Did you know that Merakey offers Supported Employment Services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)? Our dedicated team helps individuals find job opportunities that fit their schedules and enhance their lives by providing personalized support, training, and assistance. This month, we're spotlighting John Piontkowski and his incredible 20+ year employment journey at ShopRite in Marlton, NJ! After collecting donations for various charities during the pandemic, John and his family reached out to Merakey for support in resuming his previous role and learning new tasks. Thanks to our job coaches, John is back to bagging groceries and has taken on the new responsibility of handling returns. Congratulations, John! We're so proud of your achievements!
Big Win for Mental Health! We are excited to share that the Merakey Mental Health Walk-in Clinic is off to an amazing start! In just the first 3 days, we've provided care to 40 clients and helped 10 individuals in crisis return safely to their homes without needing inpatient treatment. 💙 A huge shoutout to our incredible team for their kindness and professionalism, and the TA team's hard work in staffing the clinic so quickly and providing top-notch care to the community. We're hearing glowing feedback from both clients and community members about the support they’ve received! Thank you to everyone who has helped make this program a success—your work is truly changing lives here in Philadelphia! #MentalHealthMatters #CommunityCare #MerakeyCares #WalkInClinic #PhillyMentalHealth #CrisisSupport
Thank you to Good Day Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, WTXF for highlighting our new Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic in Philadelphia. As the city’s first adult mental health urgent care clinic, we’re excited to open our doors on September 3rd. Watch the full interview and learn more about our services!
Last week, we celebrated Philadelphia’s first adult mental health urgent care clinic with an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony! Visitors had the opportunity to tour our brand new Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic, meet our dedicated staff, and learn about the services we will offer to support our community's mental health and well-being. Officially opening on September 3rd, 2024, we are incredibly grateful to everyone who made this a reality. Together, we’re paving the way for better mental health care in Philadelphia!
We're excited to announce Empowering through Innovation, the Merakey Foundation's annual gala, will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2024. Held at The Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill, PA, we'll celebrate our Leading the Way and Fran Egan Courage Award recipients. All funds raised will directly support Merakey programs. Join us as we highlight another year of empowering our communities with innovative care solutions. Purchase your tickets and donate today!
Billy, Kevin, Genny, and Wendy were joined by House Managers Beth and Susan for a glamping trip to Cooks Forest, PA. The highlights of their trip were tubing in Lake Erie and exploring the beach.
The Merakey AVS Family Association in Western PA recently came together for their spring in-person meeting. Led by the Family Association officers, the meeting addressed questions and offered updates from local leadership. Senior VP for IDD Services Elise Tretola shared company and IDD Division highlights, focusing on Merakey’s aim to become a provider of choice for IDD services. Senior Executive Director IDD, Employment, and Day Services Theresa Santana shared her vision for continuing to integrate individuals into the workforce to further explore their interests. Senior Regional Executive Director Roni Erath highlighted Broadhead II House Manager Michelle Schmidt, who has been working for M/AVS for 34 years. Michelle first started as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) and quickly became a live-in House Manager. When M/AVS opened its first Smart Home in 2014, Michelle helped to teach the gentleman and staff about the new technology, leading to greater independence. Her duties go beyond running the Brodhead II household, as she’s on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is often called upon to manage multiple homes. She is the liaison between the gentleman supported by M/AVS, their families, Broadhead II staff, physicians and more. Michelle shared with the families in attendance, “one of the greatest parts of my job is giving back what your loved ones have given to me.”
Merakey Parkside Recovery in Philadelphia celebrated National Nurse’s Week!
Happy National Nurses Week to all heroes in scrubs who go above and beyond for their patients. If you're a nurse looking for a rewarding career, Merakey is hiring!
World Autism Acceptance Day, also known as World Autism Day or World Autism Awareness Day, is observed annually on April 2. Adopted by the United Nations on December 18, 2007, the purpose of this day is to raise awareness and promote acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder (A.S.D.). It also presents an opportunity to tear down misconceptions and false notions about disability. Merakey provides a range of therapeutic and educational services to children, adolescents, and adults with autism. Check our Careers Site for open roles!
