Alvis House Highlights 2008

Agency Growth

Community Connection for Ohio Offenders, which operates programs in Columbus and Lima, officially became a division of Alvis House. This completed a process begun more than a year ago to join the agencies together and build upon each other’s strengths in order to better serve constituents’ needs.  

The board approved a new Strategic Plan intended to take the agency through 2012. The plan envisions continued growth into services for individuals with Mental Retardation and other Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) and providing more services to at-risk individuals and families while still maintaining and seeking growth in Alvis House’s core business of corrections and reentry programs.

Alvis House added teleconferencing equipment to its facilities in Columbus, Dayton, Chillicothe and Toledo, Ohio. This has resulted in substantial savings in staff travel costs and improved the ability of the agency to provide a wide range of services to clients over a larger geographic area.

Staff and Volunteers

Denise M. Robinson was inducted into the YWCA’s Academy of Women of Achievement. The event was attended by more than 2,000 people and provided a wonderful opportunity to highlight the work of Alvis House.

Judge John Connor, Board Chair, was honored for his service to the Franklin County Drug Court. Judge Connor completed his term as the Presiding Judge and was recognized by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Sally Murphy, who is also a trustee, is the TIES (Treatment Is Essential to Success) program coordinator.

Bob Longberry, vice president of support services, and Jerry Farmer, director of support services, each celebrated 20 years of service at Alvis House.

Agency staff accumulated more than 11,380 hours of training

Financial

Alvis House received a bequest of more than $200,000 from the estate of Mary Renoll, a member of Alvis House’s original Women’s Sustaining Board dating back to 1969. Ms. Renoll was an avid gardener and a garden in her memory will be designed and maintained at the Wittwer Hall facility. Alvis House also received a bequest for the estate of Jacqueline Mary Rachel Roush designated for use in programs benefitting women.

Alvis House revenues increased from more than $9,000,000 in 2007 to almost $11,000,000 in 2008.

Audits, Evaluations

The Long Street Residential Program was awarded its initial American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation and the Veterans Residential Program (VRP) was awarded re-accreditation during the Congress of Corrections conference. Both programs scored a 100% compliance on all applicable standards. This was VRP’s third perfect score in a row on a re-accreditation audit.

The University of Cincinnati completed its first comprehensive evaluation of the Young Adult Reentry Program. In addition to Alvis House, there are three other sites in Ohio for this pilot project. The study found that Alvis House has the highest acceptance rate of applicants into the program and the highest successful completion rate. Alvis House also has a significantly higher percentage of youth employed compared to youth on parole in Franklin County.

Annual compliance contracting audits by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction went very well, with all facilities scoring above 90% and three facilities - Price Hall, Long Street and Cope Center - receiving 100% compliance ratings. Auditors were very complimentary of the programs and the commitment of Alvis House to work for continuous improvement.

Awards/Recognition

Alvis House was presented with a “Health Care Hero” award from Business First in the Employer category in recognition of the agency’s Employee Wellness Program.

Cupidette Club, Inc. selected Alvis House to receive a charity scholarship from their national organization. The local chapter in Columbus, who nominated the agency for the award, has supported the women's programs at Alvis House by donating food, clothing and personal care items.

Alvis House was chosen out of 170 companies in Columbus and Cleveland to receive a “Best Practices Award” from ERC Health, who oversees our Wellness Plan.

New Contracts

The Ohio Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (GOFBCI) awarded Alvis House a grant to provide Strengthening Fatherhood Services as part of the new Ohio Fatherhood Initiative.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons awarded Alvis House a new five-year contract to provide reentry services for federal clients returning to the Dayton area.

The Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC) awarded Alvis House a contract to provide employment readiness services for former offenders.

Alvis House opened began providing services at a third supported living location.

St. John’s Church awarded a snow removal contract to clients in Alvis House’s Wittwer Hall program for individuals with MRDD. Clients are very pleased to be able to contribute in the neighborhood.

Community Relations

Dr. Joyce Conley, Assistant Director of Correctional Programs for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, visited Alvis House’s programs for men and women in Columbus and noted, “The Alvis House staff ... were extremely positive and professional.”

Alvis House clients paid more than $60,000 in restitution, fees, court costs, fines, etc.

Alvis House clients completed more than 10,000 hours of community service, including:

•          Youth participated in the Governor’s “Get Healthy Ohio Walk Project” and served as ushers and hosts at Franklin County Children Services’ Youth Leadership Conference.

•          VRP clients helped to build a home in Ross County through Scioto Valley Habitat for Humanity.

•          Students from The Ohio State University and Alvis House clients joined together to pick up trash and work to make the Olde Towne East neighborhood more beautiful as part of Community Commitment Day. The event is one of the largest single-day collegiate community service events.

•          Alum Creek residents provided services for the Material Assistance Providers (MAPS) furniture bank and in turn earned credit that Alvis House clients can use to obtain goods and services from MAPS.

•          Clients in our women’s programs helped in the donor services area for the American Red Cross, completed data entry for the American Diabetes Association, and volunteered at Salvation Army and Volunteers of America.

•          Clients in the Young Adult Reentry Program completed community service for the Love Zion Food Pantry and Faith on 8^th Homeless Shelter.

•          Alvis House and the Chillicothe Region of the Adult Parole Authority hosted a “Back to School Blast.” By the end of the day, they had cooked and served over 600 meals and given away more than 550 book bags to needy children in Ross County.

•          Price Hall clients set up and broke down booths and distributed crime prevention materials to the community for the Columbus Urban League’s National Crime Prevention Day.

•          Cope Center clients worked with the Dayton View Neighborhood Association to clean up vacant properties and on neighborhood improvement projects.

•          Clients in the Long Street program were asked to present information and share some of their experiences with teenagers in one of the YMCA’s intervention programs. The clients enjoyed the opportunity to try to help the youth avoid some of the mistakes they have made.