OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY – Wendell Foster, a local agency serving people with disabilities, is pleased to announce the appointment of Doug Hoyt, the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, as the Chairperson for LeadingAge Kentucky’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(I/DD) Committee. Hoyt will also serve on the Board of Directors of LeadingAge Kentucky.
LeadingAge is the premier trade organization for individuals who receive long-term services and support. These include, but are not limited to, health care facilities, assisted living, housing, and service programs for the elderly and the disabled. The I/DD Committee specifically focuses on advocacy for people with disabilities and the organizations that support them.
Wendell Foster’s Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) serves 63 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other medical needs across four cottages. Wendell Foster is one of two private provider agencies in Kentucky to support people within the ICF model. LeadingAge has represented and championed causes for ICFs on a state and national level, ensuring that advocacy, laws, policies and other regulatory matters are addressed with a single voice and concerted effort.
Doug Hoyt expressed his excitement to begin his term as Chairperson. “I feel honored to have been selected to serve on the LeadingAge Kentucky Board of Directors and as the Chairperson of the I/DD Committee. I am excited for the opportunity to advocate for people with disabilities at the state level,” said Hoyt.
According to Hoyt, there is a great need for ICFs. “Our focus in the developmental disabilities world has been on moving individuals into the greater community from much larger institutional settings. However, the need for settings that can address complex medical, behavioral and intellectual challenges has been more prominent over the last several years.” Hoyt explained that the ICF model accommodates and addresses the needs of these individuals while fostering a homelike setting. The ICF makes it possible for individuals to reside within their respective communities safely and productively.
Hoyt looks forward to representing the needs of people with disabilities, commenting, “Any opportunity I have to advocate is a benefit to Wendell Foster and the people we serve and support. That is what I am excited about.”