Earlier this year Toni Tewes (Manager of My Choice Employment) and Scott Witte (Director of Partnership and Service Development) traveled to Washington D.C. to present at a Department of Labor – Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) “federal briefing” on Iowa’s successful efforts in organizational transformation.
“Iowa’s Employment 1st effort has been recognized as one of the best in the nation. It was truly an honor for Hope Haven/My Choice to be invited by IVRS Administrator David Mitchell — the leader of Iowa’s Employment 1st effort — to share our story of organizational transformation as a part of briefings attended by thirteen federal agencies ” says Witte.
They also spoke on Hope Haven’s efforts to increase employment and day services in the community and the formation of My Choice Employment. Hope Singletary (Nutritional Assistant; Sioux Center Hospital) and Angela Johnson (My Choice Employment Specialist) accompanied them and Hope shared her personal employment journey from facility based employment to competitive employment in the community.