MERAKEY USA

IN FY 2025, MERAKEY USA REMAINED COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AND ADMINISTERING SERVICES FOR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED CRUCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, REGULATORY GUIDANCE, AND CONSULTATIVE SUPPORT TO HELP THESE ENTITIES DELIVER SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS EFFECTIVELY.MERAKEY USA IS GUIDED BY: OUR PURPOSE: PUTTING OUR HEART AND SOUL INTO EXCEPTIONAL CARE.OUR VISION: TO BE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROVIDER OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.OUR CORE VALUES: COMPASSION, DIVERSITY, INTEGRITY, SAFETY, TRUST, AND QUALITYHIGHLIGHTS OF MERAKEY USA'S EXEMPT AFFILIATED SUBSIDIARIES' FY25 ACTIVITIES:WITH OVER 8,308 EMPLOYEES, MERAKEY USA SERVED 32,126 INDIVIDUALS AT 668 DIFFERENT SITES VIA 1,050 EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAMS IN FY25.MERAKEY CONTINUES ITS STRONG COMMITMENT TO SAFETY IN PARTNERSHIP AND ACCREDITATION WITH PRAESIDIUM, THE NATIONAL LEADER IN ABUSE RISK MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE FURTHER EXPANDED PREVENTION OF ABUSE POLICIES, ADAPTED OUR HIRING PROTOCOLS, REFINED OUR TRAINING PROCESS, AND FURTHER REVAMPED SUPERVISION/MONITORING AND CONSUMER PARTICIPATION. ACCREDITATION FROM PRAESIDIUM DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICES AND A ZERO-TOLERANCE ENVIRONMENT FOR ABUSE OF ANY KIND FOR THOSE WITHIN OUR CARE.IN JULY 2024, MEMBERS OF THE AS EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP (PRONOUNCED AH-SHAY; BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN) LED THE 2ND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH OUTREACH EVENT. THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS WERE WELL-RECEIVED ACROSS VARIOUS LOCATIONS, WITH PARTICIPANTS APPRECIATING EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AS A COMMUNITY. CONSUMERS AND MERAKEY STAFF HELD EVENTS OUTSIDE, IN MEETING ROOMS, AND OVER LUNCH BREAK TABLES WITH MANY ACTIVITIES, PRIZES, FOOD, AND FUN. MERAKEY'S GATEWAY INK PROGRAM DESIGNED, CREATED, AND DISTRIBUTED OUR FIRST-EVER JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION T-SHIRTS.ALSO IN JULY, MERAKEY RECEIVED THE FINAL CARF ACCREDITATION REPORT AND RECEIVED NO RECOMMENDATIONS (SOMETHING ONLY 3% OF CARF ORGANIZATIONS ACHIEVE), WHICH MEANS NO PLAN OF CORRECTION REQUIRED. MERAKEY EARNED ANOTHER FULL 3-YEAR ACCREDITATION WHICH EXPIRES MAY 31ST OF 2027. CARF INTERNATIONAL IS AN INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT ACCREDITOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THROUGH ACCREDITATION, CARF ASSISTS SERVICE PROVIDERS IN DEMONSTRATING VALUE BY THE QUALITY OF THEIR SERVICES AND MEETING INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONAL AND PROGRAM STANDARDS.ON AUGUST 6, 2024, MERAKEY AND NEARLY 200 ATTENDEES CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF ITS NEW MENTAL HEALTH WALK-IN CLINIC WITH A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AND OPEN HOUSE. GUESTS HEARD REMARKS FROM SEVERAL SPEAKERS FROM MERAKEY, PHILADELPHIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING, TOURS OF THE NEW CLINIC WERE GIVEN, AND REFRESHMENTS WERE ENJOYED UNDER A LARGE OUTDOOR TENT. THE CLINIC IS PHILADELPHIA'S FIRST AND ONLY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH URGENT CARE FOR ADULTS NEEDING SAME-DAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE THAT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. THROUGH THIS CLINIC, MERAKEY AIMS TO REDUCE AVOIDABLE VISITS TO CRISIS RESPONSE CENTERS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS BY HELPING PEOPLE GET THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT. SEVERAL NEWS OUTLETS JOINED THE EVENT TO PROMOTE THE NEW CLINIC TO THE COMMUNITY.ALSO IN AUGUST, MERAKEY UPDATED THE ADP ENTERPRISE HR SYSTEM TO SUPPORT CAPTURING AND USING PREFERRED NAMES, PRONOUNS, AND GENDER WHILE PRESERVING LEGAL NAMES FOR NECESSARY RECORDS. THIS EFFORT ALIGNS WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION. WITH THIS UPDATE, WE CAN ENSURE WE RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS AS THEY CHOOSE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED.IN OCTOBER 2024, IN RESPONSE TO THE NEED FOR SOME HIGHER-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS FOR STAFF IN CALIFORNIA AND LOUISIANA BEYOND THE STANDARD 7AM-5:30PM WORKDAY, THE MERAKEY IT SERVICE CENTER EXTENDED THE TIER 1 SERVICE CENTER STAFFING HOURS (INTERNALLY) TO 6AM 10PM ET. LATER THAT MONTH, MERAKEY'S LGBTQ+ ERG HOSTED ITS ANNUAL COMING OUT DAY EVENT WITH A PRESENTATION OF THE CHAMPION AWARD. IN DECEMBER 2024, WE INTRODUCED THE MERAKEY MILES OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM RECOGNIZING THE AMAZING MILESTONES OUR TEAM MEMBERS REACH DURING THEIR TIME WITH THE COMPANY. THE PROGRAM CELEBRATES WORK ANNIVERSARIES, FROM AN EMPLOYEE'S FIRST YEAR WITH US TO THEIR 50TH (AND BEYOND). EMPLOYEE MILESTONES ARE SHARED ON MERAKEY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND IN INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, SO EVERYONE AT MERAKEY CAN JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION.ON JANUARY 8, 2025, MERAKEY PARKSIDE