Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association Inc

Transcription

1 Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association Inc General Information 288 Walnut Street, Suite 13 Newton, MA 246 (617) Website Organization Contact Beth Mayer Year of Incorporation

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement MEDA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating. MEDA's mission is to prevent the continuing spread of eating disorders through educational awareness and early detection. MEDA serves as a support network and resource for clients, loved ones, clinicians, educators and the general public. Background Statement Based in Newton, MA and established in 1994, MEDA is a critically necessary organization that annually serves thousands of people from across the nation. MEDA was founded by Rebecca Manley, who herself had struggled with an eating disorder and found that there were limited resources for individuals as well as for those whom supported them. She built MEDA on the foundation that there needs to be greater awareness and access to care for all. MEDA takes a three-pronged approach to diminishing the pervasiveness of eating disorders, uniquely offering a combination of education, prevention and treatment. It provides education through professional training; recovery and treatment through assessments, referrals, and support group sessions; and prevention through academic and public education. MEDA provides training to professionals in the field, treatment for those suffering from eating disorders, support for their families, and prevention in the form of education for the public and within the schools. Programs include presentations within schools and colleges, bi-monthly Hope and Inspiration recovery meetings, weekly support groups, national phone support services, clinical training, and a comprehensive annual conference. MEDA s assessment process is fast, thorough, and inexpensive, and consists of comprehensive evaluation, treatment planning and referrals, if applicable. MEDA offers thorough phone consultations for clients located across the nation. In Massachusetts, MEDA offers a number of weekly support groups that are appropriate for people of different ages and with different struggles. In addition, MEDA provides one hour coaching sessions for family and friends of those with eating disorders. MEDA enables professionals to learn from experts in the field while building networks of peers. Quarterly meetings bring guest speakers who address national issues of importance. MEDA s annual conference enables professionals to learn more about new and different approaches to the treatment of eating disorders while earning continuing education units. MEDA s eating disorder education curriculum, implemented within public and private schools as well as colleges and universities around New England, is the anchor of its prevention program. By educating during the formative years about the causes and effects of eating disorders, MEDA is working to prevent their escalation. MEDA s curriculum is used in hundreds of school systems across the nation. 2

3 Impact Statement Over the past year, MEDA has undertaken many changes internally in order to better serve our clients externally. Our top accomplishments during the past year were: 1) MEDA re-structured its staff and was able to hire a new staff person to increase productivity, provide services beyond the greater Boston area, and offer more programming 2) Annual Gala, managed by staff, netted over $15, after expenses 3) Annual Conference had highest attendance rate in 17 years with over 2 attendees present each day of the 2 day conference weekend 4) MEDA selected for Women in Development's Institute for Nonprofits, a workshop for select nonprofits on issues related to fundraising and development 5) MEDA began new initiative, Community Open Hours, a monthly opportunity that allows clients to volunteer their time, expertise and resources to help MEDA promote its mission The top 5 goals for the upcoming year include: 1) Write a new strategic plan to govern agency for the next three years (emphasis on forward thinking and expansion) 2) Re-work marketing materials, including website and brochure, to emphasize MEDA's programming and services 3) Continue to expand number of offerings of support groups to meet the needs of the community - older women's group just started in July 212 4) Increase conference attendance by 15% in 213 5) Increase MEDA's fundraising capabilities (from an internal standpoint - what more can staff/board do to drum up support for this organization) Needs Statement The needs list for MEDA is simple - with more, we can do more. Our top 5 most pressing needs for 212 and beyond are: 1) Secure a grant or donation that would allow us to offer free educational programming to communities in need (raise $35, to offset cost of programming) 2) Develop a strong, clear strategic plan that can be used to write a clear fundraising plan. Both plans must be completed by the end of ) Update our website. The last website update was in 25 and given the changing times, we would like to develop a more helpful, useful, interactive website. (Cost ranges $1,-$25, for type of website we envision) 4) Offer programming (support groups for families/loved ones) in other areas of state outside of Greater Boston - Springfield area, Worcester area, South Shore, (secure building location at no cost, volunteers who would be trained to run these groups -$1,5) 5) Expand staffing in order to meet the needs of the community (increase staff by 2 people, including full time development person and clinical person - $65,-75, to pay salaries/benefits) 3

