Gateway Services Inc

A FUTURE WITHOUT LIMITS: BUILD COMMUNITY - CREATE OPPORTUNITY - EXPECT SUCCESS - CHANGE LIVES. GATEWAY SERVES INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND OTHERS WITH SIMILAR SERVICE NEEDS.

DECLARED AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE NATIONWIDE DURING COVID-19, ACCESS JOHNSON COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CONTINUED ALL SERVICE OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT 2023 WITH FEW NEW MODIFICATIONS, WHILE MAINTAINING ADDITIONAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS IMPLEMENTED IN 2020. ACCESS PROVIDED 57,200 LOCAL PASSENGER TRIPS DURING 2023 AND ADDED 400 NEW FIRST-TIME REGISTERED PASSENGERS, IN ADDITION TO 'WALK-ONS' BOARDING AT BUS STOPS. OF THESE TRIPS, 27,072 (47% OF TOTAL) WERE ON THE FIXED ROUTE SERVICE WHICH HAD INCREASED FREQUENCY IN 2012 THROUGH A SYSTEM REDESIGN MADE POSSIBLE BY THE JOBS ACCESS/REVERSE COMMUTE GRANTS FROM INDOT AND INDYGO/INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC TRANSIT CORPORATION. ANOTHER 30,128 PASSENGER TRIPS USED THE DIAL-A-RIDE SERVICE. 19,907 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL REGISTERED PASSENGERS HAVE USED ACCESS SINCE ITS ONSET, PLUS AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF BUS STOP WALK-ONS. ACCESS-ALONG WITH GATEWAY'S CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES-CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2023 TO COORDINATE WITH UNITED WAY OF JOHNSON COUNTY AND OTHERS IN RESPONSE TO ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ISSUES, RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC AND OTHER LOCAL UNMET NEEDS. IN ADDITION, ACCESS DISPATCHED VOLUNTEER DRIVERS' TRIPS FOR VETERANS TO THE VA HOSPITAL; COMPLETED THE TRANSITION FROM COORDINATING THE INDOT GRANT FOR RURAL TRANSIT SERVICES FOR A 3-COUNTY SERVICE AREA INCLUDING PURCHASED SERVICES FROM LOCAL PROVIDERS, SUPPORTING THEIR OWN TRANSITIONS TO 'STAND-ALONE' INDOT SYSTEMS WHILE JOHNSON COUNTY OPERATED ITS 2ND YEAR AS AN URBANIZED SYSTEM ALONG WITH 3 OTHER RECLASSIFIED CENTRAL INDIANA "CIRCE" COUNTIES NOW FUNDED THROUGH THE INDIANAPOLIS TRANSIT SYSTEM. THIS FOLLOWED 3 YEARS OF INTENSIVE PLANNING (IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC) AMONG THE 4 COUNTIES, THEIR EXISTING TRANSIT GRANT PASS-THROUGH SERVICE PROVIDERS (ALL NON-PROFITS), INDYGO REPLACING INDOT ADMINISTERING THE FEDERAL FUNDS, THE FTA, THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, CENTRAL IN REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY, AND ALL THEIR VARIOUS CONSULTANTS. EACH COUNTY ALSO WAS REQUIRED TO CONDUCT AN RFP PROCESS IN COORDINATION WITH INDYGO FOR SERVICE PROVIDER SELECTION UNDER FEDERAL PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES, THROUGH WHICH WE WERE COMPETITIVELY SELECTED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES WE DEVELOPED OVER 25 YEARS AGO IN RESPONSE TO UNITED WAY'S 1993 ASSESSMENT OF THE NUMBER ONE UNMET LOCAL NEED.

COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT INCLUDES UNITED WAY OF JOHNSON COUNTY'S ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE PLANNING FOCUSED ON REGAINING FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR FAMILIES IMPACTED BY JOB LOSS DUE TO THE ECONOMY OR OTHER DISRUPTING LIFE EVENTS. OF THE 15 TOTAL FAMILIES SERVED IN 2023, 9 WERE NEW ELIGIBLE FAMILIES ADDED OUT OF THE 12 NEW FAMILIES REFERRED. CASE MANAGEMENT FOR 12 OTHER FAMILIES WAS PROVIDED IN 2023 (ALSO INCLUDING 9 NEW REFERRALS) AS PART OF A NETWORK OF LOCAL AGENCIES THROUGH UNITED WAY'S NEW NO PLACE TO CALL HOME INITIATIVE, BEGUN IN LATE 2016 TO HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS IN JOHNSON COUNTY, WITH A SIMILAR GOAL OF ESTABLISHING FAMILY FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR THOSE AT RISK. THESE HIGHER 2022-2023 NUMBERS FOR THESE TWO SERVICES REPRESENT THE DECLINING IMPACT OF COVID AND ITS SPECIALIZED ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFYING FAMILIES, AS THE PRIMARY NEED AND "RESOURCE OF FIRST RESORT". AT THE INITIAL OUTBREAK OF THE VIRUS, UNITED WAY ENLISTED US TO COORDINATE A RAPID RESPONSE INITIATIVE OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE IN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP DUE TO COVID, FROM MID-2020 THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE FORMALLY CONCLUDING IN EARLY 2022, CASE MANAGEMENT AND/OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BENEFITTED A TOTAL OF 607 ELIGIBLE COVID-IMPACTED FAMILIES HOUSEHOLDS. ALL THESE SERVICES GREW FROM THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THREE YEARS OF FLOOD DISASTER LONG-TERM RECOVERY CASE MANAGEMENT FROM 2008-2010, SERVING 915 LOCAL RECOVERING FAMILIES FOR UNITED WAY. - COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OPENED CASES FOR AND SERVED ANOTHER 54 NEW REFERRALS IN 2023 FOR VOC REHAB PLACEMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES, DESPITE HAVING BEEN FORCED IN 2021 TO CREATE A WAITING LIST FOR THESE SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORYTHE LAST SERVICE PROVIDER IN OUR REGION TO DO SO--DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND FOR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, A STATE-WIDE LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM (INCLUDING SEVERAL OF OURS), AND THE LINGERING IMPACT OF COVID ON BUSINESSES AND ON STAFF RECRUITMENT. PRIORITIZING OUR PLEDGE OF ONGOING CAREER SUPPORTS FOR CONTINUED SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT OR THOSE ALREADY WORKING (INCLUDING SUSTAINING INDIVIDUAL JOB RETENTION SUCCESS AND LONGEVITY IN COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT, RANGING UP TO THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL RECORD OF 33 YEARS CONTINUOUS SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT DESPITE FLUCTUATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OVER THE YEARS), SEASONED STAFF FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE AGENCY-ACCESS JOHNSON COUNTY, RESPITE, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND SERVICE COORDINATION-STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP THE REMAINING EMPLOYMENT STAFF AND CROSS-TRAIN TO TEMPORARILY SUPPLY ADDITIONAL CASELOAD COVERAGE FOR THOSE ALREADY WORKING. 39 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED THESE EXTENDED CAREER SUPPORT/'FOLLOW-ALONG' SERVICES, SUCCESSFULLY HOLDING THEIR COMMUNITY JOBS IN 2023. BY THE BEGINNING OF 2023 NEW EMPLOYMENT STAFF HAD BEEN HIRED AND WERE PROVIDING SERVICE, AND ALL CLIENTS WHO HAD BEEN PLACED ON HOLD FOR PLACEMENT SERVICES WERE ABLE TO RE-OPEN. BY THE BEGINNING OF 2023 OUR WAITING LIST FOR VOC REHAB SERVICES HAD ENDED AND NEW REFERRALS WERE BEING RECEIVED. THE CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL STAFF PROVIDING COVERAGE HAVE CONTINUED TO ASSIST THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSITION. WITH ALL THIS, 126 INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (3 OF WHOM ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING) WERE