2014 Accomplishments Report

Serving with
Compassion
2014
ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
T
mhpi.net | CREATING HOUSING... SUPPORTING LIVES
1
EXCERPTS OF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BY
SHELDON D. BYCOFF, PRESIDENT AND CEO
“[W]e’d like to talk about
the stigma of having a
mental illness, correct some
misconceptions, and address the
personal impact of stigmatizing
people with mental illness.”
Newton Tab, May 14, 2014
“In Massachusetts alone,
there were 68,285 deaths,
hospitalizations, or emergency
department visits in 2010
involving brain injuries.”
Chelsea Record, March 21, 2014
Lisa Casman
MSG (Masters of Science in Gerontology)
Assistant Program Director,
Senior Living on Bellingham Hill
Judith Clervil
Lead Certified Nursing Assistant
Guerlyne YoYo
Certified Nursing Assistant
“As a non-profit that specializes
in providing home-based, long-term care services to frail
elders, we’d like to... shed some
light on the dangers of a fall and
how to prevent one.”
Spencer New Leader, September 30, 2013
Sheila Tylus
LICSW (Licensed Social Worker)
Vice-President and Administrator, Serviced-Enriched Housing
Edele Pierrevil
Certified Nursing Assistant
WELCOMING LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
Dear Friends,
Our organization is known
for many things. We’re
known as one of the first
charitable nonprofits in the
nation to offer affordable,
clean, and safe housing to
people who had been discharged from state institutions for the mentally ill. We have created
these residences (fifteen, to date) by building
from the ground up or by restoring and repurposing houses, former schools, and other
structures. We’re also known for our longevity;
we’ve been providing housing, among other
things, to the needy for almost 40 years, often
preventing homelessness, or ending it on a
case-by-case basis.
Since 1999, we’ve also provided Home Care to
the same populations—people with very little
income, but substantial mental and/or physical
challenges. They need help with the basic tasks
of daily life—dressing, bathing, remembering to
take their medications, etc. We offer these services to individuals who live in the residences
we own and manage as well as to people living
in the Greater Boston, Spencer, MA, and Cape
Cod communities.
In a nutshell, MHPI is known for assessing
the needs of people with very low income, and
those with significant physical and/or mental
challenges, in order to offer the services that
they need at very low (or no) cost to them.
We continue that mission today. As you may
remember from last year’s Accomplishments
Report, we are in the process of becoming a nationally-accredited, Medicare-certified skilled
nursing provider. We have embarked on this
path because we have seen the increasing medical needs of the populations we have historically served and of the baby boom generation.
We are proud of the breadth and quality of the
services we offer people. This fiscal year, three
of our residences underwent regularly scheduled Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC)
inspections by the U.S. Department of Hous-
ing and Urban Development (HUD). REAC
inspections help ensure that housing available
to the public through HUD is “safe, decent and
affordable.” The facilities inspected this year received scores of 89, 97, and 98—considered so
high that the residences need not be inspected
again for three years.
Similarly, our home care division is thriving,
having delivered 52,426 units of “personal and
supportive services” this year — a six percent
increase over last year’s number. And it’s no
wonder. All of our Nursing Assistants and
Home Health Aides are certified and skillfully
perform their duties. They also complete — at
a minimum — the compulsory twelve hours
of continuing training each year. While their
responsibilities vary — some provide personal
care such as bathing and dressing, others are
companions, and still others are homemakers —
they all bring professionalism and dedication to
each individual client. This code of conduct is
particularly impressive when one considers that
many of our clients have cognitive and/or physical limitations. Most clients are at least in their
60’s and some are over 90 years old.
Personnel Note: This year, we said farewell
to Sheila Tylus, LICSW, Vice-President and
Administrator of Service-Enriched Housing,
who dedicated herself to providing home care
to individuals with very low income for over
eight years at MHPI. We will miss Sheila and
we thank her for her myriad contributions. We
also warmly welcome Alice L. Rose, MS, RN,
ANP-BC, LNHA, who now holds this position.
Alice has extensive experience in post-acute
care and the assessment of people in need of
long-term home care.
