When Ellen Pernat, Care Coordination Manager (CCM), met Tim years before she began working at Southern Tier Connect (STC), she hoped one day that she would have the opportunity to work with him long-term. She had no idea that she would eventually have the chance to support Tim in achieving his greatest goals.
Tim is a polite, kind, and determined young man. He loves to read and listen to music, especially 1980’s hits. As he explains, “I like to play my music, but only during the day when it won’t bother anyone.” He also enjoys his job working in maintenance. This time of year, he helps deliver food to houses in Pathfinder Village, always stopping for a quick chat when dropping off the meals. As Ellen explains, “Tim is an amazing self-advocate. You always know where you stand with him, and he is clear on where he wants to focus his efforts.” Most importantly, Tim sets goals for himself and stays focused on them until he achieves them. Ellen adds, “Tim picks practical goals and works toward them, step-by-step.” For example, Tim set a goal to operate a riding lawnmower as part of his maintenance job. To accomplish this, he learned how to use a lawnmower at home. Once he mastered that skill, he applied it at his workplace. He is always focused on his next goal, which, for several years, was moving to Pathfinder Village to live independently.
Ellen has loved working with Tim over the years. She first met him more than ten years ago when she worked as a Community Habilitation staff member. Later in her career, she worked in Self-Direction Services (SDS) before joining STC. Ellen brings experience from across the local support network for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to her work.
Behind the scenes, Ellen worked to complete all the paperwork necessary to support Tim and his family through the process of securing an apartment. She coordinated with Self-Directed Services, Pathfinder Village, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), and others to ensure everything was taken care of before Tim’s move. Ellen described her role as “making sure everything was submitted on time and that everyone had what they needed through the process.” She also worked closely with Tim’s family, especially his father, John, who expressed his gratitude: “As a parent, when you don’t know how to navigate these systems, you need someone to help. Ellen is truly an invaluable resource, helping us every step of the process.” After months of paperwork and coordination, Tim could move into his apartment—what had been a dream for years had become a reality. As he prepared for the move, it was important for Tim to pack all his favorite things: “I made sure I brought my games and my music.” Tim’s hard work and determination, along with support from Ellen and his family, meant he was ready to live independently.
Now that Tim is settled into his apartment, he is enjoying having the freedom to shape his day. As he shares, “I like being independent and learning how to cook on the stove.” Recently, Tim has been working on becoming a better cook. He and his housemate plan their meals together and share the responsibilities of cooking and cleaning. They have even created theme days to make meal planning easier. Tim is enjoying not only living independently, but also building a thriving social life. In just two months in his new apartment, he has already become friends with several neighbors. He and his housemate even hosted a dinner party to introduce themselves to more neighbors.
Care Coordination Managers (CCMs) like Ellen provide a personalized touch to every Life Plan meeting and goal. She explains why she loves this work: “I love being able to celebrate the small moments. When members achieve something they have been working toward, seeing that and celebrating it is like nothing else.” Ellen and Tim’s story reminds us how important it is to have a great team you can lean on through all of life’s big moments.