Vision
Life in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders, and healing from trauma are causes for celebration! IHR’s vision is to transform the behavioral health treatment delivery system in the Commonwealth, focusing on strength-based, trauma-informed services that support long term recovery.
Action Statement
IHR addresses mental health, substance use, and trauma in families and individuals throughout Massachusetts, while working towards health equity and social justice, both within and outside our agency. We provide counseling and behavioral health treatment and support; we train and coach providers of these services, and we develop programs that incorporate best practices for working with individuals of all genders including trans and non-binary, pregnant and parenting people, youth and young adults, homeless families, and families in need of support.
Post-pandemic planning requires attention to both internal and external factors as we continue to support our community. In 2025, will:
[1]
Actively Support our workforce, providing assistance for ongoing professional growth. Recognizing that people are the most important component of any human services program, target any increased funds to foster equity in staff compensation. To reduce costs and turnover, focus on retention of staff. To increase retention, provide reflective, trauma-informed support and supervision.
Expand opportunities for those with lived experience. Continue to diversify our workforce by recruiting for staff and interns from networks serving BIPOC individuals. Explore opportunities for additional staff benefits, for example reimbursement for tuition costs and public transportation costs. Support IHR’s Equity Committee in the ongoing development of our plan to fully incorporate a lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in all of our activities. Continue to invoke our Principles of Relationship as a measure of the values we endorse as an agency and the ways we work together.
Goals/Objectives 2024/2025:
- Calendar Year 2024: IHR Leadership completed a detailed review of disparities in current compensation with the goal of being able to streamline job titles agency wide, and to develop salary guidelines for each level. Our review and resulting Tiers developed include attention to: equivalency/crosswalk of experience/education, lived experience, and longevity of employment at IHR.
- Calendar Year 2024: IHR instituted a system for posting positions that resulted in a reduction in staff turnover rate from 2023 (25%) to 2024 (20%).
- 2024–2025: In concert with IHR’s Equity Committee, IHR plans to develop, hire and train a Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice to focus on identifying existing disparities and coordinating equity training for IHR staff.
- 2025: Increase presence at job fairs/events to expand recruitment opportunities.
- 2025: explore opportunities to invest in paid internships.
[2]
Improve and Expand our visibility, marketing of services, web and social media presence, external communication, using print and other materials to distribute to all stakeholders. Develop a robust online presence and continue to hone our skills in new areas of communication.
Goals/Objectives 2024/2025:
- 2024: Increase visibility and online presence through social media exposure. Include #IHRisHiring, Giving Tuesday and annual appeal. Explore others: YouTube, etc.
- 2024: Established a social media subcommittee of Leadership team members.
- 2025: Networking: presence and visibility at key community and recovery events
- 2025: Increase transparency/equity/accessibility/functionality of IHR website and social media messaging
- 2025: Strengthen IHR brand through use of key themes: Keeping Families Together, Healing from Trauma, Supporting Family Recovery.
[3]
Identify payer sources in addition to current ones that support our services and mission. Reach out to smaller foundations in our local areas, across the state where our services and clinic offices are located. Substance use and trauma are public health issues; reach out to hospital funders and health care foundations for support. Work to effectively coordinate internal communication in order to take maximum advantage of new opportunities.
Goals/Objectives 2024/2025:
- 2024: Grow donor list, engaging staff, Board, and IHR stakeholders. Highlight people in recovery, in the community, former clients. Generate agency wide participation in Annual Appeal.
- 2025: Through increased visibility at community events, emphasize both local and statewide work.
- 2025: Explore matching donations and increasing capacity of our online donations webpage.
[4]
Research and Utilize updated best practices in training, coaching, and technical assistance as well as direct service, including evidence-based tools such as reflective practice. Collect feedback from participants in direct service programs using surveys and interview tools. Continually assess the quality of our service delivery; incorporate quarterly review processes to ensure we are refining and updating our approach. Support our internal Training Committee and Quality Assurance Committee by actively participating in their work.
Goals/Objectives 2024/2025:
- 2024: Assess for missing perspectives (particularly perspectives from historically or intentionally marginalized populations), areas of potential bias, and lack of inclusivity in our training materials.
- 2025: Support IHR staff in developing/enhancing skills for content delivery.
- 2025: Develop and implement recommendations for trainings presented by IHR