LEADS PROGRAM GOALS

The LEADS Institute assists northern New England residential and home care providers in implementing organizational change that supports quality care through quality jobs. The LEADS Institute program is unique in its focus on engaging all levels of staff, from direct-care workers to administrators, in leading the change process of each organization.

Through training, technical assistance, and community partnerships, LEADS is helping providers to:

• Create better jobs by enhancing the support and professional growth opportunities available to direct-care workers.
  A quality direct-care job offers supportive training and the opportunity to grow. Through peer mentor training, senior direct-care workers in LEADS organizations are developing their communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills to create a more supportive work environment—particularly for new employees. LEADS providers are also learning coaching supervision, a dynamic management approach that helps workers overcome performance obstacles and succeed as caregivers.
• Provide better care by strengthening the relationships between frontline caregivers and consumers, and thus ensuring more satisfying “person-centered” care.
  Caregiving is all about relationships. Through technical assistance and training, LEADS participants are transforming their care delivery systems by empowering direct-care workers to support the individual needs and wishes of consumers.
• Transform organizational culture by building widespread, support for ongoing, positive change among staff at all levels.
  Changing the institutional culture to embrace the “quality care through quality jobs” mission takes broad-based, effective leadership. LEADS consultants support multidisciplinary leadership teams within each participating organization. These teams, which are inclusive of direct-care staff, are guiding the change process within their organizations. Coaching supervision enhances participation at all levels.
• Form new alliances and partnerships to bring this new vision to other organizations throughout the region.
  LEADS is building a cooperative network of organizations that continue to innovate, learn from one another, and demonstrate that long-term care can become a positive, cost-effective, and life-sustaining part of our community, when the quality of care for consumers is linked to the quality of the job for direct-care workers.
• Advocate for change.
  Long-term care employers can’t do it alone. To succeed in implementing the “quality care through quality jobs” vision for long-term care, LEADS community partners are working to raise awareness about the challenges facing long-term care employers, workers, and consumers, and encourage policymakers to join us by enacting policies that support quality jobs for direct-care workers.