The Arrowhead Regional Quality Council is a group of people working together to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. This region serves Carlton, Cook, Lake, and Southern St Louis county.
MISSION:
To work collaboratively with regional stakeholders and partners to monitor and improve the quality of services, person-centered outcomes and overall quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
VISION:
People with disabilities will provide input that is used to promote best practices and address service gaps, resulting in informed choice, improved quality of life and community inclusion.
Core VALUES:
A—Awareness: Our goal is to become aware of best practices and gaps in services in our region.
R—Representation: We will seek out and listen to the voices of people with disabilities.
Q—Quality: Our goal is to understand how to improve quality of life for people with disabilities.
C—Collaboration: We will work together to promote best practices and problem solve.
GOALS:
- Form and run a Regional Quality Council that includes people with a variety of disabilities, people from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and people from a variety of organizations that provide services for people with disabilities.
- Inform people with disabilities, families and advocates of the goals and mission of the Arrowhead Regional Quality Council Prepare and train a review team to gather information from people with disabilities about their quality of life by conducting Person Centered Reviews and Brief Interviews.
- Provide a means for underserved communities and people to give input on barriers to accessing services Analyze data gathered from Person Centered Reviews, Brief Interviews and other existing data sources to identify both best practices and services gaps/needs
- Make recommendations to improve quality based on this analysis
- Share information and provide training on best practices, focusing on person centered planning
- Work together to come up with creative ways to address service needs, gaps and problems
Who comprises the Arrowhead Regional Quality Council? The Region 10 Quality Council is inclusive of individuals with disabilities, families, service providers, community members and government agencies:
- Individuals Receiving Services – 5 members
- County Representatives – 1 member is appointed from each of the three participating counties (Olmsted, Wabasha, Houston)
- Family and Advocacy – 4 members
- Service Providers – 4 members
- Community Members – 4 members
- Local DHS Representative
- Office of Ombudsman Representative
Arrowhead Regional Quality Council Team
Members of the Arrowhead Regional Quality Council
Arc Northland
Laurie Berner: Executive Director
Lori Moench: Arrowhead Regional Quality Council Manager
Emily Mack: Arrowhead Regional Quality Council Coordinator
Carlton County
Ruth Rowenhorst: Team Lead (Disabilities and Long Term Care Public Health)
Choice Unlimited
Kristie Buchman: Executive Director
Cook County
Martina Williams: Adult and Home & Community Based Services Supervisor
DHS Representative
Sara Romagnoli: Regional Resource Specialist
DRCC
Michelle Hooey: Program Manager
Lake County
Beth Swanson: Adult and Disability Supervisor
Office of the Ombudsman
Michael Woods: Regional Ombudsman for Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health
People with Disabilities, Family Members, Self-Advocates
Cathy Burke
Becky Jakubek
Michael Manning
Kate Wallin
Range Center
Shelly Robinson: Executive Director
RSI
Patty Johnson: Quality Assurance Director
St Louis County
Amy Patenaude: Social Services Supervisor (MN Choices Reassessment Unit)
Gena Bossert: Adult Services Division Director
Trillium Services
Kari Aanenson: Executive Director (Residential Services)
Josh Howie: Executive Director (Trillium Works)