ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
In Southwest Kansas until recently, Mosaic has two offices, one in Liberal and one in Garden City, operating separate agencies in both communities.
In late April, Mosaic Director Janeth Trevizo made the announcement that the two are now one agency under the name Mosaic in Southwest Kansas.
“As we continue to grow and meet the needs of more people in our community we are thrilled to align our mission and scope of service to the needs in Garden City in Liberal, Dodge City and beyond,” she said in a Facebook post announcing the name change. “That is why I am excited to share that we will be changing our name to Mosaic in Southwest Kansas.”
Trevizo said Mosaic is working to serve more individuals in communities, and this does not mean just in Liberal.
“We want to reach people in the Hugoton area, in Ulysses, Elkhart, Dodge City, Meade, Kismet,” she said. “We don’t want to be just here in Liberal. We want to grow. We know there’s a lot of individuals who need services, so we want to expand our available of being able to provide services.”
Trevizo said Mosaic too has affiliated with Arrowhead West in Dodge City to provide shared living in the counties the agency covers.
“Right now, we also have an affiliation with Southwest Developmental Services Inc. in Garden City,” she said. “We are covered in all of this area.”
Trevizo said Mosaic then is affiliated with both Arrowhead West and SDSI to provide services in all of Southwest Kansas.
“Our goal is to grow our shared living model, which we call Mosaic at Home, and we are working on providing that residential service line through shared living,” she said. “We are trying to get away from the traditional 24-hour group home setting. We don’t want an individual to have to depend on a staffing schedule of when they do things. We want it to be more individualized, more meaningful, and that shared living model helps reduce a lot of hospital visits, unknown injuries, medication errors.”
In this way, Trevizo said individuals in service are able to live a fuller life.
“We’re also very dedicated to providing our day services and our supported living,” she said. “That’ll be our three service lines – Mosaic at Home, supported living and day services – and we are committing to providing that service all around Southwest Kansas. We’re excited about growing in all of the different areas. Right now here in Liberal, we have two individuals who just moved into Mosaic at Home. They are now living with Anna Silvia. It’s really exciting for them.”
Trevizo said the only change made other than the name is that Mosaic at home service lines will be provided for residential services rather than in a group home setting.
“Mosaic is moving away from group home settings,” she said. “We are going to be providing shared living for individuals. We are hoping to inspire members out in the community to be home providers so we can grow that portion of it. We’re calling our community to action. Let’s do shared living justice, and if they want to learn more, I’d be happy to sit down with people and talk more about what that entails.”
Trevizo said those interested in taking part will get income-free money, and room and board will be included.
“You have nursing and behavioral support from the agency,” she said. “This is an opportunity to be able to work from home, as well as have two incomes. There’s just a lot of availability, but the most important part is to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Trevizo said this gives individuals in service more independence and continuity.
“In one place, you would have to work around a staffing schedule of who’s coming in that, how are we going to coordinate for them to go out in the community,” she said. “It becomes a lot more simpler. The way we pair people with home providers is by their personality, their life choices, their routines.”
Trevizo said the magic piece to the puzzle is Mosaic’s matching process.
“We’re not just going to throw anybody in there,” she said. “We are going to make sure they’re compatible. You’re not going to have a night owl with an early bird. We’re matching lifestyles as well.”
Trevizo said this makes it simpler for people to do things in a much more organic way.
“It naturally happens versus having to strategically sit down and make things happen for people,” she said. “Things are just naturally happening for our individuals in service.”
