Our Strategic Plan Highlights: Q1 2024
The first full quarter of our strategic plan's implementation has been largely dedicated to setting Work Area objectives and targets for success. For each pillar of our plan, a cross-function team of staff members meets biweekly to plan projects and take action around topics that matter to kids, families, and our community. Below are highlights from the various corners of the plan: we're excited about all the work that will come next!
Pillar 1: Put People First
Culture and Belonging Work Area:
We heard from our community:
So we've formed sub-teams who will serve as task project managers on:
- Measuring the psychological safety of staff and take action on facility safety assessments.
- Creating streamlined communication resources to house important agency information and serve as a meeting place for a deskless workforce
- Exploring how employee benefits can be more valuable and inclusive
Growth and Development Work Area:
In our research, one thing that stood out to us to respond to is:
Keeping that in mind, we've set targets for new trainings and staff career progression tools, such as:
- Best practice guidance documents for all positions and levels to be used during supervision
- A new agenywide training targeting the Shift Supervisor position that focuses on (first round of training planned to complete by end of Q2 24)
- Develop role- or program-specific career development guides
Pillar 2: Programs Built for Impact
Residential Work Area:
For our campus based programs, we started by listening to a key piece of feedback:
So for the earliest activities of this Work Area Team, we've laid the groundwork to:
- Identify areas where technology such as electronic bed checks and ASD diagnostic tools can be implremented
- Find additional ways for therapists to be present and active in youth daily activities
- Standardize staff and youth experience across all Maryhurst campuses and homes
Outpatient Counseling (Renewal) Work Area:
Our Maryhurst Renewal program is growing and evolving to meet community needs, and here's what folks told us:
The Renewal Work Area Team has identified foundational ways for Renewal to thrive, like:
- Clustering services by focusing attention on dense, high-impact school partnerships
- Creating marketing materials that are relevant and reflective of the current-day services being offered
- Identifying areas for more family engagement within therapeutic settings
Pillar 3: Commitment to Community
Advocacy Work Area:
Something we heard often from people as we created our strategic plan:
The advocacy Work Area Team kicked off its first round of activities designed to make that a reality:
- Hosted 50 Maryhurst staff for a training called "How to Stand up for Kids," in which attendees learned their 'why' for doing advocacy, the issues at the forefront of policy affecting youth, and tips for making contact with decision-makers, featuring a guest speaker from Kentucky Youth Advocates
- Brought 3 youth living on Maryhurst campuses to Frankfort to meet with legislators to discuss topics that are meaningful to them
- Shared news with staff about the 2024 legislative session, including steps they can take to voice their support or concern about pending legislation
Community Partnership Work Area:
A guiding principle we used to craft this work area is what our partners told us during our listening phase:
This Work Area Team began by assesing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to our work, which will help us take action on:
- Learning about Maryhurst's reputation and perception in the communtiy
- Find authentic ways to further deepen relationships or begin new ones in areas that are especially important to the youth and families we serve
- Create a series of trainings for community partners on topics where Maryhurst has deep expertise (i.e. Trauma-informed Care)
