Executive Director Service Delivery

Thomas Jeffrey Buckley, Ed.D.

** ******** ******, ***. *** Morristown, New Jersey 07960 • Cell: 813-***-**** • adth32@r.postjobfree.com

Offering over 30 years of experience in a National Leadership capacity as: Florida Governor R. Scott appointed Chair, Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee; Recipient of federal government Administration for Community Living (ACL) Federal Grant Awards; and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) International Board of Directors. Specific areas of expertise in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, dementia and young onset of Alzheimer’s Disease, and dual diagnosis of mental health/Neurodevelopmental disorders.

Leading People

Strategic Planning/Partnerships

Organizational/Capital Budgeting

Specialized Healthcare Innovation

Leadership/Management

Business Development

Situational Adaptability

Develops Talent

Results Driven

Leading Change

Project Management

Public/Community Relationships

Patient/Family Support

Knowledge Sharing/Networking

Presentation

Manages Ambiguity

Values Differences

Business Acumen

Experience

Director for Population Health

YAI New York

New York City July 2019 to present

YAI is a world class organization founded in 1952 to provide school services to six children with special needs in New York City, New York. Today, YAI has a budget over 240 million dollars serving over 20,000 children, adolescents, adults, and elders with Neurodevelopmental disorders with a caring and compassion cadre of 4,000 staff. It is well established that 50% of persons with I/DD die 15-20 years premature due to avoidable health conditions. The Director for Population Health is responsible for creating syndrome specific health systems in an integrated and holistic way, to improve the persons served with Neurodevelopmental disorders longevity, quality of life, and health outcomes. The health systems developed must ensure the persons served are at the center of care and have easy access to high quality, timely, comprehensive, and complex health care that supports them to attain the best possible health outcomes across the lifespan. The Director for Population Health is presently serving as the Chair for ACCSES (1,200 agencies) Health and Dementia, CARF International board of directors, and the NTG collaborating with the world’s best researchers to ensure the YAI is in the forefront of specialized health care for persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders. The Director for Population Health is working closely with YAI leadership designing and implementing the nation’s premier dementia capable service delivery system for persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders living with dementia (Dementia Care Plans, Caregiver Groups, Training Staff, Conducting the NTG EDSD.)

Founder/CEO

Buckley Medical Home

Plantation, FL • 2017 to July 2019

The Buckley Medical Home purpose is to dramatically reduce and eliminate the long-standing health disparity for persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders. Over 50% of persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders die 15-25 years premature due to avoidable health conditions. They experience twice the rate of hospital admissions, higher rates of psychotropic medications prescribed without a mental health condition, significantly lower rates of preventive healthcare, and have no access to dementia capable services and supports. The Buckley Medical Home provided integrated Specialized Syndrome Specific Healthcare Coordination that included primary healthcare. The Buckley Medical Home allowed for choice and provided Specialized Health and Dementia assessments of various medical and behavioral health needs of persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health issues and living with chronic conditions, including Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The Buckley Medical Home Collaborative Transdisciplinary Team demonstrated competency to identify and treat acute and chronic health concerns and incorporate recommendations into residential, respite, day, and care coordination services. The team provides person/family-centered care that is seamlessly coordinated across persons, functions, activities, and various Florida community sites over time to maximize the quality and efficacy of services delivered to persons served, carers, and family members.

Executive Director

Lucanus Developmental Center

Hollywood, FL • 2010 – 2017

Reporting to the Lucanus Center board of directors, the Executive Director is responsible for promotion of value in the Lucanus Center programs and services offered to 300 persons served, achievement of outcomes in the residential, day, respite, care coordination, and transportation services offered, balancing the expectations of the persons served with Neurodevelopmental disorders and their family members, and other stakeholders, financial solvency, risk management, ongoing performance improvement, health and safety, succession planning, strategic planning, and technology planning. The Lucanus Center Executive Director embraces the values of accountability and responsibility to the stated mission and demonstrates corporate social responsibility. To achieve these goals, the Lucanus Center Executive Director focuses on integrating all organizational functions while effectively engaging input from all stakeholders, including persons served with Neurodevelopmental disorders and their family members. The Lucanus Center Executive Director provides a logical, action-oriented approach to ensure that the Lucanus Center purpose, strategic planning, and activity result in the desired outcomes.

