Cherry, a consumer at Independent Living Services, recently went on a 4-day cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy that set sail out of Galveston on August 11.

According to her adult companion, Cherry enjoyed eating shrimp and a variety of other foods.  She also watched a country music show and attended a deck party.  Cherry is pictured above shopping with her adult companion Rene Rains in Cozumel, Mexico.

“The program to me is basically what the title of the program says, Independent Living Services. They provide not only a good quality program at Independent Living Services, but I think they take that a step further to ensure that they provide a good quality of  life for people. ”

– CHDC Superintendent Calvin Price

The House ILS Built, by far, is the most informative video about the roots of Independent Living Services. The House ILS Built was produced and directed by Mark Wilcken in commemoration of our 35th anniversary in 2005.

Developmental disability is a term used to describe a long-term disability that begins any time from conception through age twenty-one (21) and is attributable to mental or physical impairments or a combination of physical and mental impairments.  Common developmental disabilities include mental retardation, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder.

Although you may not always be able to recognize a person with a developmental disability, you will find that the person will have a less than average ability to function in a combination of at least three of the following major life activities:  self-care, self-direction, communication, mobility, learning, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.  The range of services and supports needed by persons with developmental disabilities varies widely from one person to another.

Without appropriate services and supports, the choices open to people with developmental disabilities, including where they live, work, and play, are minimal.  Without nonprofit community programs, many people with developmental disabilities would receive no services and supports at all.

Independent Living Services is licensed by DDS as a nonprofit community program, and we serve over 200 persons with developmental disabilities in Faulkner, Pulaski, White, Cleburne, Perry, Conway, Pope, and Van Buren Counties.

We provide these services, most of which are funded through the Arkansas Medicaid program, with an annual budget of over $6 million.

We employee a total of 375 full-time and part-time employees to provide these services.

In addition to being licensed by DDS as a nonprofit community program, we are also accredited nationally by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Congratulations to Executive Director Jackie Fliss on being selected as a Nonprofit Executive of the Year finalist for the 2010 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards!

When asked to explain her secret to success Fliss says, “I aim to gather intelligent, talented, caring people and give them the tools, directions and timelines they need to do their jobs and, more importantly, do the right thing. Our employees must have compassion for the consumers and their respective families.”

Florentz Estates

“I also believe that maintaining a strong network with other agencies, developing personal networks, staying in touch with officials in state government, and communicating with community members and businesses has proven to be the key to developing innovative solutions for complex issues.”

Since she took over as Executive Director in 2000, Jackie Fliss has guided Independent Living Services through considerable growth. In the past ten years Independent Living Services has grown from a staff of 85 employees to over 375, a caseload of  70 consumers to over 200 and annual revenues of $2.1 million to $6 .3 million.

Greenbrier Apartments

Jackie oversaw the development and construction of Greenbier Apartments and Florentz Estates in 2007. Since its completion, Florentz Estates has become the model for indoor apartment construction for people with intellectual disabilities in Arkansas. Profiles Productions, a recycling facility offering gainful employment to people with intellectual disabilities, was also started during Jackie’s tenure.

Looking over plans for renovations to the Adult Ed building. Director of Profiles Productions Joey Rivers, Rik Sowell, Executive Director Jackie Fliss, and Director of Day Services Kathy Weatherl

Fliss began her career at Easter Seals of Arkansas. Afterward, she worked for seven years as a Certified Public Accountant. During her seven years as a CPA, she explains, “I was never able to forget the feeling of doing something that mattered. So, I returned to Easter Seals of Arkansas.”

After her tenure  at Easter Seals of Arkansas, Fliss worked as the CFO and Director of Children’s Services at Friendship Community Care, winner of the 2009 Nonprofit Organization of the Year Award presented by Arkansas Business.

Fliss is a member of the Conway Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Fliss played a significant role in founding the Sunshine Optimist Club, which is the first Optimist Club composed of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The club is viewed as the pilot for Optimist International on a national and international level.