ASSISTED WITH THEIR JOB SEARCH, NEW-HIRE TRAINING, AND/OR ONGOING SUCCESSFUL JOB RETENTION AND EMPLOYMENT/CAREER SUPPORT. AND EVEN WITH ADAPTED METHODS AND CONTINUING PANDEMIC IMPACT DURING 2023, THERE WERE 25 NEW JOB PLACEMENTS MADE. 7 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED BY OUR CERTIFIED BENEFITS INFORMATION SPECIALISTS TEACHING CLIENTS HOW WORK WILL AFFECT THEIR BENEFITS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO WORK TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL, AND ASSISTING THEM IN COORDINATING THEIR DISABILITY BENEFITS WITH WORKING, TO ALLOW GREATER INDEPENDENCE. GATEWAY IS ALSO A FEDERALLY-APPROVED EMPLOYMENT NETWORK, SERVING 17 INDIVIDUALS IN 2023 UNDER TICKET TO WORK FOCUSING ON ASSISTING THOSE WHO WISH TO WORK THEIR WAY OFF OF DISABILITY-RELATED SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS OR WHO DON'T QUALIFY FOR OTHER FEDERAL/STATE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. 1 OF THESE STARTED A FULL-TIME BENEFITTED POSITION, 4 STARTED PART-TIME WORK, TESTING THEIR ABILITY TO CONSIDER FULL-TIME WORK, AND 1 STARTED HER OWN BUSINESS IN 2023. - HABILITATION SERVICES PROVIDED IN 2023 TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDED SERVICE COORDINATION (188); AND DAY PROGRAM (42) EMPHASIZING MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, ACCESS TO COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCAL RESOURCES, VOLUNTEERISM, HANDLING OF LIFE EVENTS WITH SUPPORT FROM STAFF, SKILL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUSIVE RECREATION/LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT. THESE SERVICES HAD BEEN AMONG THE HARDEST HIT BY THE COVID STATE-WIDE RESTRICTIONS ON GROUP EVENTS AND GATHERINGS, FORCING SOME ACTIVITIES WITH COMMUNITY OUTINGS OR LARGE GROUPS TO BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED, BUT OTHERS QUICKLY REINVENTED THEMSELVES AND WENT VIRTUAL-MONTHLY CLUB 31, NOW IN ITS 11H YEAR; HAD CONDUCTED THEME-BASED EVENTS REMOTELY TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL CONNECTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER; UNTIL RESUMING THEIR NORMAL ACTIVITIES IN MID-2022, CONTINUING THROUGH 2023. FRANKLIN COLLEGE BEST BUDDIES HAS COMPLETED OVER 20 YEARS, AND OUR LOCAL KIWANIS 'AKTION CLUB' CHAPTER, IN ITS 28TH YEAR RESUMED ITS VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN 2023. DAY PROGRAM ALSO QUICKLY HAD GONE VIRTUAL WHEN COVID HIT, BUT IN 2 WEEKS HAD DEVELOPED A CURRICULUM ALLOWING THOSE WE SERVE TO PARTICIPATE DAILY FROM THEIR HOMES, ALSO RECEIVING CARDS AND NOTES, ACTIVITY PACKETS, AND PHONE CALLS OF SUPPORT. INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM CONTINUED TO BE DEVELOPED AND AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT, INCLUDING ZOOM GROUPS WITH PARTICIPANTS AT HOME, BUT WHEN CONDITIONS ALLOWED BETWEEN PERIODS OF COVID CASE FLUCTUATIONS, INDIVIDUALS WHOSE FAMILIES WERE COMFORTABLE DOING SO RESUMED GROUP PARTICIPATION, WITH APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS FOR THAT TIME PERIOD IN PLACE AND ENFORCED. DAY PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO OPERATE IN PERSON CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT 2022 AND 2023, EXCEPT FOR ONE BRIEF SHUTDOWN DURING A BRIEF OUTBREAK OF COVID CASES WITHIN THEIR GROUP, AND HAB SERVICES ALSO HAPPILY HAD RESUMED ITS FULL SCHEDULE OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND OUTINGS THROUGH BOTH YEARS.- RESPITE SERVICES PROVIDED CAREGIVER SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, WITH ALL THE NEEDED PRECAUTIONS, FOR 22 YOUTH AND ADULTS IN 2023 THROUGH 3,289 HOURS OF RESPITE CARE, SUPPLIED BY A GATEWAY TRAINED RELIEF CAREGIVER WHO THE FAMILY PERSONALLY CHOOSES FROM INDIVIDUALS THEY ALREADY KNOW AND TRUST. BECAUSE OF THIS, RESPITE CARE SERVICES WERE ONLY MINIMALLY IMPACTED BY COVID. RESPITE IS PROVIDED BOTH IN THE HOME AND IN COMMUNITY LOCATIONS, OFFERING SAFE, GUILT-FREE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY FOR CAREGIVERS, ADDING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE WHOLE FAMILY.