April 10, 2012
HARTFORD, CT, April 2012 HARC, Inc. an organization serving people with intellectual disability and their families, will honor the twenty-five year career at HARC of Arlene Smith of New Britain, CT, at its Annual Spring Fling Staff Milestone Celebration on Friday, April 13, 2012, at the Rocky Hill Marriott.
After graduating from Windsor High School, Ms. Smith married and started a family. She had two children and worked at part-time jobs at Aetna, The Hartford and Bank of Boston. When she was ready to embark on full time work, she realized that she wanted to do something different. She applied for a job at HARC at the urging of a friend who worked for the organization and was hired in 1987 as a job coach at a supported employment collaboration with Twains on the River in East Hartford. She worked as a job coach for ten years, first at Twains, then at Caldor and finally at Otis Elevator.
In November of 1997 she became a Family Support Coordinator, doing intake on referrals from schools, churches and families already familiar with HARC. Her responsibilities included acquainting families with HARC’s services, and coordinating those services for the family once they became clients of the organization. She also attended school PPT meetings with families to facilitate needed services through the school system for the child.
In March 2010 Ms. Smith moved into her current position of Community Companion Home Coordinator, working with licensed providers to ensure that residents’ entitlements are properly met. This includes coordination and follow-up of medical and therapeutic appointments, medications, day programs and recreational activities. Ms. Smith also assists with licensing renewals each year, making sure that providers remain current with all the necessary inspections and reports.
Ms. Smith says, “I really enjoy meeting people from different cultural backgrounds, educating people about intellectual disability and getting the services that people with intellectual disability need. Sometimes, doing my job means just being an ear to listen, and I like that also. I really enjoy the relationships I have with our community companion home providers and the people they care for.”
Photo Caption: Arlene Smith