External Evidence of
Program Quality and Distinctiveness

Pleasant View is distinguished by its innovative programs that fill specific unmet needs and also by consistent external recognition of program quality. One distinctive characteristic is Pleasant View's many levels of service and variety of settings for these services that provide continuity and community integration. The Day Support Services offers two unique programs that are not offered by other providers in surrounding areas: Community Connections and Supported Employment Enclaves. The Community Connections program is a community-based program that emphasizes volunteerism by the clients. This program has made great strides in educating the public about people with disabilities. Our Supported Employment program enclave model gives people who could not otherwise work, the support they need to be successful. Those served in this program become productive tax paying citizens rather than dependents of society, giving them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Pleasant View provides ongoing resident and family education activities, such as meetings in which the resident and family members play an important part. The resident and family members are extensively involved in development and implementation of service-plans and receive frequent updates from the supporting staff members.

The quality of Pleasant View programs has been demonstrated over the years through consistently successful annual licensure reviews, semi-annual Health Care Financing Administration (now known as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) reviews, Medicaid Waiver reviews, and fire and health inspections. Pleasant View works closely with local human services such as the Department of Social Services, Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board and other Services Boards. Pleasant View works closely with Rockingham Memorial Hospital for emergency services as well as health care needs.

Pleasant View recently received the highest level of accreditation available from the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), a national peer review group that promotes and acknowledges organizational integrity and adherence to high standards. CARF awarded Pleasant View a three-year accreditation for its supported employment and employment services. This accreditation outcome is awarded to organizations that show substantial fulfillment of the standards established by CARF. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated that its programs and services are of the highest quality. Success must be measurable and accountable. Further, an organization accredited for three years clearly indicates that present conditions represent an established pattern of total operations that is likely to be maintained or improved in the foreseeable future.

Pleasant View was honored to have been chosen by Taste of the South from among all the charities of the thirteen Southern states, as the charity for the year of 2002. Taste of the South is an organization of current and former Southern Congressional staffers from all the southern states. The event is hosted by a committee of Southern members of the United States Congress. This organization raises thousands of dollars each year for Southern charities. Pleasant View is the first Virginia organization to be selected in 20 years as the recipient of Taste of the South's fund raising. The total gift of $180,000 awarded to Pleasant View was the largest ever raised by Taste of the South.

Pleasant View has also received continued praise from the regional human rights advocate for the agency commitment to protecting and promoting client rights. Reviewing agencies have often referred other providers to Pleasant View for program consultations and assistance. Our directors have been asked to serve on state committees in the past and our director of the Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF-MR) is past chair of the Providers Roundtable.

For more information about Pleasant View, contact

Nancy Hopkins-Garriss, Executive Director

P. O. Box 426
Broadway, VA 22815
(540) 896-8255

Read about our Current Capital Campaign.