In a world where change is the only constant, the Providers’ Council’s steadfast commitment to passionate advocacy on behalf of our members has remained unwavering. 2023 was an exciting year for us, full of important and impactful accomplishments. The board honored and celebrated the 25 years of dedicated service that Michael Weekes provided to the Council, its members and our strategic partners, while seamlessly conducting a comprehensive process that ended with the board unanimously selecting Bill Yelenak as the Council’s new President/CEO. We are truly privileged to have Bill step into this role; with his commitment and strategic vision as our compass, the Council has charted a course that will continue our enduring partnerships across all areas of our sector. Bill and I are proud to share with you the many accomplishments of the Council throughout this pivotal year.
The Council and Human Services Providers Charitable Foundation, Inc. released Essential or Not? The Critical Need for Human Services Workers at its Annual Membership and Business Meeting in May, learning about key data points and engaging with a panel of state officials and industry leaders, including Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. The Foundation then took the show on the road, hosting five regional meetings across Massachusetts to discuss the report findings, hear from more than 100 industry professionals and plan next steps.
In addition to engaging with members across the state, the Council provided testimony at more than a dozen Chapter 257 hearings to support higher benchmark wages for human services workers. Advocacy from the Council, its members and other organizations resulted in a $20 an-hour median wage for entry-level direct care workers for the first time in the state’s history, while the Chapter 257 Reserve was funded at $173 million to support increases to human services rates.
The Council was also a leader in providing educational opportunities to workers who fill more than 160,000 jobs throughout the state. More than 1,200 human services professionals attended the Council’s 48th Annual Convention & Expo: Advocate | Act | Achieve, the largest one-day event of its type in the northeast. Our education and training programs also grew, as we offered new trainings and innovative topics, while more than 200 supervisors and managers attended the Council’s popular supervision trainings. The Council’s Race, Diversity and Inclusion Committee surveyed members to help them assess their organizations’ efforts to grow, learn, share and strengthen their organizations. And Providers’ eAcademy® – our online learning management system – neared 52,000 learners at more than 100 organizations.
Finally, the Council said goodbye in 2023 to our longtime leader Michael Weekes. Michael was the driving force behind so much of the Council’s success, a champion for human services and a major advocate of Chapter 257, which was signed into law in 2008. We use this space again to thank him for all he did for us and for human services in Massachusetts.
Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also use this space to thank all of you – our members and friends. We’re honored by your continued membership in the Providers’ Council, the state’s largest human services membership association. The accomplishments in this report wouldn’t have been possible without your support, advocacy and partnership. Thank you for being a part of the Council and for helping us build caring communities throughout Massachusetts. We couldn’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
Sandra McCroom
Board Chair
Bill Yelenak
President/CEO