4 CEO/Executive Director Statement When people hear the term eating disorders they don't often stop and think what that truly means. For a parent, it can mean making the difficult decision to hospitalize your 15 year old whose diet has gone too far. For a teacher, it can mean deciding when to notify parents that a child might be exhibiting signs. For a therapist, it is knowing what the best options for treatment are for your client. MEDA exists to assist all of these people in need. MEDA is the premiere eating disorders nonprofit in New England, dedicated to attacking the problem of eating disorders via a multi-pronged approach that includes support for individuals and families affected by eating disorders, implementation of educational programs for people at risk of eating disorders and trainings for families as well as professionals that work with clients with weight, food and body image issues. MEDA is compromised of six employees and various volunteers, many of whom have been affected by an eating disorder, whether personally or as a loved one supporting a family member or friend. MEDA also works with a group of 14 eating disorder specialists, including psychotherapists, nutritionists and psychiatrists. The organization also partners with eating disorder treatment centers nationally to provide stability to clients in the process of transitioning into various levels of care. Consultations to individual practitioners, group practices and programs are also offered to better serve the eating disorder community s needs. MEDA s efforts in preventing and treating eating disorders as well as educating the general public, has been shown through the following accomplishments: Continue to serve as the largest provider of eating disorder support groups in New England. Offer up to 15 educational trainings and presentations annually in Massachusetts and surrounding states. Facilitate a national conference providing education and training for over 3 professional eating disorder specialists each year. This conference is entering its 17th year. Implement annual Eating Disorder Awareness Week activities, on site and through partnerships with area colleges. Host a referral network that now includes over 14 professionals in the field of eating disorders with access to contacts throughout the U.S. MEDA is an organization that does great things given the number of people who work here. Dedicated volunteers, many whom are college-aged, are committed to a society that no longer focuses on someone's size to measure their worth. Together we make a difference every day. 4

5 Board Chair Statement In 25, I joined MEDA as the Assistant Director. I was immediately immersed in the world of nonprofit work, which is challenging, inspiring and life changing. My family expanded and I decided to leave my work at MEDA to become a part-time clinician and full-time mother to three girls. However, MEDA was never far from my thoughts. As a mother to three young girls, I know all too well the pressures our young children are under to look a certain away. Such a high emphasis is placed on weight today and often times the dangers associated with a fixation on weight can lead to disordered eating, body image disturbances and eating disorders. I am involved with MEDA because I have seen first hand how powerful prevention and early intervention can be and this is what MEDA does best. The Board of Directors has currently undertaken strategic planning and is hard at work finishing up the document that our organization will live by over the next three years. We are working closely with a consultant to make sure that MEDA challenges itself appropriately. Statistics are showing that eating disorder diagnoses are increasing at all age ranges so MEDA will be forced to find ways to meet the needs of all of these varying groups. As we embark on this strategic planning process we are also mindful of the importance of financial planning and this includes fundraising. MEDA staff have been more engaged in development training and we are hopeful that this will lead to greater success over the years. Another point of interest, is that within the past year the staff was re-organized and we also have undertaken changes within the Board structure. The staff and Board have handled these changes with ease and little interruption to services. All of us believe these changes are for the best for the organization. I firmly believe MEDA is in a position to make great changes in this world. I say that not as the Board Chair or as a former employee, but as the mother to three healthy, happy, body confident young girls. Service Categories Mental Health Treatment Patient & Family Support Educational Services Geographic Areas Served n/a Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 5

6 Programs Connect to Confidence Description MEDA's Connect to Confidence program aims to educate students, parents, teachers and staff so they can feel empowered to live healthy lives both within and outside the school or university setting. It is our experience that these educational materials and presentations are most effective when used as a prevention or education tool. While certain presentations are geared toward the topic area of eating disorders, many focus on how individuals can increase their body confidence through areas such as media literacy and learning cues around stress, school or family and how to address them in healthy ways. The goal of all presentations is to further individual's belief in him/herself and to understand the power of a positive self-image. Presentations include,"inside Eating Disorders: A Personal Perspective,""Insatiable Cravings: An Inside Look at Compulsive Overeating, "Well-Kept Secrets: Eating Disorders on the College Scene," "Mind Over Media: Body Image and Self-Esteem in the Media Age," Budget 45 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Education, General/Other Educational Programs Children and Youth ( - 19 years), College Aged (18-26 years), Adults Through our educational presentations, we increase audience members knowledge and awareness of key topics relating to eating disorders and body image. By the end of each of our presentations, attendees walk away with not only greater general awareness of the issues of eating disorders and negative body image, but improved media literacy skills and a greater ability to seek help for themselves or a loved one who may be struggling with disordered behaviors. We administer a survey directly following presentations. The selfreported results show marked improvements in a number of areas. According to the results of our assessments, 96% of attendees stated that they were better able to help a friend or loved one who was struggling with an eating disorder, 97% were less likely to make negative comments about someoneelse s appearance, and 8% were less likely to engage in unhealthy dieting. 6