We encourage you to review our list of Accomplishment Highlights, found on page 4. We
continue to meet one need after another and
look forward to making an even greater contribution to people’s lives in the coming year.
Sincerely,
Sheldon D. Bycoff
3
HIGHLIGHTS
Accomplishment Highlights
Fiscal Year 2014
Provided 52,426 units of personal care and
supportive services to people living in the
Greater Boston area, in Spencer, MA, and
on Cape Cod. This figure represents an
increase of six percent compared to last
year’s performance.
Three of our fifteen residences had their
scheduled inspections by HUD’s Real Estate
Assessment Center, garnering such high
scores that they need not be re-inspected
for three years.
Provided safe, affordable housing for 269
people of low income, most of whom
face substantial cognitive and/or physical
challenges.
On November 1st, 2013, MHPI was
selected by Lahey Health Behavioral
Services to be the Management Agent for
its Health & Education Services House,
an affordable housing residence in Salem
that serves tenants with behavioral health
needs. Consequently, in addition to the
fifteen properties cited above that MHPI
owns and operates, we now serve as
4
MHPI, Inc. | ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
management agent and administrator for a
total of five properties developed by other
organizations to provide homes for people
with few resources but significant physical
and/or emotional issues.
Increased press coverage of President
Sheldon Bycoff ’s articles on issues related to
acquired brain injuries, aging, and mental
health.
We’re also very proud of the diversity
of our staff. It breaks down by race as
follows: 50% of our work force are AfricanAmerican; 34.7% are Caucasian; 13.3%
are Hispanic or Latino; and 2% are Asian.
We relish this diversity. It reflects the
ethnic and racial composition of those we
serve, adds richness to our work lives, and
conveys the different skill sets that we can
offer our tenants and clients.
Began the process to upgrade and renovate
many of our older buildings to convert
them to state-of-the-art facilities, thereby
further enhancing the services we offer the
populations that reside within them.
SENIOR LIVING
Resident Profile
Ben Hankins, age 90, is often on the go. And
why not? “I’m still enjoying life,” he says. Ben
goes to every single social and cultural event
held at Senior Living on Bellingham Hill – from
a drumming performance and tutorial, to the
big Thanksgiving Feast, to a crafts-making
seminar during the holidays. He noted, “I also
play cards a lot, with my best friend Edna. And
I also go to the [non-denominational] Faith
Group on Wednesdays.”
Ben shares a rich history with his residence.
First, the building used to be Chelsea Memorial
Hospital. “Four of my kids were born here,” he
says with satisfaction. And once the structure
was turned into a residence for independent
senior living, “my wife and I were two of the
first people to move in here” – a month after it
opened, in June of 2000.
Born and raised in Georgia, Ben made his way
to Chelsea, Massachusetts via the Navy. He
was drafted right out of high school and, after
basic training, was stationed at the Chelsea
Naval Hospital. He worked as a steward’s mate
in the kitchen there, serving the wounded
who’d returned from World War II. From
cooking, he moved on to various skilled labor
jobs. He initially made decorative wood boxes,
worked with metals, and then built houses.
He also worked as a truck driver for fifteen
years, well into his 70’s. “I like to work,” he
said. “If I could still work, I’d be working.” Ben
was walking until three years ago, “but with
this spinal stenosis, my back just gave out one
day. I was never sick in my life. Now it’s just
mobility.”
Still, Ben shows no signs of slowing down.
Ben Hankins and his friend Kim Radek
Besides attending the events at Bellingham Hill,
he listens to music (especially Aretha Franklin
and B.B. King), hangs out with his friends in
the residence, and visits with his family. “I
speak to my grandkids and kids every day.
If I miss a day, my oldest daughter calls and
says, ‘What’s wrong?’” Ben has five kids, nine
grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren
and they visit him frequently.
Ben has a lot of good things to say about Senior
Living on Bellingham Hill. “I like the view and
I like the people here a lot.” He complimented
the staff extensively.