In 2015, the Lucanus Center Executive Director spearheaded the Florida statewide effort to create dementia services for Floridians with Down syndrome. 100% of persons with Down syndrome display the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease at 40 years of age. The Florida legislature appropriated $100,000 to the Lucanus Center to create the nation’s first IDD Specialized Dementia Capable System. The Lucanus Center pilot created newly formed positions titled, “Neurodevelopmental disorders Specialized Dementia Care Coordinators” that drafted twenty-five individually tailored dementia care plans, conducted biweekly Specialized Young Onset Dementia Caregiver Groups, and provided training to support coordinators, staff, and the Florida Memory Disorder Centers. The following year, the Lucanus Center Executive Director partnered with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs successfully submitting a 1-million-dollar ACL grant to create Specialized Dementia Capable Systems in Florida. The Florida governor Rick Scott appointed the Lucanus Center Executive Director to the Florida Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee. The Lucanus Center Executive Director adheres to the principles of the continuous learning corporate culture holding everyone responsible for ensuring progress in supporting Floridians with Neurodevelopmental disorders, improving their overall quality of life, and preventing Floridians from dying prematurely.

The Lucanus Center’s person-centered philosophy is evident in the development and delivery of residential, day, respite, and transportation services, systems, approaches, and interventions. The Lucanus Center’s cultural competency and diversity plan addresses how the Executive Director will respond to the diversity of its stakeholders as well as how the knowledge, skills, and behaviors will enable Lucanus Center team members to work effectively cross culturally by understanding, appreciating, and respecting differences and similarities in beliefs, values, and practices within and between cultures.

Executive Director

(UPARC)

Clearwater, FL • 1991 – 2010

The UPARC Executive Director is responsible for the provision of effective and ethical leadership on behalf of the three hundred persons served with Neurodevelopmental disorders interest to ensure that the organization focuses on its purpose and outcomes for persons served with IDD, resulting in the organization’s long-term success and stability. The UPARC Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that the organization is administered in an effective, efficient, and ethical manner through defined leadership accountability mechanisms. The notable UPARC service provision serves persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders from pediatric to geriatric ages in day, respite, early intervention charter school, transportation, care coordination, employment, and residential settings. The especially noteworthy programs serve over three hundred adults and children with numerous levels of disabilities and multiple chronic health conditions with a cadre of 350 volunteers. Over three hundred professional and para-professional staff are employed with a sophisticated hierarchy of tiers for Neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health specialty positions. The UPARC’s person-centered philosophy is evident in the development and delivery of services, systems, approaches, and interventions.

The responsibilities of the Executive Director include overseeing and monitoring the $16 million-dollar budget, raising significant private funds supporting the thirty-one group homes, supported-independent living apartments, employment, the Tarpon Springs satellite day program, the Safety Harbor Art studio, and specialized young onset dementia day and residential services and supports. The Executive Director is responsible for public relations, contract negotiations, strategic planning, budget review with recommendations, corporate compliance, risk management, succession planning, partnering with the Board of Directors, fund development, design, and implementation of innovative programs to fill the gaps in existing services, and legislative advocacy. Working closely with the newly appointed Florida governor Jeb Bush Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (Florida APD) Executive Director in 2004, the UPARC Executive Director drafted the first Florida “Zero Tolerance” initiative to reduce, and eliminate the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse experienced by 80% of persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders. The 2004 Florida governor Jeb Bush appointed the UPARC Executive Director to his 15-member Blue Ribbon Task Force on Disabilities to recommend ways to support Floridians with Neurodevelopmental disorders to live more independently and secure jobs. About 85 percent of the 30,000 Floridians with Neurodevelopmental disorders are unemployed.

