The job they can do can be difficult, emotional and stressful and the rewards are those that are not often seen. Many may take for granted what they do day in and day out, but we know what it has done for Michael and ourselves. They make our lives possible! They make Michael’s life possible! Our lives prior to Mike coming to live there was very tumultuous to say the least. Crying most of the day, no sleep, violent episodes, siblings locking themselves in their rooms to be safe and destruction of our home had become our routine life. All of us were confused, scared and worried about what would become of our Mikey. Now five years later, we can say that they have all become like family to us.

– Russ and Barbara Smith

Family Involvement

As members of their loved one’s circle of support, one of the family’s most important roles is to participate in the development and implementation of the Individual Service Plan (e.g. IHP, IEP, IRP, ISP). The person served and his/her circle of support are responsible for seeing that the individual’s needs are met and dreams are pursued.

We encourage family members to visit their loved one at Bancroft – and for persons served to visit their families at home – to help sustain their relationships with each other. We also advise regular telephone contact between the family and the individual, and between the family and staff. This helps to ensure effective communication about the individual’s activities, accomplishments and needs.

Beyond the circle of support, family members and guardians are encouraged to participate in organizational activities as much as possible. A range of such opportunities can accommodate different levels of interest and availability.

Bancroft also encourages people served and their relatives to participate on program advisory committees and other groups that support our mission. In fact, as members of our Board of Trustees and its committees, family members and persons served help determine the organization’s priorities, policies and future direction.

How can families provide input?

Bancroft is a very dynamic organization with many opportunities for families/guardians to participate and provide input, including:

  1. Individual Service Plan meetings - The person served and his/her circle of support are members of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) responsible for developing, monitoring, and updating the individual’s Service Plan (e.g., IEP, IHP, IRP, IFSP, etc.).
  2. Informal interactions with the program manager or other staff - Input provided in informal conversations is often useful in identifying and addressing issues before they become problems or passing along satisfaction with how things are going.
  3. Supervisory reporting processes - When problems occur or praise is warranted, families should not hesitate to contact program leadership. The program’s table of organization provides contact information for leadership team members, who can help resolve issues.
  4. Family advocate – Bancroft’s family advocate offers an additional resource to families who are unable to resolve issues at the program level. The family advocate tracks complaints that come to that office, and reports annually to senior management and the Performance Improvement Council on trends related to grievances and other family issues. To contact the family advocate, call (856) 524-7366.
  5. Organizational meetings with executive staff - Organizational meetings and events provide direct access to executive staff and members of the Board of Trustees, and include opportunities for suggestions and questions from families and others.
  6. Advisory committees – Family members can serve on program advisory committees, which advise program leadership on performance improvement efforts and suggest other enhancements.
  7. Satisfaction surveys - Each year the organization surveys its stakeholders to help evaluate the quality of its services. The information gathered through this process helps determine performance improvement priorities at both the organizational and program levels.
  8. Anonymous reporting hotline - Family and staff members can anonymously report potentially unethical acts or unsafe practices via our telephone hotline. The toll-free Corporate Compliance Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at (800) 385-4652. Callers can also follow up on the status of their concern, by calling the Compliance Line at a later time. Please note that this additional reporting process should not replace our typical communication or routine reporting processes (through program staff and leadership). It should be a last resort for those who are reluctant to otherwise voice concerns.