The Warren community will soon benefit from the experience of two organizations that have established outstanding reputations for serving adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. Bollinger Enterprises, Inc., and the Barber National Institute, an Erie, PA based provider, have announced an affiliation that is expected to take place in spring, 2018.

The two organizations share similar values and history, according to a statement released by John Barber, President and Chief Executive Officer at the Barber National Institute, and Dr. William Clark, Bollinger Executive Director.

“Throughout our exchange over the past several months, it has become clear that both Barber and Bollinger believe in providing the highest quality consumer-driven services, and in the importance of community inclusion for adults with disabilities and their families,” said Barber. “We believe that bringing together the resources of both of our organizations will enable us to continue to achieve these goals as well as expand choices and opportunities to meet the needs and preferences of each individual.

“As we move forward, our shared priority is to maintain the culture and mission of Bollinger Enterprises as it has been shaped by the citizens of the Warren community,” Barber said.

The Barber National Institute was founded in 1952 by Erie educator Dr. Gertrude A. Barber, and has grown to serve more than 5,370 children and adults with intellectual disabilities and behavioral health challenges in northwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Since 2007, the Barber National Institute has been providing services to Warren-Forest counties for children with autism and mental health needs from offices at 1003 Pennsylvania Avenue West in Warren.

“We have been welcomed into the Warren region over the past decade and now look forward to working even more closely alongside those in the community to meet the needs of adults with disabilities and their families,” Barber said.

Bollinger was founded in 1978 by Annabel and Clifford Bollinger as a pilot project of the Warren – Forest Counties Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC.) Currently, Bollinger offers facility and community-based day programs serving more than 110 adults. With the affiliation, Bollinger will continue to offer the same services to Forest and Warren Counties.

The affiliation is expected to expand job training and placement initiatives that are being mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

“Pennsylvania officially became an ‘Employment First’ state in March, encouraging all providers to make community employment a primary option for all adults with disabilities,” said Dr. Clark. “Barber has been successfully providing supported employment since 1986, and has placed more than 600 adults in jobs in their communities. We look forward to expanding this service in the Warren area, and believe that it will be a benefit to our adults as well as to employers looking for loyal, dedicated employees.”

The affiliation between Bollinger and the Barber National Institute has the following goals:

• Mitigating rising operating expenses to maximize the resources available to support the charitable mission of each organization and to better serve exiting consumers.
• More readily meeting the increasing regulatory requirements at the local, state and federal levels.
• Reducing future infrastructure costs while at the same time building key resources that can support and enhance the missions of both organizations.
• Enhancing risk management capabilities.
• Formalizing and strengthening current relationships and partnerships.
• Enhancing capitalization of both organizations.

Bollinger is expected to maintain its current number of employees, and will have a reciprocal relationship with the Barber board of directors. Three representatives of the Barber National Institute will serve on the Bollinger board, while three Bollinger board members or administrators will join the Barber National Institute board of directors.