RECOVERY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND MAYOR CHERRELLE PARKER'S ADMINISTRATION WELCOMED MERAKEY LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND INVITED GUESTS TO THEIR RECENTLY RENOVATED RECOVERY HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE HOLMESBURG NEIGHBORHOOD IN PHILADELPHIA. GUIDED TOURS AND A PRESS CONFERENCE WERE HELD AT THE NEW FACILITY, CALLED MERAKEY AT RIVERVIEW WELLNESS VILLAGE. MERAKEY'S NEW PROGRAM IS PART OF MAYOR PARKER'S PLAN TO ADDRESS THE ADDICTION CRISIS ACROSS THE CITY. THE NEW RECOVERY HOUSING PROGRAM, LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS OF RIVERVIEW WELLNESS VILLAGE, WILL SUPPORT AND TREAT INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. INDIVIDUALS MAY STAY AT THE FACILITY FOR UP TO A YEAR WHILE WORKING ON THEIR RECOVERY GOALS. THE PROGRAM WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING REFERRALS SOON AND WILL SERVE UP TO 132 INDIVIDUALS WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL. DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE, MAYOR PARKER ACKNOWLEDGED MERAKEY AS A TRUSTED AND VALUED PARTNER AND PROVIDER OF THESE SERVICES. OUR SHARED GOAL OF HELPING THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WAS EXPRESSED BY MANY AT THE EVENT.MORE EMPLOYEES ENGAGED WITH DASHBOARDS, ANALYTICS, AND REPORTS VIA MERAKEY'S POWER BI DASHBOARD, IN PART DUE TO SEVERAL TRAINING SESSIONS HELD FROM JANUARY THROUGH MARCH.IN FEBRUARY 2025, MERAKEY RAN ITS ANNUAL SHARE THE LOVE EVENT WHICH UTILIZED THE CHEERS FOR PEERS WEBSITE TO GIVE ALL EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC MESSAGES OF APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION. OVER 3,000 MESSAGES OF LOVE AND RECOGNITION WERE SHARED BETWEEN COWORKERS, MANAGERS, AND TEAMS ACROSS MERAKEY. ALSO IN FEBRUARY, MERAKEY HELD THE 4TH ANNUAL VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 'INTEGRATING HEALTHCARE: SUPPORTING THOSE WITH IDD/MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGH THE LIFESPAN.' THIS FREE VIRTUAL ONE-DAY EVENT GAVE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND INDIVIDUALS RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE CARE AND SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH A DUAL DIAGNOSIS OF INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND MENTAL ILLNESS. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS (NADSP) DEVELOPS NUMEROUS STAFF DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS TO IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF BOTH DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS (DSPS) AND FRONTLINE SUPERVISORS (FLS). THIS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CURRICULUM PROVIDES GREATER JOB SATISFACTION, HIGHER QUALITY CARE, EMPLOYEE RETENTION, AND CAREER GROWTH. MERAKEY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING NADSP CERTIFICATION FOR OUR OWN TRAININGS AND HAS A THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION VALID THROUGH FEBRUARY 1, 2028. THIS ACCREDITATION IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE MERAKEY STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEAM. THE CURRICULUM WAS PRAISED FOR ITS ALIGNMENT WITH THE NADSP DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES/FRONTLINE SUPERVISOR COMPETENCIES IN THIS PROFESSIONAL ARRAY OF MODULES.ON MARCH 26, 2025, DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MERAKEY TOTAL HEALTH'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR DR. KELLY LOPEZ, MD, WAS NOMINATED FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS 2025 PHENOMENAL WOMAN AWARD OF THE 200TH DISTRICT. DR. LOPEZ WAS AMONG SEVERAL PHENOMENAL WOMEN TO RECEIVE A CITATION FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DURING A CEREMONY AT CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE IN PHILADELPHIA. IN MAY 2025, HUMAN RESOURCES LAUNCHED A NEW HR HELPLINE SERVICE CENTER PORTAL. EMPLOYEES NOW HAVE SEVERAL WAYS TO SUBMIT THEIR HR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THROUGH THE NEW PORTAL. THE HR HELPLINE SERVICE CENTER PORTAL AIDS IN GETTING THE RIGHT ANSWERS QUICKLY FOR EMPLOYEES' QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS ABOUT BENEFITS, PAYROLL, AND MORE.LATER IN MAY 2025, AFTER A YEAR-LONG PROCESS OF DEMOS AND EVALUATIONS CONDUCTED BY A CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM, MERAKEY ANNOUNCED WORKDAY WOULD BECOME THE NEW ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) SYSTEM. THIS CHANGE, WHICH WILL OCCUR IN PHASES THROUGHOUT THE NEXT YEAR, WILL HELP MERAKEY BE MORE EFFICIENT, SUPPORT OUR TEAMS BETTER, AND IMPROVE THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE. WITH WORKDAY, WE'LL REPLACE OUR OLD SYSTEMS WITH ONE MODERN PLATFORM THAT SUPPORTS OUR PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND GROWTH.IN EARLY JUNE 2025, ALL EMPLOYEES RECEIVED A NEW EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY VIA CLEARLYRATED, A THIRD-PARTY ORGANIZATION THAT SPECIALIZES IN SURVEYS. THE SURVEY EXPLORED VARIOUS ASPECTS OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AT MERAKEY, FROM JOB SATISFACTION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO TEAM DYNAMICS AND LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS.