Dr. Tom Pomeranz watched through the picture window of Village CEO John Severtson's office as people strolled across the sunny plaza to the Kinney-Lindstrom Center, like a movie without sound.

"Look at that! Look how nicely she's dressed," he commented about a woman being pushed in a wheelchair. He said it tells him the Village staff caring for her made the effort to help her look nice, as they themselves would want to look.

Another group passed by, laughing and joking together. "What makes this place so good is the affect, the humor you see," Pomeranz said. "It keeps it from being an institution. And by the way, that's not a place, it's a state of mind. If you change the way you do things, you could become an institution tomorrow."

Pomeranz said what he does best is "freeze frame observation."

"It's like a strip of film. I only get to see a few frames. I'm not smart, but I'm highly skilled in the process of extrapolation." Pomeranz visited Opportunity Village in June, to observe, train, and consult with staff.

He's been doing this for about seven years, at the invitation of the Village in its pursuit of excellence. Dr. Tom Pomeranz is a nationally recognized authority, trainer, clinician and consultant in the field of services for people with disabilities. He teaches strategies promoting community participation and supporting people to have a quality life. Additionally, he is noted for his innovative approach to leadership and management training. He's been in thousands of agencies and is in his 40th year of providing services to people with disabilities. Opportunity Village is "right at the top of the list" in quality as far as he's concerned.

"My number one impression is that the staff employed here are committed and dedicated to the people they're hired to support as individuals," Pomeranz said. "This is expressed not only in their obvious behavior, but in their longevity."

He looks for things in the environment that communicate "this is the place I'd want to be," indicators he called markers. It's the same yardstick that he advises Village staff to use: "Is this good enough for me?" He suggests they put themselves in the place of the person supported and ask themselves if they'd be satisfied with the care.

"I was hit with a marker when I drove into the Village," Pomeranz said. "There were tons of flowers, massive bouquets, with people who live here responsible for their care. And there is a different group of people who planted them and cared for them in the greenhouse." That indicated to him pride and participation.

Other markers of quality Pomeranz noted:

• "Your buildings weren't built yesterday, but you wouldn't know it." He said the Village is dedicated to maintaining the physical environment and is truly exemplary in its physical condition.
  
  
• "You're visionary. You didn't limit yourselves to people only having the opportunity to live on campus. They have the opportunity to live in various types of locations. That's not true of some of your sister agencies. The Village is defined by the quality of services, not by a place."
  
  
• "Work is probably your hallmark." He said the Village recognizes it can help people achieve adult status through paid work and volunteering. Also, Pomeranz said individuals here don't have to prove themselves to work. They might have significant challenges, but they're afforded the opportunity to be employed.
  
  
• People at the Village have their own bedrooms. "That, in most places, is unheard of," he said, "especially considering how far back that goes in your history. That is respectful."
  
  
• Pomeranz noted the dedication of the Board of Directors and the support the members provide in the process.
  
  
• "The agency has a high level of respect in the state, from other agencies and from the government, for being willing to serve people with significant needs who wouldn't be served by any other agency. Other agencies wouldn't deal with them."
  
  
• "You're willing to make the financial commitment to the clinical needs of individuals and would do it even if it's not included in the rate of reimbursement." He applauded the Village for being assertive in fundraising efforts and very prudent with the funds we have, leading to "very good financial stability" and the ability to make that commitment to meeting needs.

Pomeranz believed all these markers of quality came out of the Village's mission, which is "commitment to excellence in service to individuals with disabilities."

To families of people served here, Pomeranz said, "The Village needs your support in implementing services that sometimes don't seem as consistent as the approach you're comfortable with." He said it boils down to trust. "This is your contribution to your son or daughter. Sometimes it means having to support the recommendations of the Interdisciplinary Team for something they haven't done before."

To donors, his message is simple: "You'll never get a better rate of return on a dollar invested than the Village. It's the best place to put your money."