New executive director for Cape Girardeau County developmentally disabled board planning to hire caseworkers

The new executive director of the Cape County Board for Developmentally Disabled has been in the position less than a week but already has some lofty goals for the organization.

Within two months Bob Dale would like to be able to offer Cape Girardeau County residents with disabilities targeted case management. That program would allow those with disabilities to meet regularly with a caseworker who can pinpoint their abilities and disabilities and help them get the specific help they need.

Dale said he has started advertising for caseworkers and plans to hire four to get the program started. Four more will be hired after the program's first six months if there's enough demand. Typically, case management is covered under Medicaid and other insurance programs.

Targeted case management is something Dale said he knows well. During his tenure as case management supervisor at Bootheel Counseling Services in Sikeston, Mo., Dale oversaw the handling of 200 cases at any given time.

Between his time at Bootheel and his private practice as a behavior therapist, Dale has more than 20 years experience working with people with disabilities. Dale also has a master's degree in psychological counseling from Southeast Missouri State University.

In addition to targeted case management, the group would also like to establish a program to help adults with disabilities find jobs. He said the board would identify strengths in those individuals and prepare them for the workplace.

"It's teaching people marketable skills. We'll find those skills and hone them and get them ready to send into a job," he said.

He said the county's sheltered workshop at VIP Industries does a good job of providing employment, but the board's enhanced work environment program would provide more options.

In addition to providing adults with disabilities the tools to get a job in the private sector, the program would help them become acclimated with their new position. He said job coaches would work with employers and make on-the-job visits as long as necessary to help the workers become comfortable and eventually more independent.

"The goal is to get them fully integrated into the community. They will be taxpayers contributing to the economy," he said. "We want support in place to help integrate people into the community. We want happy, productive citizens."

Dale said while doing research in graduate school, he noticed a trend among families that have children with disabilities: Upon receiving a diagnosis, the mother almost always quits work and dedicates herself to taking care of the child. Part of the reason for that, he said, is the lack of child care providers that can accommodate special-needs children. Dale and the board would like to be able to establish a day care center that could provide services for those children, allowing both parents the option of working.

"In this day and age, it's hard," Dale said. "We'd like to have a system in place to see the family gets the support they need to keep the family solvent."

Like the enhanced work environment program, the day care center is still a year or so away, he said. Once open it would serve children of regular needs as well.

Because integration among people of all developmental levels is important, Dale said, the group would also like to see more accessible recreation options in the area. Part of his five-year-plan for the board includes the creation of an indoor facility with play areas, party rooms and other features that would be accessible to everyone.

Dale's five-year plan is one thing that impressed board president Dory Johnson. Johnson said Dale brought something special to the new position.

"Bob had that wow factor, that vision for the board and things he wanted to get done," she said.

There were 18 applicants for the position, and all nine board members agreed on hiring Dale. Dale had never worked with the board before but said he had attended some of their meetings.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600