Jackie has been married to Larry Fliss for 24 years. The two share two sons, Carter and Jackson, ages 22 and 21.

The 2010 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards, presented by Centennial Bank and Arkansas Business, will be held February 22 in the Wally Allen Ballroom at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

Log Cabin Democrat

Independent Living Services has purchased the Adult Education Center at 615 E. Robins from Conway Public Schools.

Dr. Greg Murry, school superintendent, said the building was purchased several years ago to also provide a home for the district’s maintenance and food service.

“About 18 months ago, the school district bought the SAS shoe factory to consolidate those services, and once we made that move, we no longer needed the Robins Street building. We were happy to sell to ILS,” Murry said.

As part of the 2012 changes, Sallie Cone Elementary will convert to a Pre-K school, and Adult Ed. will move to the back wing of Sallie Cone.

Adult Ed. will remain at its present location until June 30, 2011.

“We’re not sure where Adult Ed. will be in the intervening time, but we’re looking at a location inside the district’s annex on Lee Street,” Murry said.

The 32,500 square-foot building sold Wednesday for $850,000. After renovations, the total cost is expected to near $1.2 million,” said Jackie Fliss, executive director of Independent Living Services. Financing is provided by Centennial Bank.

Fliss said ILS is now operating at several locations across town in a total of 17,000 square feet.

Board President Cindy Ludford and Executive Director Jackie Fliss

“We are very crowded,” Fliss said.

ILS will renovate the rear of the building for more classrooms and more accessible restrooms.

“We’ll build a commercial grade kitchen so we can prepare our meals instead of having them catered,” Fliss said.

ILS will also have room to park its buses in a locked yard. Currently, they are parked at Conway Apartments, an ILS facility, where the buses sometimes cause accessibility problems for emergency vehicles, Fliss said.

Fliss is entering her 11th year as executive director of ILS.

“One of my goals has been to purchase a building that would bring all our programs together in one place. This certainly fits that need,” she said.

The building will combine Profiles Enrichment Center and Profiles Productions, now located across town from each other.

“We’ll be able to hire more consumers as transportation costs and logistics didn’t allow us to move the workers from the Enrichment Center to Productions and to their homes easily.

“That was a real important part of our wanting a large building,” Fliss said. “They’ll be able to walk a few steps from Profiles and go to work at Productions.

“Because our consumers will have instant access to our case managers, they’ll have better options for services,” Fliss said. “We’re just so excited.”

Independent Living Services was founded in 1970 to provide housing and services for persons with developmental disabilities. It now has more than 375 employees in Central Arkansas and serves 200 consumers.

ILS began as a group home for eight men and was supported by volunteers, including the Junior Auxiliary. It was the first of its kind in the state.

It began with an operating budget of $12,500. Today’s budget is more than $6 million, Fliss said.

Profiles Enrichment Center at Deer and Chestnut streets provides day services for more than 100 adults who receive transportation, lunch and classes in computers, music, art, personal finance, physical, speech and occupational therapy.

Profiles Productions on Jim Lane is an enterprise that employs more than 40 people with disabilities. It has contracts from manufacturers to handle small tasks and last year recycled more than 50 tons of paper.

Following renovation, all these programs will move to the new location.

(Becky Harris can be reached at 505-1234 or by e-mail at becky.harris@thecabin.net)

Many of our consumers will perform Wednesday night in the comedic play, “These are the ACTS of Our Lives.”

“These are the ACTS of our Lives” will start at 7pm at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway. Admission is free to the public.

The play is a part of the “Acting Creates Therapeutic Success,” a Department of Occupational Therapy program that provides an opportunity for adults with developmental disabilities to participate in the performing arts.

The A.C.T.S program was created in 1997  to provide a creative outlet where people with disabilities can develop learning skills, nurture independence and self-worth and enhance well being, according Dr. Cathy Acre and Dr. Jennifer Moore of the Department of Occupational Therapy, who created the program.

The A.C.T.S. program brings the power of the arts into the lives of all the participants by engaging the human spirit, exciting the imagination and sparking the intellect