Associate Executive Director for Client Services

(UPARC)

Clearwater, FL • 1990 – 1991

The UPARC Associate Executive Director for Client Services is responsible for the overall operation and provision of services for persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health, and other chronic health conditions, including progressive dementia, and persons served in day, employment, care coordination, early intervention, respite, and residential settings. The programs in this division serve over three hundred persons from children to geriatric with Neurodevelopmental disorders and multiple chronic health conditions. The responsibilities of the UPARC Associate Executive Director include the preparation and monitoring of a $7.4 million-dollar budget, supervisory responsibility for 150 professional, para-professional and direct care staff. The UPARC Associate Executive Director is responsible for the development, design, and implementation of new specialized service programs and conformance with all Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), and CARF International standards of care during accreditation.

Director of Residential Services

(UPARC)

Clearwater, FL • 1985 – 1990

The UPARC Director of Residential Services is responsible for organizing and administering the development and operation of the Residential Services Department. Since January of 1985, this department grew from three group homes to thirty-one group homes and a semi-independent Apartment Program. The UPARC Director of Residential Services achieved the 3-year accreditation from (CARF) during his tenure. The UPARC Director of Residential Services is responsible for promoting community awareness, staff compliance within-service and continuing education requirements, agency compliance with the State of Florida's Department of Children and Families, acquisition of HUD (Health and Urban Development) funding and encouraging all aspects of normalization.

Board of Directors

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF)

Tucson, AZ • 2001 – Present

Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services in the following areas: Aging Services, Behavioral Health, Child and Youth Services, Employment and Community Services, Vision Rehabilitation Services, Medical Rehabilitation, Opioid Treatment Program. CARF International accredits over 62,510 programs focused on advancing the quality of services to meet needs for the best possible outcomes. CARF provides accreditation services worldwide at the request of health and human service providers, including the Veterans Administration (VA). Whether persons served are seeking rehabilitation for a disability, treatment for addiction and substance abuse, behavioral health, dementia, home and community services, retirement living, or other health and human services, they can have confidence in their CARF-accredited choice. International providers that meet CARF standards have demonstrated their commitment to being among the best available.

The purpose of the eleven elected CARF Board of Directors is to see that CARF achieves appropriate results for recipients or potential recipients of CARF accreditation at an appropriate cost while avoiding unacceptable actions and situations. The Board governs with an emphasis on outward vision rather than internal preoccupation, deliberation reflecting a wide range of viewpoints, strategic leadership rather than administrative detail, and future rather than the past. The board's composition reflects individuals whose expertise, experience, and perspectives are invaluable to CARF's business interests and success internationally. Thomas Buckley served as the chair for International Services Advisory Council for residential standards of care for Neurodevelopmental disorders and the development in 2013 International Services Advisory Council for the world’s first “IDD Living with Dementia” standards of care partnering with the NTG and the national Arc.

CARF Surveyor

1987 – 2001

The CARF cadre of international surveyors is a highly select group of professionals in the health and human service field. While surveying for CARF International for 14 years, learned best practices from a plethora of CARF-accredited organizations across the United States and Canada. This position involves surveying agencies which request accreditation to determine compliance with the CARF Standards. The survey team presents recommendations to the CARF Board of Directors who then decide on agency accreditation.

Professional Abilities

NTG Certified Regional Trainer for Dementia Services and Supports for Persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders Affected By Dementia February 2022

19-day trip (March 11-30th, 2022) to Saudi Arabia for YAI developing services and supports for Saudi citizens living with Neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan.

Internationally recognized for creating Neurodevelopmental disorders Specialized Healthcare Innovation that yielded positive health outcomes for persons with Neurodevelopmental disorders and recently speaking at the ACCSES fall summit November 9, 10, 11 2021, partnering ACCSES, YAI, and CARF International.

Accomplished administrative professional with over 30 years of Leading Change challenging long-term fragmented and flawed HCBS for funding, lack of quality standards, and ignoring the voices of persons served with Neurodevelopmental disorders and their family members.

National Strategic Planning/Partnerships leader partnering ACCSES, CARF, YAI, AIM, and persons served developing new quality health services that result in optimal health across the lifespan.

Proven Organizational/Capital Budgeting growing UPARC from 3.4 million to 16.7 million agency.

Highly skilled developing innovative healthcare collaborative transdisciplinary teams in delivery of exceptional quality Neurodevelopmental disorders Specialized Health Services in the Neurodevelopmental disorder’s residential day, and respite settings.

