I’ve only been at Hammer a little over 4 months. But, I’ve already had the opportunity to support the ladies of Sumac through many changes including: a move to a brand new house, welcoming a new housemate, and the introductions of new staff. One of the ladies of Sumac, Cathy, decided to make another particularly big change in her life. She wanted to lose some weight and learn how to create a healthier lifestyle.

After hearing about her cousin’s success with Medifast, Cathy decided to give it a try herself. She gave up some of her favorite foods, especially pizza. Instead Cathy started eating 5 Medifast meals a day along with what they call a “lean and green meal.” She now has some new favorite foods like tomato basil soup, Dutch chocolate shakes, and Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. Sounds pretty good, right?

We have made sure that Sumac family dinners were altered to accommodate Cathy’s lean & green meals. Whether that meant keeping grains like pasta separate, or making sure there was always a salad with lots of veggies, the team helped her make it work. With support from staff and strong personal will power, Cathy was able to avoid many temptations she encountered and stay on track.

Weekly weigh-ins have been an extra motivation as Cathy has watched the pounds disappear and the inches come off. Since she started in June, Cathy is proud to have lost almost 30 pounds! Shopping for new clothes has left Cathy awestruck that she is down four sizes. She is not only looking amazing but she said she’s feeling “much healthier.” Beyond her incredibly successful weight loss, Cathy’s increased health has also decreased her high blood pressure enough to reduce certain medications.

Cathy has now entered an important transition period where she will work to maintain her current weight through portion control and healthy eating. She can now replace her Medifast meals with foods that previously were cut out. If the past 4 months have been any indication, I know Cathy will continue to do well. Her commitment and dedication have been wonderful, and I am sure others could learn from her example. I’m glad to have been able to accompany and support her on this journey. I look forward to seeing her continued success!

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Change is a normal part of everyday life; however, 2014 is shaping up to be a year of particularly big change in our field. This is being driven by two large revisions that have been a long time coming – a new rate setting system and the new 245D waiver regulations.

John Estrem (left) with Bruce Duffney, an individual we support

The rate setting system (called “Disability Waiver Rate System”) sets monetary rates for a waiver. This waiver rate is one way that a person with a disability pays for services and programming. In the past, these rates were essentially negotiated with the county. Starting January 1st, a statewide system was put in place to set all rates. Like any new large system, there will be a number of problems with it in these early days. Rates for individuals already receiving a waiver cannot change much in the next few years of this new system (this is called banding). It allows us time to work with the county and state to iron out the problems. The issue is more critical for someone getting their first waiver. We are working hard with ARRM to address any problems with the system.

The other big change deals with how we are licensed as a provider. It covers all regulations and procedures that go with a license. 245D is the title of the new law that structures our services (it was preceded by 245B). These new regulations change how we license our programs. There are a number of programming aspects that we must update or add in order to be in compliance with the law. You will see some changes in forms, procedures and training because of this.

John Estrem and Lisbeth Vest Armstrong at the “ARRM Day at the Capitol”

Again, our work with ARRM and other providers is critical to helping us navigate these changes. The goal is to understand as much as possible upfront and get proactive with the compromises and solutions we present. As we work through this year of big changes in our field, we know there may be a few bumps in the road. We ask for your patience and teamwork. Our commitment at Hammer, as always, is to provide the highest quality services possible. I thank you all for your continued commitment to help the individuals we serve live life to the fullest.

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