7 Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By We believe that through our presentations and trainings, we increase awareness through lasting changes to perceptions about eating disorders and body image. This awareness building has the potential to affect not only those who see our presentations, but the friends and families as well. We give attendees valuable skills for identifying disordered behaviors and attitudes and tools to approach friends or loved ones when they see these behaviors and attitudes in them. We often see people come in for assessments or other clinical services who found out about us directly by attending an educational presentation or were referred to us by someone they know who had attended one. In fact, we believe that the increased awareness of eating disorders contributes to the trends we see in our clinical services, which each year are seeing an increase in total numbers of people seeking services. We have also had a number of interns who sought out internships after attending an educational presentation. Several sources of information help us track the program s success. The most direct way in which we track success is through the evaluations that we give to groups directly following our presentations. These help us to quite accurately measure the short-term success through self-reported data collected from attendees. We are also able to get a sense of the longer-term successes of our programming by returning to certain schools year after year to present and seeing and hearing the ways that our programming has had a positive impact both on individual students and on the school community as a whole. As mentioned above, we also frequently get clinical clients or intern applicants who have reached out to MEDA for additional services or to become more involved after seeing one of our educational or clinical trainings. 7

8 Examples of Program Success Testimonials post-presentations: Thank you. Keep doing what you re doing. You save lives --High School Student Nice job! I understand eating disorders better and know how to help if one of my friends have it. -High School Student I liked looking at the altered images of the models because it helped me realize that the pictures I ve been seeing are fake and unattainable. -High School Student I liked how we talked about women AND men in the media and how men can also be suffering from eating disorders -College Student I wish there had been a program like this at my high school. I wish I had this information to grow up on -College Student That the presentation is very confidential, making it a safe place to share. This way we can learn and understand and not be afraid. -Middle School Student I liked hearing that flaws makes us human -Middle School Student I m really glad you came. I feel like I can finally help my girlfriend overcome her disorder. Thank you! High School Student 8

9 Connect to Recovery Description MEDA's Connect to Recovery branch strives to provide the community with services that support individuals and families as they move through the stages of recovery from disordered eating to healthier lifestyles Assessments/Consultations Designed for individuals concerned about their eating behaviors and unsure if they have an eating disorder or who are looking to return to treatment or change their current treatment team. Coaching Sessions Designed for family, friends and loved ones of an individual with an eating disorder. Education, possible services, and guidance on how to help are discussed. Open Forum for Hope & Inspiration A free drop-in group that meets the first Saturday of every month Newton office. An individual shares his/her story of recovery including time for discussion. CTR (Connect to Recovery) Groups Weekly on-going support groups that are co-facilitated by individuals who are fully recovered from eating disorders and are trained and supervised by a licensed clinician. Budget 7 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Human Services, General/Other Information & Referral Children and Youth ( - 19 years), Adults, Families The cancellation rate for appointments is 1% or lower with most clients agreeing to come in for an appointment once it has been made. Group stability in the teenage support group has been steady over the past year. CTR is a branch that holds out hope for those who might have lost it during the development and escalation of their illness.long term success will be measured by the percentage of people who recover fully from their eating disorders. However given that MEDA has been in existence for 17 years and continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of the eating disorder population - this is an organization that works. Many of MEDA's own staff have been personally affected, knowing a family member or friend, who have witnessed recovery and no whope to inspire others. Feedback from Group members, Hope and Inspiration forum attendees. Follow-up with clients and clients' treatment team after assessments/coaching sessions. The program exceeded budget this past year despite costs being kept down so appointments and groups are affordable for all. 9

10 Connect to Growth Description MEDA's Connect to Growth branch strives to educate and train Professionals on eating disorder treatment. Our goal is to provide the tools and information for Professionals to better serve their clients. MEDA maintains a network of specialist in the field of eating disorders including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, nutritionists, dieticians, dentists, yoga teachers and other supportive therapy specialists. Peer Supervision Groups This service is offered to current Professional members. Peer Supervision Groups enable Professional members to give and receive consultation around clinical issues. Networking with a Purpose An opportunity for Professional members to learn from others in the field of eating disorders in an informal and educational setting. National Conference A two-day conference focusing on a variety of topics related to the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. Budget 2 Category Community Development, General/Other Organizational Development & Training Population Served Adults,, Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Success is measured by the number of people who recover after using the support systems set up for them through MEDA, including referrals to clinicians. We are proud to host two recovered people monthly who share their stories. MEDA continues to aspire to grow its professional network in order to provide clients and their families with as many options as possible. Since 24, the number of clinicians who call themselves professional members has increased consistently. Today, MEDA boasts 15 practitioners with a primary focus in eating disorders. MEDA has increased the number of small peer supervision groups. In 24 there were 3 groups that met monthly to discuss cases and today there are 7. National eating disorder programs offer to bring trainings to these groups each year in order to maintain high clinical education and skill. As more clinicians are trained and identify as specialists, the more comfortable individuals and families will feel seeking out support and help. 1

