Our Strategic Plan Highlights: 2025
After an initial period setting Work Area objectives and targets for success, we've been spending the past 12 months taking on tasks that get us closer to achieving ONE Maryhurst Plan goals.
For each pillar of our plan, a cross-function team of staff members meets regularly to implement projects and help one another be effective on subjects that matter to kids, families, and our community. Below are highlights from the various corners of the plan: we're excited about how this work is helping our mission come to life!
Pillar 1: Put People First
Culture and Belonging Work Area:
We heard from our community:
This key insight has led us to projects across many phases of our work, including physical safety, psychological safety, and transparent communication. Key initiatives have included:
- Preparing an 'Employee Voice' and 'Let's Talk' initiatives, designed to gather and take action on topics that matter to employees
- Planning and holding a Wellness Fair
- Launching an employee intranet site
Growth and Development Work Area:
In our research, one thing that stood out to us to respond to is:
Keeping that in mind, we've set targets for new trainings and staff career progression tools, such as:
- Finalizing a Resource Hub/Manual for role clarity and advancement
- Uniting the range of training materials and opportunities available at the agency into a single brand, Maryhurst Learning Labs
Pillar 2: Programs Built for Impact
Residential Work Area:
For our campus based programs, we started by listening to a key piece of feedback:
So for the ongoing activities of this Work Area Team, we've begun projects like:
- Implementing technology such as electronic bed checks and ASD diagnostic tools
- Bringing a philosophy of care training, EQ2, to empower staff with new tools and resources
- Standardizing staff and youth experience across all Maryhurst campuses and homes
Outpatient Counseling (Renewal) Work Area:
Our Maryhurst Renewal program is growing and evolving to meet community needs, and here's what folks told us:
The Renewal Work Area Team has identified foundational ways for Renewal to thrive, like:
- Launching a pilot school program in Clark Co., Indiana
- Sustaining and expanding partnerships with the Metro Office of Violence Prevention, Goodwill Kentucky, Americana Center, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, La Casita Center, Neighborhood House, and more
- Identifying areas for more family engagement within therapeutic settings
Pillar 3: Commitment to Community
Advocacy Work Area:
Something we heard often from people as we created our strategic plan:
The advocacy Work Area Team continued its activities designed to make that a reality:
- Hosted 50 Maryhurst staff for a training called "How to Stand up for Kids," in which attendees learned their 'why' for doing advocacy, the issues at the forefront of policy affecting youth, and tips for making contact with decision-makers, featuring a guest speaker from Kentucky Youth Advocates
- Brought 5 youth living on Maryhurst campuses to Frankfort to meet with legislators to discuss topics that are meaningful to them
- Shared news with staff about the 2025 legislative session, including steps they can take to voice their support or concern about pending legislation
Community Partnership Work Area:
A guiding principle we used to craft this work area is what our partners told us during our listening phase:
This Work Area Team began by assessing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to our work, which will help us take action on:
- Learning about Maryhurst's reputation and perception in the community
- Find authentic ways to further deepen relationships or begin new ones in areas that are especially important to the youth and families we serve
- Create a series of trainings for community partners on topics where Maryhurst has deep expertise (i.e. Trauma-informed Care)
