>> A NONPROFIT IN NOBLESVILLE CELEBRATING ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY. JANUS DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES WORKS WITH ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND THAT INCLUDES MATCHING THEM WITH JOBS IN THE
COMMUNITY. BUSINESS OF HEALTH REPORTER KYLIE VELETA IS HERE WITH MORE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE SERVICES OFFERED BY JANUS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND: THE NONPROFIT CURRENTLY HAS 50
PEOPLE ON ITS WAITING LIST. JANUS PROVIDES DAY SERVICES FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES,
AND MOST OF THOSE CLIENTS ARE PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES AND JANUS CLIENTS IS CHRISTINA SORENSEN, THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF
JANUS.THANKS FOR BEING HERE TOD. >> THANK YOU, KYLIE. >> FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.
>> THANK YOU. >> 40-YEARS, YOU'RE BASED IN NOBLESVILLE AND JANUS PLACES YOUR CLIENTS IN JOBS AND
COMPANIES IN HAMILTON COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES BUT GIVE US AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.
WHAT DOES IT DO? >> AS YOU KNOW, EMPLOYMENT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY PEOPLE. WHEN YOU FIRST INTRODUCE
YOURSELF TO SOMEBODY, TYPICALLY THE FIRST THING TALK ABOUT IS YOUR PROFESSION AND WHAT DO I DO, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
FIND THAT IMPORTANT, AS WELL. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WAYS OF TRAINING PEOPLE AND THE PRIMARY WAY IS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY
PROGRAM AND THAT IS DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE FIND JOBS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. PART OF THAT PROCESS IS
IDENTIFYING WHAT KINDS OF SKILLS THEY HAVE, WHAT KINDS OF ABILITIES THEY HAVE AND THE INTEREST THEY HAVE BECAUSE THE
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT THAT WILL BE LONG-TERM SO SOMETHING THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AT LONG-TERM.
AND, IT MAKES A LOT OF CHECK SENSE BECAUSE, IF YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYER WHO HIRES SOMEBODY FOR A LONG-TERM, IT IS MUCH BETTER
FOR THEM, THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH MACING A NEW EMPLOYEE AND JUST THE ON GOING TRAINING AND ALL
THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH HAVING SOMEBODY SUCCESSFULLY EMPLOYED. AND SO WE HAVE EMPLOYMENT
SPECIALISTS THAT WORK WITH OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO FIND JOBS AND THEY WILL GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS WITH THEM OF
IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE JOBS AND MVPING THEM UP WITH THEIR SKILLS AND ABILITIES. >> ONE OF THE NEWEST PROJECTS
TAKING PLACE AT YOUR FACILITY FOCUSES ON HYDROPONICS, GROWING PLANTS AND APPROPRIATE PRT
WATER. >> THAT IS SOMETHING WE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE WE WANTED TO OFFER ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR
CLIENTS TO EARN INCOME. WE HEARD ABOUT HYDRO UPON I CANS FROM A GENTLEMAN WHO SAID IT IS IDEAL WORK FOR BEAM DISABILITIES
BECAUSE YOU CAN TALE TER TO THEIR ABILITIES AND DIFFERENT SKILL LEVELS. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, WE HAVE A
PARTNERSHIP WITH PURDUE, THEY'VE HAD STUDENTS LOOKING AT THIS AND DESIGNING THE WHOLE GROWING UNIT.
WE'RE STARTING OUR VERY FIRST GROWING PROJECT AND SEEING WHAT STEPS ACTUALLY NEED TO BE TAKEN TO RAISE THE SEASON TO HEALTHY
PLANTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY THEN BE SOLD AT SOME POINT IN TIME. SO, WE'RE JUST REALLY KIND OF TRYING TO LEARN THAT WHOLE
PROCESS, LEARN ABOUT THE RIGHT LEVELS OF NUTRIENTS, THE RIGHT LEVEL OF LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING THAT IS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
>> A LOT OF LEARNING CURVE >> YES. >> YOU SAY THAT YOU CONSTANTLY HEAR ABOUT COMPANIES IN INDIANA
LOOKING FOR GOOD MOWS, AND YOU SAY YOUR CLIENTS HAVE SOME REALLY SPECIAL QUALITIES THAT MAKE THEM GOOD EMPLOYEES.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. >> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD FROM EMPLOYERS WHO
ACTUALLY USE SOME OF THE CLIENTS WE WORK WITH IS THEY'VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH THEIR DEDICATION, COMMITMENT TO THE WORK AND JUST
THEIR ABILITY TO REALLY FOCUS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING THE PROPER JOB AND IT IS JUST AMAZING WHEN HAVE YOU SOMEBODY
THAT'S SO DEDICATED, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM THAT HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED AT ONE SPECIFIC
PLACE FOR OVER 25-YEARS, SO THAT'S REALLY QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. >> WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS
LEFT BUT FOR COMPANIES AND EXECUTIVES WHO MAY SEE THIS AROUND THE STATE, WHAT SURPRISE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM IF THEY'RE
CONSIDERING HIRING AN ADULT WITH A DISABILITY OR MAYBE NEVER CONSIDERED IT WHAT CAN WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
>> BE FLEXIBLE AND BE OPEN TO TRYING THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND LOOK AND SEE HOW YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH THINGS MAYBE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE IT WILL