CSLN - California Supported Living Network

Our Current CSLN Steering Committee Members. . .

Melanie Bazile is an Executive Director at STEP, a social services agency serving approximately 300 people primarily in Sacramento. STEP also provides services in Eureka and Yuba City areas. Melanie has been employed with STEP since 1994 and has provided support in a number of capacities. STEP provides Supported Living, Independent Living, and Vocational services and is known especially for involvement in the Deaf community. Melanie has pioneered many of STEP’s unique staff orientation and training programs including Supervisor Training and RESPECT courses. She has a passion for teaching and has been facilitating The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People workshop for STEP. Melanie has worked closely with STEP’s Human Resources department to develop employment practices aimed at retention of competent and committed staff. She also facilitates Consumer and Family Advisory Committees for STEP. Melanie has also worked in an ICF-DD/H where she was the QMRP and she worked in various settings as a Recreation Therapy aid. Melanie has her Bachelor’s degree in Recreation with an emphasis on Therapeutic Recreation from CSUS. Melanie is currently the Secretary of the California Supported Living Network.

Donna Bettencourt is currently the Director of Supported Living Services at InAlliance in Sacramento, California. Donna has served as Chair of the California Supported Living Network and been a member of the Steering Committee since the beginning. In 2008, Donna will serve as the Steering Committee Chair. InAlliance (then Sacramento Vocational Services) was one of the original participants in the CSLA federal pilot over 14 years ago InAlliance currently supports 45 individuals in homes of their own. Donna is a resource for serving persons with medical challenges in the community.

Nancy Bunker is a dedicated individual who has been providing supports and friendship to people with disabilities for over 30 years. She began her journey working in a large children’s facility, moved on to teaching Special Education for 7 years, began working in an ILS program, developed a HUD project for a semi-independent living-residential facility, developed the first congregated living situation to support parents with disabilities and their children, and over a decade ago found and works as the Executive Director of Independent Community Resources, Inc. (ICR), and independent and supportive living agency. During this time she has been able to overcome the ever-changing system and has progressively moved forward in an effort to support people with disabilities with residing in a community and receiving the supports of their choice. Nancy became involved with the CSLN as an active member of the Steering Committee back in 1997 when the Network was first being developed. Nancy has held the positions of Secretary and Treasurer. Currently, Nancy is the Network’s Historian. Nancy participated in System Reform and the planning of the annual CSLN Leadership Conference. During the past 30 years, Nancy has proudly been an advocate and friend to people with disabilities. She has made every effort to work in partnership with families, friends and other professionals on behalf of the people she serves.

Rebecca Burkhardt is the Director of Supported Living and PRISM for Jay Nolan Community Services (JNCS) in Mission Hills. She has been with JNCS for 8 years. A Southern California native, Rebecca holds a BS in Psychology with a minor is women's studies from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). While at CSUN, she worked as a counselor/advisor in the disabilities office, to educate them about students with autism. Rebecca began her work at JNCS as a direct support staff member in the Supported Living department. She then transferred as a Case Manager for Supported Employment as well as working as day program staff. She returned to Supported Living to accept the position of a Community Support Supervisor and climbed the ladder to the Director of Supported Living, Mission Hills. While she held her position as a Community Support Supervisor she became also became a roommate and a Community Living Coordinator. In 2005, Rebecca received her Masters Degree in Counseling from CSUN. Rebecca has concurrently been a Director on several crisis hotlines as well as being an active volunteer and presenter for several organizations including Best Buddies, Habitat for Humanity, Valley Trauma Center and Suicide Prevention Center. In 2006, she added Director of PRISM to her work at Jay Nolan, ultimately putting her in charge of over 50 supported living cases. Rebecca's involvement on the steering committee is Membership and Development.

Deborah Callahan has been providing support to people with developmental disabilities for twenty years, beginning as a teacher for students with Autism in Massachesetts. Since relocating to San Diego, she has provided services through two supported living agencies before founding Networx. Networx is a small supported living agency dedicated to serving individuals with complex support needs. Deborah is now a member of the CSLN Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the CSLN Training Sub-Committee.

