Since BHSC is full of wonderful staff that are making differences in the lives of those we see every day, we thought it would be fun if you got to know us better! Let’s learn about Steve with his Fast Four about BHSC and being Director of Contracts & Specialized Programs.
Steve Miller started working at BHSC in the summer of 2001 as a one-to-one aide in BHSC’s ECP (Early Childhood Program). He was a college student studying Speech Pathology who enjoyed his hands on experience at BHSC so much that he returned the following summer to once again help out in the ECP classrooms. In 2004 Steve graduated with his master’s degree and began his full time career at BHSC as a Clinical Fellow in Speech Language Pathology. About 4 years later Steve was promoted to a Speech Supervisor, and then in 2012 he stepped into his current position as Director of Contracts & Specialized Programs.
In his current position, Steve is intimately involved in strategic planning, budgeting, operations, and the oversight of the Contracted Services & Specialized Programs. BHSC currently holds contracts with over 40 different community partners including public school districts, charter schools, and private agencies, to which our therapists provide a variety of health and educational services. Meanwhile, BHSC’s specialized programs provide focused treatment to over 200 children per year with a focus on improving language, literacy, social communication, sensory-motor and handwriting skills.
What is your favorite memory at BHSC?
I’m having a hard time finding just one “favorite” memory during my time here at BHSC. But what I can say is that the people at BHSC are what I enjoy the most, and that I feel extremely humbled and fulfilled working with so many talented, kind, and dedicated team members.
In the contracts department of BHSC, our therapists spend the majority of their time spread throughout the greater Buffalo community working in various schools and agencies. It is rare when we all have a chance to get together as an entire department to catch up, share stories of successes, or enjoy each other’s company. I relish any opportunity we get to all be together, be it at a department meeting, staff appreciation day, or a happy hour. At BHSC our greatest asset is our staff, and I feel that the team at BHSC is second to none!
How do you measure success?
It is important to me to get feedback from our staff and those we serve. Every year we survey the staff that work in our department about how their school year went, what they liked, what they learned, and any suggestions they have on how we can better meet their needs. We also survey our contract partners about their level of satisfaction with our services. And we survey the parents of children who participate in our specialized programs to hear their perspective about our programs and any new skills their children have learned. Success comes in the form of both celebrating positive feedback as well as working together as a team to formulate changes and improvements resulting from constructive feedback.
Just recently we received this feedback from a parent for the Language to Literacy program which shows us that we are making a difference, “Since my son began attending the program, I have seen improvement in all areas. He comfortably rhymes, does syllables, word tracks from left to right, and can identify sight words. [There has been improvement with] responsibility at home and with his work….Before this class, my son was not interested in school or learning, but this staff made learning fun and he has found such confidence.”
What advice would you give to young people who want to enter into your field?
Have an open mind and don’t be afraid to take risks! When I graduated with my master’s degree, and entered the world of job applications and interviews, initially I was 100% convinced I wanted to work with the adult population in a rehab setting. I also knew I really wanted to work at BHSC since I had such positive experiences working there in past summers. However, when I interviewed with BHSC in the speech department, there was not a position available to work solely with the adult population. The position I was offered however gave me a wide variety of experiences, working in schools and homes with children spanning preschool through high school, as well as seeing children and adults in our speech clinics. I am grateful that I took that chance and accepted the position. I learned so much in that first year with such a diverse caseload. I truly believe that the variety, as well as the support I received from my team and supervisors at BHSC pushed me to become a better clinician and more well-rounded.