11 Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success The Clinical Director at MEDA is in contact with Professional Members on a monthly basis via an e-newsletter. The 7 monthly groups that meet on site at MEDA typically check in with a member of staff prior to the group's start. Also every time a referral is made, professionals receive an with follow-up questions. At the end of the year professionals are surveyed for opinions. In addition, a committee of professionals meets quarterly with the Clinical Director to discuss the needs of the professional member group. The renewal rate for professional membership is typically 85% or higher. More professionals are presenting at national conferences. A majority of professionals accept insurance plans or offer sliding scales so MEDA is able to help almost all clients who call or walk through the door. 11

12 Annual Conference Description MEDA's Annual Conference consists of a national two-day conference. The Conference explores in detail the most recent scientific knowledge related to the field of eating disorders and how to translate this information into practice. The conference focuses on complicated medical, psychological, nutritional, social and cultural attributes often seen in eating disorder cases which can lead to stalled progress in recovery. The Conference has an average 3 speakers that present on a wide range of topics. Each workshop builds upon what is known in the field and will focus specifically on ways that care can be improved across the spectrum. The MEDA Conference is primarily designed for therapists, doctors, nurses, dietitians and supportive specialists who focus on the treatment and care of patients with eating disorders and subclinical eating disorders. The average attendance is 225 attendees each day. MEDA offers Continuing Education Credits for attendees who are licensed. Budget 75 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Education, General/Other Adults, At-Risk Populations, People/Families with of People with Psychological Disabilities The MEDA Conference Program was created in line with our mission to prevent the continuing spread of eating disorders through educational awareness. We host the Conference each year with the expectation that all participants, including therapists, doctors, nurses, dietitians, supportive specialists, and those from the general public who attend with leave the Conference with an enhanced understanding of eating disorder treatment, the most recent scientific knowledge related to the field, and how to translate the information into practice. The MEDA Conference is also an opportunity to connect with our Partners and network with potential Partners who may be a good match for our Partnership Program. There are also opportunities to network with prospective Professional Members who may be interested in joining our Professional Membership Program. Program Long term Success The primary goal in terms of long-term success for MEDA's Conference Program will be a society without a profileration help increase brand exposure and national recognition. Each year the Conference grows in size, and eventually we will have to move to larger venue to accommodate the developing interest from participants, presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors. 12

13 Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success The tools we use to monitor the success of each Conference are as follows: a general conference evaluation filled out by all participants and presenters, individual workshop evaluations filled out by participants, and a Conference debrief meeting with feedback from a diverse group of MEDA professional members.each conference participant fills out an overall evaluation form that evaluates the overall conference objectives, location, timing, physical facilities, quality of meeting rooms, quality of meals, communication with staff, and recommendations. There are also individual evaluations for each workshop that evaluate the quality of speaker(s), content of workshop, objectives, and recommendations. The conference de-brief meeting consists of pros and cons of the Conference, review of conference evaluations, and expenses. The following year s Conference program is developed by a committee of professionals and MEDA staff based on evaluation feedback from the previous year's Conference. We rely greatly on both our General evaluations and individual Conference Workshop evaluations to evaluate program success. The following data were taken from the 211 general Conference evaluation. The results are based on 3 Conference participant responses: 76% thought Conference Objectives were met To a Great Extent. 88% thought Communication with MEDA staff was Excellent. 81% thought the Quality of Meals were Excellent. 91% thought that Qualify of meeting rooms and conference facilities were Good Excellent. 92% thought that the Allotted Conference Time was the Right amount. The following remarks were given in the Comments section of the evaluation: This was the best conference I ve ever been to. The information, presentations, facilities & food were all excellent! One of the best organized conferences ever attended. Great job! The workshops at this conference were amazing! Program Comments CEO Comments MEDA's mission and the foundation of the three branches: Connect to Confidence (CTC), Connect to Recovery (CTR) and Connect to Growth (CTG) have not changed since the organization's inception. It is our goal to not repeat the work that is being done by some many wonderful individual clinicians as well as longer-term treatment programs, but rather to enhance it. Today there is much more competition and collaboration within Massachusetts and throughout the country. MEDA makes it a priority to work with other organizations, not for profit and for profit, in order to better serve the clients and their families. In terms of national conferences, MEDA has worked hard to be recognized as a leader in education. Staff continue to run this program, but as the numbers continue to 13