“Lonnie [the Resident Services Coordinator] is the best. She’s a wonderful person
and she’s always helping everybody. She
doesn’t turn down little things or big
things. She goes out of her way.”
He also said that Susan, the occupancy specialist for Bellingham Hill “is excellent. Does a
wonderful job. Comes around checking on
things. If something is wrong with my apartment, I tell Susan...and they are right on it. The
crew we’ve got here is good.”
Lisa Casman, MSG (Masters of Science in Gerontology)
Assistant Program Director, Senior Living on Bellingham Hill
mhpi.net | CREATING HOUSING... SUPPORTING LIVES
5
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Becoming a Tenant
We take great pride in the properties we
manage. All fifteen of the MHPI-owned
affordable housing complexes are kept clean
and safe through the coordinated efforts of
our Property Management Services team,
which administers all facets of each project’s
subsidy contract in accordance with the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Handbook §4350.3
MHPI’s occupancy specialists market the
properties in accordance with each project’s
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan and
Tenant Selection Plan to qualifying individuals
who meet the specific guidelines of HUD,
which is the primary funding agency for the
residences.
Prospective tenants complete a comprehensive
application package, which includes
verifications of citizenship, income, credit
history, prior renting history, and criminal
background checks through various federal and
state agencies. MHPI does all this validation
to ensure that our housing is managed in
accordance with the HUD-issued Regulatory
Agreement for each project.
When all the requirements of the application
process are met, the applicant is added to the
waiting list for the project to which s/he has
applied. When the applicant reaches the top of
the waiting list, MHPI validates the individual’s
monthly rent contribution, collects the
necessary deposits, and executes a lease with
the new tenant. As with any tenant lease, this
document sets forth the rules and conditions
under which tenancy will be maintained.
David E. Byrd
Facilities Operations Manager
6
MHPI, Inc. | ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
And each year, per HUD requirements, every
tenant re-certifies their pertinent financial
information.
Once a tenant moves into his/her apartment,
s/he can be assured that all aspects of their
building will be regularly maintained by the
Property Management Field Operations staff.
All members of our staff are highly
qualified, experienced, and responsive.
Among other responsibilities, they
perform preventative maintenance to
mechanical systems, ensure that common
areas are clean and safe, and address
individual tenant requests.
When an issue arises, the field staff work with
the occupancy team to identify and evaluate
relevant facts in order to make a decision that is
in the best interests of all the building’s tenants.
UPGRADING OUR HOUSING
EnvironmentallyCompliant Renovation
Begins in April
MHPI is delighted to announce that we have
finalized the financing for the substantial
renovations of six of our buildings! These
residences are located in the Mission
Hill section of Boston, the Dorchester
neighborhood, and throughout the Jamaica
Plain neighborhood. Like our homes, these
sites experience wear and tear over time and
need updating. We want residents to feel
comfortable and enjoy living in their homes.
When finished, this construction will make
our facilities more accessible to people with
mobility issues, increase effective use of living
spaces, improve energy efficiency, and spruce
up the overall appearance of these homes.
Under the new refinancing plan, we plan to:
Upgrade all of the kitchens — with new
cabinets, countertops, and flooring;
Renovate the bathrooms, with all ADAapproved fixtures;
Install new flooring and carpeting;
Equip three sites with energy-efficient
windows;
Replace the roofs on three buildings; and
Install central air conditioning at one site.
The six sites undergoing this metamorphosis
will be combined into one legal entity and
referred to as “MHPI-IV Supported Housing.”
In addition to funding all the work at the six
residences, the refinancing will give MHPI the
opportunity to replenish our reserve escrow
fund — to support future capital improvement
projects at these locations.
Construction is scheduled to start in April 2015
and will be completed over twelve months.
Paul J. Lemieux, B.B.A. (Bachelors in Business Administration) in Accounting
Senior Vice-President of Operations
mhpi.net | CREATING HOUSING... SUPPORTING LIVES
7
CONSULTING
MHPI as Management
Agent for Other Property
Owners
In addition to operating its own HUD
projects, MHPI serves as management agent
of affordable housing properties owned by
other organizations. For example, HUD
has certified MHPI as Management Agent
for three residences owned by Work, Inc. in
Boston, Milton, and Quincy. (Work, Inc.
provides supportive services that people with
developmental and physical disabilities need
in order to achieve their career goals. The
organization also helps these people find
appropriate housing.)
