September 27 th marked the first meeting of the Goldie Floberg’s experimental blended management team, called the F2 (F-squared) team. The team was developed to
enhance services and to develop and test new ideas, all while breaking down the lines separating traditional management and direct care staff.
The F2 (F-Squared) team began with the idea of assembling a team of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and managers who were excited about serving people with developmental disabilities who are currently experiencing more significant behavior support needs. The DSPs joining the F2 team are receiving 60 hours of additional training on applied behavior analysis and related topics and upon graduation will become Behavior Support Professionals (BSPs). This new internal level of direct care staff will be better prepared to help the people we serve with their behavioral support needs.
In addition to the BSP training program, the F2 team is experimenting with a next generation leadership model for our networks of homes. Each of our networks has between three and four group homes in it and is run by a program management team. The F2 Network is the first network to test a blended leadership model where BSPs and traditional management are joined into a leadership team that manages the network. Joining the team is optional for BSPs within the Network. The idea is that providing front line staff a formal role in leadership will add valuable perspectives, generate more effective ideas, improve services, and provide another way for direct care staff to have a more personalized, and meaningful career if leadership is a role they value.
Our hope is that this diverse team will become a model for all of the other networks within our agency. Based on feedback from the DSPs involved, we are off to a good start!
“I joined the leadership team because I love what I do and I love helping our clients. Being part of the leadership is a great opportunity for myself to voice my opinion on important matters that could effect our agency. Knowing that I will have a voice, be listened too and actually feel like I am part of a change that will help our agency grow and be more successful is amazing.” –Jason, DSP/BSP trainee
DSP/BSP trainee, Breanna joined the Network to “To help improve the lives of our clients”:
“I joined the blended leadership team to continue to enrich the lives of some of the individuals that I have already been serving and to empower the lives of individuals that I can help make a difference for.” – Tytianna, DSP/BSP Trainee