Wendell Foster Chief Executive Officer Doug Hoyt has been appointed as the Chairperson for LeadingAge Kentucky’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Committee. Hoyt will also serve on the Board of Directors of LeadingAge Kentucky.
“I feel honored to have been selected to serve on the LeadingAge Kentucky Board of Directors and as the Chairperson of the I/DD Committee,” Hoyt said. “I am excited for the opportunity to advocate for people with disabilities at the state level.”
Wendell Foster is a local agency serving people with disabilities.LeadingAge is the premier trade organization for individuals who receive long-term services and support. The I/DD Committee specifically focuses on advocacy for people with disabilities and the organizations that support them.
Wendell Foster’s Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) serves 63 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other medical needs across four cottages. Wendell Foster is one of two private provider agencies in Kentucky to support people within the ICF model. LeadingAge has represented and championed causes for ICFs on a state and national level, ensuring that advocacy, laws, policies and other regulatory matters are addressed with a single voice and concerted effort.
According to Hoyt, there is a great need for ICFs.
“Our focus in the developmental disabilities world has been on moving individuals into the greater community from much larger institutional settings,” he said. “However, the need for settings that can address complex medical, behavioral and intellectual challenges has been more prominent over the last several years.”
Hoyt said that the ICF model accommodates and addresses the needs of these individuals while fostering a homelike setting. The ICF makes it possible for individuals to reside within their respective communities safely and productively.
Hoyt looks forward to representing the needs of people with disabilities.
“Any opportunity I have to advocate is a benefit to Wendell Foster and the people we serve and support,” he said. “That is what I am excited about.”
