clients can be employed making file folders for Smead, a local company.
Johnson said TURN got its start in 1973 when a group of parents from the Salt Lake City area had children with disabilities and wanted them to receive services in their own communities rather than having to be placed in institutions. Those parents got the program started in the Salt Lake area.
Johnson said TURN has merged with other non-profit organizations in Southern Utah and has grown that way. She said one of the organizations with which TURN merged in Cedar City was Iron Parke Corporation. That happened in 2001.
She said TURN has also merged the Association for Retarded Citizens of Washington County, which is located in St. George. She said that ARC is doing advocacy work, but not providing services at this time. TURN took over the provision of services in the Washington County area.
Johnson said TURN had an acronym a long time ago when the organization first began. She said the group continues to use the word TURN because they like the idea that people can turn a corner, turn their lives around and turn dreams into reality.
Although Johnson said she does not know the specifics about the first federal aid TURN received, the group that started TURN wanted to get more community-based programs and the government provided some funding for that. She said she believes they found a program that would help them get started, incorporated as a non-profit organization, and have been expanding ever since.
Johnson said most of the funding for TURN is through Medicaid-sponsored programs. The organization has contracts with the Department of Services for People with Disabilities through the state's human services department. She said the state provides funding directly to individuals who choose TURN, which is contracted as a Medicaid service provider, to assist them with the services they require.
Johnson said TURN has a contract with Five-County Area Aging, and receives grants for some of its programs such as housing.
"We also have some really nice donors in the business world who have helped with some of our programs," Johnson said. "In a non-profit (organization) you pretty much run by the skin of your teeth, and then try to get people to help you with donations."
Johnson said as a non-profit company, TURN is always faced with the fact that it will be looking for funding. She said although the SPD is wonderful resource for funding, they provide only the minimal amount needed, and not everyone served fits into that category.
She said the organization does its best to stay consistent with the growing economy in the area and provide good wages and health benefits for the staff.
"That's always a challenge," Johnson said.
TURN Community Services is located at 295 S. 300 East in Cedar City, and can be reached by phone at 586-1128.
Source: Cedar City Review
1 comment:
This cannot truly work, I believe so.
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