2024 has been an eventful year for The Resource Exchange (TRE). It marks the celebration of the organization’s 60th anniversary, our expansion into Pueblo County, overcoming the challenges of Colorado’s Case Management Redesign, and the initiation of our Capital Campaign for meaningful and gainful employment. It has been a year of incredible opportunity and celebration as well as one of challenges and frustrations.
In celebrating our 60th anniversary, we reflected on the 3 families that helped create the organization in 1964 to bring services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to the community vs sending people off to institutions. TRE started in 1964 serving less than 100 people with a small staff. We now serve over 13,000 individuals with a staff of more than 500. We marked this celebration with events to recognize people receiving services, families and caregivers, employees, volunteers, and our providers and community partners. The final event was an art show and auction that displayed art from people in services, employees, and other professional artists in the community.
TRE also initiated a capital campaign to promote our headquarters as a site for expanding training and meaningful and gainful employment for people with disabilities. By fostering partnerships between businesses and individuals with disabilities, we create inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive. Through awareness, education, and implementation, we bridge the gap and build a brighter, more inclusive future where diversity is not just celebrated but embraced as the norm.
TRE expanded its Case Management Agency (CMA) services to Pueblo County in March 2024. TRE now provides case management for Colorado’s Home and Community Based Services in El Paso, Park, Pueblo, and Teller Counties. We also continue to provide Early Intervention Services for infants and toddlers in El Paso, Park, and Teller Counties. TRE has established an office for more than 70 staff in downtown Pueblo and collaborating with a variety of community partners in the Pueblo area. TRE also added two new board members from Pueblo to its Board of Directors – Jennifer Thornton and Stephen Varela.
2024 also brought significant challenges for people receiving services and for our staff. These challenges were created by several system changes occurring at the same time and led to backlogs in activities for our staff. TRE responded to these challenges with a targeted backlog reduction plan that has now eliminated almost all of those backlogged activities. The remaining backlog will be eliminated by 12/31/24.
Through these celebrations and challenges, we have created a vision for TRE’s future that focuses on the highest quality in person-centered services. We will be rolling out a portal for the people we serve to see their information and where they are in the process of accessing services. This portal will also be available to providers and is intended to improve communication and streamline access to information for people. We are also focused intently on hiring the very best staff to fill our vacant positions, while creating a work environment that also retains staff in order to provide the consistency and stability that people need when accessing services. Quality customer service will be our priority moving forward. We are looking forward to 2025 and the opportunities in front of us.
I wanted to thank you for helping me 2yrs when I couldn’t get ahold of anyone to continue my services, i couldnt get ahold of my coordinator ever, for some reason there was some type of mix up but you helped get it resolved. you also kept me updated on what was going on every step of the way. I appreciate all the help you gave me. we also has a great conversation. so the last time that seemed to be taking time again , i strugged alittle bit but the service was much better and got the job done. I now have new coordinator and she seems to stay on top of things.
thank you again for your great help and service.