Independence. Inclusion. Potential. New Blog to Feature Hallmarks of Service Delivery
Doug Beebe, CEO, Benchmark Human Services
When 2020 started, I was excited to celebrate Benchmark Human Services’ 60th Anniversary. Since its founding in 1960, Benchmark and its associated organizations, Anthony Wayne Rehabilitation Services and the AWS Foundation, have strived to be on the forefront of service delivery. Little did we know that our ability to continue person-centered services would be challenged as never before by a novel coronavirus that forces social distancing and telehealth instead of human to human touchpoints. In the spirit of remote visits, we are introducing a blog to highlight some of the innovative practices and unique approaches that have been developed over the years.
The challenges presented by the virus remain in place today and it appears they will be part of the fabric of our lives for some time to come. The core ideas that we were founded on have helped us through this devastating virus and the resulting disease, and they have us well-positioned to move forward. The obstacles are daunting, as the need for safety pushes against our principals of potential, independence, and inclusion.
We have a corporate principal that states: “Very few corporations produce a more important service or product. We deal with things that make life living.” Over the years, our program services have evolved into a sometimes dizzying array. All of those changes have been driven by the voices of the people we serve, and they are continually refined and expanded. We hold ourselves accountable in many ways, including satisfaction surveys, accreditations, and expert advisors who push us to do better year after year.
That accountability has resulted in expertise in areas ranging from serving individuals with high medical or behavioral support needs to crisis intervention services and state of the art competitive employment. The Benchmark blog will highlight both the programs and the staff that created them. I am fortunate to be surrounded by people with deep compassion and industry leading expertise, and look forward to hearing your response as they share their thoughts with you.