14 increase, we might need to look at other options. MEDA also would like to be able to offer more support in areas of the state where the number of clinicians and available groups is low or nonexistent. With greater funding, MEDA would be able to go into other arenas and offer support. 14

15 Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Ms. Beth Mayer Term Start June 22 Experience Beth Mayer, LICSW, has been in the eating disorders field for 27 years. She is nationally recognized for her work in the eating disorders field and has spoken at conferences around the country. Beth is currently the President of MEDA. Prior to becoming President, she served as Executive Director of MEDA. She was also a member of MEDA's Board of Directors for several years. Beth has been the Program Director of three community-based adolescent programs for Riverside Community Care, a nonprofit, healthcare and human services organization that delivers mental health, early intervention and substance abuse treatment services throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts. Beth also served as the Executive Director of Travelers Aid Society of Boston, an organization that works with vulnerable individuals and families to address their immediate housing and social service needs through outreach, direct service and advocacy. Beth has a private clinical practice and for 2 years has been providing individual, couples and family therapy with a focus on eating disorders, addictions, sexual abuse, clinical depression and multiple personality disorders. Beth has also served as an adjunct professor at Simmons College, Boston University, Boston College, Lesley University and Salem State College, supervising MSW and LMHC graduate student interns. Beth holds a B.S. in Clinical Psychology from Quinnipiac University and a Master of Social Work Degree from Boston College. Co-CEO Term Start June Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors Retention Rate % Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 6 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other 15

16 Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 6 Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually Annually Annually Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Years Strategic Plan Considers Under Development Under Development Date Strategic Plan Adopted Sept 212 Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Registration Permit? 3 No Under Development No Exempt No 16

17 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Ms. Aiden Winslow Company Affiliation Private Practice Clinician Term Jan 212 to Dec 212 Board CoChair Board CoChair Ms. Arlene Schuler Company Affiliation Attorney Term Jan 212 to Dec 212 Board Members Name Affiliation Status Mrs. Marsha Alperin Community Volunteer Voting Mrs. Caroline Balz Private Practice Clinician Voting Mr. Zachary Dubin Dana Farber Voting Mr. Steve Fisch Granite Point Partners Voting Mrs. Rebecca Manley Founder, MEDA Voting Ms. Marilyn Newman Private Practice Clinician Ms. Arlene Schuler Attorney Voting Ms. Stacey Shipman Small Business Owner Voting Ms. Danielle Slutzky Business School Student Voting Ms. Aiden Winslow Private Practice Clinician Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 1 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Board Demographics - Gender Male Female

18 Unspecified Board Information Board Term Lengths Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Board Meeting Attendance % Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation % Under Development 1% 1% No Standing Committees Board Development / Board Orientation Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts Finance Comments CEO Comments MEDA is currently developing a functioning youth board and the Board will bring back an advisory board within the next year. The Board went through many positive changes in the past year and are excited to see how they play out in terms of fundraising and functionality of the organization. 18

19 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start July 1, 213 Fiscal Year End June 3, 214 Projected Revenue $491,875. Projected Expenses $488,378. Endowment? No Spending Policy Income Only Credit Line? Reserve Fund? Months Reserve Fund Covers 3 Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $743,141 $527,445 $479,84 Total Expenses $612,52 $524,41 $5,471 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation $16, Contributions Government Contributions $ $ $ Federal State Local Unspecified Individual Contributions $232,784 $39,342 $29,22 Indirect Public Support Earned Revenue $423,942 $296,511 $279,942 Investment Income, Net of Losses ($149) $223 $16 Membership Dues Special Events $86,564 $182,939 $14,19 Revenue In-Kind Other -- $8,43 $13,644 19

20 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $434,31 $366,588 $377,732 Administration Expense $127,45 $78,113 $75,158 Fundraising Expense $5,76 $79,7 $47,581 Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 71% 7% 75% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 16% 36% 26% Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $581,117 $537,54 $513,78 Current Assets $318,714 $157,71 $119,34 Long-Term Liabilities $ $ $91,99 Current Liabilities $37,933 $132,219 $19,477 Total Net Assets $543,184 $45,285 $42,241 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % 18% Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? No Comments Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above are per the organization's IRS Form 99 for FY14 and per the Reviewed Financials for FY13 and FY12. Created Copyright 218 The Boston Foundation 2