MHPI serves institutional customers with the
same competence and compassion with which
we serve our tenants and clients. We use the
HUD Management Agent Handbook § 4381.5
to ensure that the project complies with the
terms specified in its Regulatory Agreement
and Subsidy Contract. MHPI’s duties and
responsibilities encompass the following areas:
1. Select and admit tenants, compute tenant
rents and assistance payments, re-certify
tenants, maintain tenant files, and carry
out other subsidy contract administration
responsibilities in accordance with HUD
Handbook § 4350.3.
2. Ensure that all expenses of the project
are reasonable and necessary. Obtain
contracts, materials, supplies and services
on terms most advantageous to the project.
3. Support responses to HUD’s management
review reports, physical inspection
reports, and written inquiries regarding
the project’s annual financial statements as
Jane Karoway
COS (Certified Occupancy Specialist)
Occupancy Manager
8
MHPI, Inc. | ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
“I have had a very long relationship with
MHPI managing our HUD properties here in
Massachusetts. I consider the MHPI team to
be the most knowledgeable there is with HUD
properties and the expertise MHPI brings to
the process for us is key. The length of the
relationship we have had with them speaks for
itself. Just this year we built a new 5-bedroom
total handicap-accessible home in Milton,
MA. MHPI helped us strategically get our new
Milton HUD property completed on budget
and on time. Their knowledge in dealing
with HUD and on many of the difficult and
technical accounting issues was invaluable. I
highly recommend MHPI if you are considering
building a HUD or CEDAC property.”
Dave Anderson, Senior VP, Chief Financial Officer, Work, Inc.
requested by the owner. (Note: Like other
organizations for whom we consult, Work,
Inc.’s independent auditors depend on
MHPI to maintain accurate and complete
tenant records as part of their preparation
and submission of Work, Inc.’s year-end
financial results to HUD.)
4. Develop budgets for each housing complex
and submit them to HUD for approval in
accordance with guidelines outlined in
HUD Handbook § 4350.1.
5. Conduct market analyses of rents charged
in similar properties to ensure that the
contact rent approved by HUD is in line
with similar housing projects.
6. Apprise the owner of new federal, state,
and/or local changes in code requirements
to ensure that the buildings stay in
compliance with building standards.
SERVICE-ENRICHED HOUSING
Assistance in Your Own
Home
Our Service-Enriched Housing department,
including our largest division — home-based,
long-term care — continues to grow. We are
serving more and more clients and adding
more personnel to our team, including nurses,
social workers, certified nurse assistants, and
certified home health aides. Led by Alice
L. Rose, who has a wealth of experience in
health care administration, Service-Enriched
Housing offers to people living in their own
homes the same personal care and supportive
services previously available only to clients
living in one of MHPI’s senior residences.
Our goal is to provide assistance, attention,
guidance and support in order to promote
clients’ well-being and enable them to remain
living independently for as long as possible. As
always, the care is customized to accommodate
each client’s needs, and our program is
accredited by the Home Care Alliance of
Massachusetts.
Our certified nursing assistants and home
health aides have extensive experience serving
the elderly and people who have cognitive
challenges, developmental delays, acquired
brain injuries, mental illness and/or physical
impairments. Our staff has developed this
expertise though education, training and
experience in caring for clients referred to us
by the Massachusetts Department of Mental
Health, the Department of Developmental
Services, the University of Massachusetts
Medical School, and the Massachusetts
Rehabilitation Commission.
Client Richard Mossey (left) with certified home health aide Leonel Jean
The process:
One of our social workers or registered nurses
works with each client and his/her doctor to
develop a Care Plan that meets the individual’s
needs. Afterwards, a certified nurse assistant
or certified home health aide visits with each
client according to the Care Plan, providing
services such as help with getting dressed,
grooming, laundry and light housekeeping, as
well as monitoring each client’s health.