Demonstrated political savvy serving as the appointed Florida governor Rick Scott Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee chair and serving on the Florida governor Jeb Bush Blue Ribbon Task Force on Disabilities.

Proven business acumen for financial frameworks as well as financial analysis and planning.

Notable success shaping strategic vision and developing sophisticated strategies to drive profitability and sustain growth in residential, day, respite, care coordination, and early intervention settings.

Reputation for establishing priorities, scheduling, and meeting deadlines to ensure sustaining services through the skillful allocation of human and material resources.

National Task group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG) member.

Education/Certifications

Doctoral Degree in Education, June 28, 1998

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida

Academic Honors GPA 3.98

Master of Science, June 30, 1994

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida

Academic Honors GPA 4.0

Bachelor of Science, May 18, 1980

Tusculum College, Greeneville, Tennessee

President’s List/Charles Oliver Grey Scholars List

Professional Affiliations

Currently serving on the 2021 CARF International Board of Directors-21st year of service.

Current ACCSES Chair for Committee on Aging, Health, and Dementia

Presented nationally on November 9, 10, 11th 2021 ACCSES fall summit speaking on IDD Health and a separate session “How to Implement the IDD Specialized Dementia System” in your ACCSES organization.

October 30, 2021, presented to the AIM (Saratoga Springs) IDD agency supporting the board of directors, leadership and staff implementing services and supports for persons with IDD living with dementia.

Presented June 2020 for the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, NTG, and the Virginia Geriatric Education Center project funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant for dementia services for persons with IDD.

June 1, 2020, ACCSES releases Tom Buckley COVID-19 Re-Opening Plan for IDD agencies

Florida Governor Rick Scott Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee (2015-2019)

Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities Dementia Committee Co-Chair

(ACL) Grant with Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) awarded for the creation of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) specialized dementia capable services and supports

Special Olympics Florida Executive Board Member (January 2005-January 2014)

Chair of ISAC CARF Dementia Standards for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (January 2013)

NTG and ACL Dementia Practices Formal Curriculum-Lucanus Center (July 30-31, 2013)

Chairman, Ethics and Standards Committee, the Arc Florida

Florida Governor Jeb Bush Blue-Ribbon Committee for Developmentally Disabled 2004

Florida Council of Executives of the Arc

Department of Children and Families, District V - Interagency Committee

Reference Abstract

Dr. Susanne Bruyere, Ph.D.

Professor of Disability Studies and the Director of the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, Cornell University, IRL School, Ithaca, N.Y.

Tom’s proficiency in public policy advocacy, use of empirical evidence, and substantial knowledge of the individual care needs of the ID/DD population through both his service administration and clinical experience, has also lent itself to an accomplished professional contribution in forensic psychology expertise witness testimony in legal cases addressing the rights of ID/DD individuals.

Alex Heart, MPA

Tennessee IDD Assistant Commissioner Policy and Innovation

Tom's unique understanding from an Operations, Program, Standards, Funding, Development, Academia, Policy, Governmental Affairs, and International prowess make Dr. Buckley the most holistic expert in the field of I/DD of any practitioner in the field. Tom works tirelessly for the population of I/DD and pushes the parameters of the bubble that often we see engulf and strangle the families and the people supported or not supported with I/DD.

Leilani Doty, PhD,

Associate Director of Programs, Central & N. FL Chapter of Alzheimer's Association

Thomas Buckley, Ed. D. is a tireless champion of people with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD), people with progressive dementias such as Alzheimer's & related dementias, and the under-served. In the 5 years that I have known him, collaborating with him has been enjoyable and rich with learning, teamwork, and accomplishments. He takes the initiative to meet with policymakers, powerbrokers, and federal funding resource people to develop programs, educational and training materials, and comprehensive local networks to enhance services.

In summary, it is with the greatest of pleasure that I give Thomas Buckley my highest recommendation without any reservation - he is truly a man who strives to makes a significant difference in the lives of others and works with his heart, total cognitive and skill repertoire, enthusiasm, and perseverance.

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