MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL OF HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS INC

SINCE 1975, THE PROVIDERS' COUNCIL HAS BEEN ENVISIONING CHANGE, LEADING ADVOCACY AND DRIVING PROGRESS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED HUMAN SERVICES NONPROFITS. TODAY IT IS THE LARGEST HUMAN SERVICES MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, REPRESENTING A SECTOR THAT ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN 160,000 JOBS STATEWIDE. IN 2023, THE COUNCIL'S MEMBERS SUPPORTED RESIDENTS IN NEARLY EVERY CITY AND TOWN IN THE COMMONWEALTH, PROVIDING WIDE-RANGING HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH, SAFETY, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STATE RESIDENTS. THE COUNCIL SUPPORTED MEMBERS BY OFFERING EDUCATION AND TRAININGS, ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES, HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH, NEWS PUBLICATIONS, NETWORKING EVENTS AND GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAMS THAT ALLOWED THEM TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. IN ADDITION, THE COUNCIL REFILED ITS TWO PRO-WORKFORCE BILLS AT THE STATE HOUSE REGARDING A LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM AND LIVABLE WAGES FOR HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS, AND RELEASED A NEW WORKFORCE ANALYSIS REPORT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UMASS DONAHUE INSTITUTE. THE DATA PROVIDED IN THE REPORT BETTER ALLOWS THE COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR. IN CONSISTENTLY STRIVING FOR ITS MISSION TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE AND DIVERSE HUMAN SERVICES INDUSTRY, THE COUNCIL HAS GROWN TO BE WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR. PROVIDING GOVERNANCE IS A DIVERSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPRESENTING MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS; SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION COMES MAINLY FROM MEMBERS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS. THE CORNERSTONE OF THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO BE THE COMMITMENT TO THESE CORE VALUES: 1. THE DELIVERY OF SUPERIOR, ACCESSIBLE, COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FROM A RESPECTED WORKFORCE THAT SUPPORTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS; 2. SERVING THE PUBLIC AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS BY IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES AND TAKING ACTION ON ISSUES WHERE PROVIDER AND PUBLIC INTERESTS ARE ALIGNED; 3. THE BELIEF THAT THE PUBLIC, CLIENTS AND CONSUMERS ARE BEST SERVED THROUGH VOLUNTEER-GOVERNED AND COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY FAIR AND ADEQUATE FUNDING; 4. A COMMITMENT TO RESULTS, SUCCESS AND TRANSPARENCY; 5. PROMOTING INTEGRITY, CREDIBILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR; AND 6. DEDICATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP, REPRESENTATIVE OF HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE GENERAL POPULATION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO: THE COUNCIL'S 48TH ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO: ADVOCATE | ACT | ACHIEVE ITS SIGNATURE EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER A SOLD-OUT CROWD OF OVER 1,100 HUMAN SERVICES PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORTERS FOR A FULL DAY OF SPEAKERS, AWARDS, WORKSHOPS, PANELS AND SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATIONS. JODIE PATTERSON, A PROMINENT AUTHOR AND LGBTQIA+ ADVOCATE, DELIVERED A CAPTIVATING KEYNOTE ADDRESS, SPEAKING ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AS A MOTHER OF A TRANSGENDER SON, THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVITY AND THE NEED TO EMBRACE "GENDERLESS MOTHERING AS A MEANS TO HEAL OUR BROKEN CULTURE." EOHHS SECRETARY KATE WALSH MADE HER FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE EVENT AND DISCUSSED HER EXPERIENCE LEARNING ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THEY PROVIDE SINCE ASSUMING THE LEADERSHIP ROLE EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE EVENT SHOWCASED 34 WORKSHOPS AND PANELS; MORE THAN 50 EXHIBITORS FROM A VARIETY OF SERVICE AREAS; 14 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE TO INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND BUSINESSES WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE IMPROVED THE HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR; AND THE PEER PROVIDER AWARDS CEREMONY, HOSTED BY BOSTON 25 NEWS' EMMY-WINNING NEWS ANCHOR VANESSA WELCH. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING IS CONDUCTED TO COMPLETE THE CORPORATE BUSINESS OF THE PROVIDERS' COUNCIL. BUSINESS CONDUCTED INCLUDES ELECTING OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE CORPORATION, ACCEPTING THE TREASURER'S REPORT, MAKING AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS (IF NECESSARY), HEARING THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND ATTENDING TO SUCH OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY COME BEFORE THE MEETING. THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THOUGH ONLY THE MEMBERSHIP CAN VOTE. UPON CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, THERE IS TYPICALLY A LUNCHEON FORUM AND PRESENTATIONS WHICH ARE OF VALUE TO THE MEMBERS PRESENT.