Jacquie Dillard-Foss is the Executive Director of S.T.E.P, Inc. and has been a part of the CSLN steering committee since 1996. Along with Carol McKinney she has served as Co-Chair of CSLN over the last 4 years. In 2008, Jacquie will continue working with Carol as Governmental Affairs Co-Chair of the Committee. She has also been the Provider Representative for ACRC, Alta California Regional Center. STEP has been providing SLS since 1994. Currently, STEP serves 103 consumers in SLS with a majority requiring 24/7 support. STEP has 350 employees and has worked diligently to provide a comprehensive benefits package to the employees of the agency. STEP specializes in serving folks that are Deaf and/or Deaf/Blind. Over 110 of STEP’s employees are Deaf and they provide the support to their Deaf and/or Deaf/Blind consumers. STEP has made a concerted effort to focus on its Vision and Values in all of its training. STEP is currently one of the vendors in the Sacramento area to be engaged with the College of Direct Support. STEP is proud of its Human Resource Department. STEP has become proficient in labor laws, IHSS issues, Workers Compensation as well as a Supervisor Training Course to ensure its staff have the tools they need to meet the needs of the consumers while still having a full understanding of the labor laws. You can visit STEP’s website at www.stepagency.com. To contact Jacquie directly email her jacquied@stepagency.com.

Joe Donofrio has been a part of the lives of people with develop-mental disabilities for more than 25 years. In the same amount of time, he has learned many powerful lessons FROM the people he has been privileged to know. That is an important distinction, because many people/ professionals have been in the ‘field’ for 25 or more years and will never learn the lessons Joe has learned and applied to his work with people with developmental disabilities. His experience has spanned Adult Day Programs, Children’s Services, Supported Work Director, owner and administrator of a 4 bed home for men with developmental disabilities and finally, beginning in 1988, co-founder of one of the first supported living agencies in California, CHOICESS (Community Housing Options: Integrated Community, Employment and Social Services). Joe also serves as Treasurer for the CSLN.

Beth Gallagher is the founder and Executive Director of Life Works Supported Living Services in San Diego. Life Works was founded in 2004 after Beth moved to Southern California from Chico. She has been supporting people with developmental disabilities since 1986. The vast majority of her career has been focused on creating unique support situations for individuals with severe reputations. Person centered planning tools are the heart of the supports that Beth and Life Works develop. Beth has previously served as Co-Chair of the California Supported Living Network. After a short sabbatical, Beth now shares a seat on the steering committee with Deborah Callahan. Beth is now the Co-Chair of the Training Sub-Committee.

Sadie Hess is the co-founder and SLS Director for COMPASS, LLC. She first learned about the SLS program during her college internship, serving as a caregiver for two clients with a local agency. In 1996, when that agency decided they could no longer provide services, Sadie and her business partner knew they needed to take action to protect the clients they had come to know, respect, and serve. Within two months, they founded COMPASS and opened the doors to ten clients in Redding, CA. Today, COMPASS, LLC serves over 50 clients in five counties, still serving the two ladies who introduced her to the program over 12 years ago. COMPASS has also adapted Supported Living into a program that successfully serves the elderly population. Working together with her husband Eric, she counts it her joy to professionally and personally be committed to COMPASS. Eric and Sadie have two children, Trinity and Ryan, who complete her joy.

Jennifer Lengyel has been the Director of Supported Living for Jay Nolan Community Services Northern California for the past 10 years and has been working for Jay Nolan for over 14 years. Jennifer’s background varies with a BA in Liberal Arts and French and a multi-subject teaching credential from California Lutheran University. In addition she holds a Master’s Degree in Management and Disability Systems from USF. Jennifer has volunteered at Camarillo State Hospital with children with autism as well in Hollywood with homeless kids who were living on the streets. She “fell” into the field when part of her Liberal Arts education required a class completely outside of her major. She ended up at Camarillo State Hospital for a one month class and stayed 2 years. Jennifer was an original member of the network during the first years it was in existence. After time off, Jennifer rejoined the Steering Committee and now works along with Rebecca Burkhardt in Membership and Development.

Carol McKinney is the co-founder and Executive Director of Harmony Home, Associated. Harmony Home was founded in 1982. Harmony Home participated in the Community Supported Living Arrangement (CSLA) pilot project in the early 1990’s and began providing SLS in 1996. Carol represented the CSLN in System Reform, and is currently one of the Network members working with DDS to clarify the SLS regulations. Carol has served over the past 4 years as the Committee's Co-Chair and continues in 2008 working with Jacquie Dillard-Foss as the Governmental Affairs Co-Chair of the CSLN.