At MHPI, we carefully and closely attend to
clients’ needs in order to prevent a rest home
or nursing home placement. We provide the
opportunity for clients to live in a dignified and
meaningful way as the aging process unfolds.
Beth A. Talha, RN (left) with client Ken Bennett
Alice L. Rose, BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), MS (Masters of Science in
Nursing), Certificate in Management Development for Health Care Professionals,
Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner, Licensed Nursing Home Administrator
Vice-President and Administrator, Service-Enriched Housing
mhpi.net | CREATING HOUSING... SUPPORTING LIVES
9
Activities in Senior Housing
Noble & Greenough students treated the residents of Senior
Living on Bellingham Hill to flute and violin performances!
Afternoon Crafts: Two residents learn the art of jewelry-making.
Friends gather after the Holiday Party and Performance
at Senior Living at Prouty, in Spencer, MA.
MHPI in Your Community
Hellen Merrill, RN (pictured), and Lisa Casman,
MSG, who work regularly with clients with
brain injuries (ABIs), presented a well-attended
seminar on ABIs and associated home care to
the Massachusetts Association of Public Health
Nurses.
10
MHPI, Inc. | ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT
Beth A. Talha, one of our Registered Flu clinic at Senior Living on
Bellingham Hill in Chelsea,
Nurses, conducting a free blood
pressure screening in Cambridge. for tenants and staff.
FINANCIALS
Financial Data for Fiscal Year
2014 for MHPI and its Affiliates
Actual Expenses For MHPI, Inc. and its Affiliates
Revenues by Source: $5,906,669
Rental
Revenues
Home Care
Revenues
Administrative
and Other
Client
Support
Services
10%
38%
53.5%
36.1%
52%
9.7%
0.2%
Other
Management
Consulting Fees
Property
Management
0.5%
Tenant Services
MHPI, Inc. and All Affiliates Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2014
Assets
Cash and Accounts Receivable
Prepaid Expenses and Deposits
Investments
Restricted Deposits
Property and Equipment, at cost
Total Assets
2014
2013
665,317
140,688
24,911
721,523
23,472,622
25,025,061
614,215
300,592
67,057
691,951
23,461,297
25,135,112
Liabilities
Accounts Payable
Accrued Expenses
Capital Advances (HUD)
Mortgage and Notes Payable
Total Liabilities
532,850
269,130
12,989,200
8,937,102
22,728,282
692,290
249,974
12,989,200
9,068,335
22,999,799
Net Assets
Unrestricted Net Assets
Restricted Net Assets
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
501,464
1,795,315
25,025,061
718,506
1,416,807
25,135,112
Prepared by Whittemore & Salvucci, P.C.
mhpi.net | CREATING HOUSING... SUPPORTING LIVES
11
Board of Directors
MHPI Senior Management
Jeanne M. McHallam, Chair
Sheldon D. Bycoff
President and CEO
Joyce Gair, Treasurer
Paul J. Lemieux
Senior Vice-President of Operations
Joseph J. Spadea, Clerk
Newton Levee
Director, Legal and Compliance
Vincent Cloutier, Member
Robert S. Manasse, Member
Mary Hagarty
Vice-President and Administrator Home Healthcare
Alice L. Rose
Vice-President and Administrator Service-Enriched Housing
How to Reach Us
(L-R): Joyce Gair, Joseph J. Spadea, and Jeanne M. McHallam
By Phone
(617) 789-4500
By Fax
(617) 789-5750
By Mail
Our website
70 Bridge Street, Suite 201
Newton, MA 02458
www.mhpi.net
On Facebook www.facebook.com/mhpi.inc
On Twitter
Robert S. Manasse
www.twitter.com/mhpiinc
Vincent Cloutier
To be considered for our HUD-subsidized housing, you must be either age 62 or older and/or have a
qualifying disability. In addition, you must meet HUD’s income standards for subsidized housing.
For more information, please call Jane Karoway at (617) 431-4924 or send an email to JKaroway@
mhpi.net. Thank you.
12
MHPI, Inc. | ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT