Letter from our Executive Director

Greetings!

We are excited to share our refreshed, redesigned, and inclusive new website with you. We are very proud of the new website and hope you take the time to browse through it and utilize all of the added accessibility features. We would also love to hear your feedback on what we can improve on and how we can make it even better.

FY 22 was a year of planning, accomplishments and teamwork at BCFR and I want to share some of those highlights with you.

Last summer we completed a new, progressive and results-oriented strategic plan that we use as a guide for the direction of the agency and its services. Employees worked diligently to create this living document, create relevant goals and finally develop action plans that are both meaningful and measurable. 2022 was also the year of our CARF accreditation survey and we once again received a 3-year accreditation, the longest possible term. The survey team was immensely complimentary of the agency, services provided and all of the staff who make those services happen.

In April we held an open house to celebrate the opening of the new main office building. We were honored by the distinguished guests and many friends of the agency who came to celebrate this new, improved resource for persons with developmental disabilities in Boone County.

We were happy to welcome the Family Access Center for Excellence (FACE) as renters in the lower level, making the new office building an expanded resource for community members.

This year was not without its challenges. We analyzed staff turnover, wages and benefits and got creative in our outreach to attract new employees during the “great resignation.” We also stepped up our efforts to ensure current employees know they are appreciated, respected and their work is so important. The response was awesome! BCFR’s excellent employees, both experienced and new, continued doing what they do – enabling people with developmental disabilities to thrive in the community, connect with others and achieve their personal goals. I am so proud of the staff here and honored to serve as their leader for another year.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the BCFR Board of Directors for their guidance, support and their passion for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. We are so grateful for their time and talents. I know the Board joins me in thanking the residents of Boone County for their support as we continue toward another great year.

Laura Cravens, Executive Director
Laura Cravens is a light skin tone woman with blue eyes and medium-toned blonde hair cropped at her shoulders. She is smiling and wearing a brightly colored floral print shirt.