Northeast Kingdom Human Services

Northeast Kingdom Human Services, Inc. (NKHS) strives to meet the needs of at risk and vulnerable individuals of all ages living in the Northeast Kingdom by providing client centered, trauma informed comprehensive home, community, and office-based services addressing intellectual/developmental disabilities, adult mental health and addiction challenges, and children and family stressors.

We are a 501(c)(3) private not-for-profit organization with oversight by a volunteer Board of Directors and Program Standing Committee members who support the agency’s belief that human services should be cost effective and responsive to the needs of our local communities. The Mission of NKHS is to enrich communities and enhance the ability of individuals and families to improve their lives.

Outcomes and Innovations

NKHS Zero Suicide Implementation

NKHS created a Zero Suicide Implementation Team in November 2016 with members representing all agency divisions. The team identifies screening and assessment tools, protocols and procedures. QPR Gatekeeper Training was introduced and implemented as the basic training offered to all staff so everyone has the skills and confidence to provide a safe environment for individuals struggling with thoughts of suicide. We now have QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper certified instructors. This will allow us to offer QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training to partners, businesses, and organizations from the communities we serve.

Music & Memory Program

Several IDDS staff are now certified to use the nation-wide Music & Memory Program for individuals they serve who are challenged with dementia. We are able to create a therapeutic personalized playlist using an individual’s favorite music. It is proven that individuals listening to their music favorites using a digital device and headphones tap into deep memories helping the individual to feel like themselves again, to converse, socialize, and calm aggressive behaviors. Several individuals in the IDDS Division have found the program beneficial to reduce aggressive behaviors and enhance their quality of life.

Specialty Team

The Specialty Team includes 21 employees from all divisions in the agency who are trained in providing trauma and grief support for a community experiencing an unexpected traumatic event. Individual crisis calls are managed by our in-house 24-hour Emergency/Crisis Services Team.

Trauma Informed Care Trainings for Community Partners

The Children, Youth and Family Division staff offer trauma informed care trainings to community partners. These trainings use various models such as ARC and RPC to show the impact of trauma on children and families. We are sought out to provide these trainings for various organizations and parenting groups in the communities we serve.