Imagine living in a ward with 200 other people.  You all sleep in just two rooms - filled with rows of beds.  There are n​o curtains on the windows.  Bathrooms have no stalls or even the merest privacy.  For all of you, there is one television and one pool table for entertainment.  You rarely go outside.  This was life in the Laconia State School.

First opened in 1903 as the NH School for the Feeble Minded, the institution was designed as a place for children with disabilities.  It began with a population of 58 people, aged three to 21.  They were called inmates. By 1916 there were 293 residents but the state refused to increase their funding, despite the obvious need.  Overcrowding was a major issue.  Staff received little, if any, training.  If parents or family members wanted to visit their loved ones in Laconia, they were told they could take them out, but people from the outside were not invited in.

In 1952, Richard Hungerford came on as Laconia's superintendent.  He was not a medical doctor like the previous directors, but a teacher with a new philosophy who brought a reform movement.  He did not discourage parents from visiting, he invited them.  Mr. Hungerford wanted to shine a light on the school and empower the parents to help Laconia get the help and funding it needed.  In 1956 he even invited groups to come in and photograph the conditions.  The Great Bay Association came in with a film crew.

The Great Bay Association (later renamed Great Bay Services) was a recently-formed group of parent advocates from the Seacoast New Hampshire area.  The association produced a film called Help Wanted, which followed life in the institution, for the first time showing the outside world what Laconia had become.  As the film's narrator asks "is this living or mere existence?".

The film highlights the indignities inflicted on the residents - like four broken toilets, without seats, being shared in a ward with 43 men.  Women who did unpaid work, helping in the children's ward.  Working in the laundry included dangerous conditions, and lack of organizations led to frequently lost clothing.  There was no space for personal possessions or the comforts of home.  An outdated and too-small kitchen was used to create the food for all the residents, leading to shortages and unsafe food.

The film closes with the remarks "can we not unite and secure more trained personnel to help Mr Hungerford and the dedicated work he is doing under tremendous handicaps? It is hoped that all who witness this film will come to a fuller understanding of the extent of the problem now existing at Laconia, NH".

The film was shown to community groups around the state.  For the first time, the state legislature faced outside pressures to support Laconia State School.  

Trustees of Laconia removed Hungerford in 1960, mostly because of his contentious relationship with the Legislature.  They feared it would overall hurt their ability to support the school.  However, thanks to Help Wanted and an expose by The Portsmouth Herald, the public were now aware and invested in the condition at Laconia and the movement continued to grow. 

Hungerford and the parents' association succeeded in bringing some improvements to the school.  The two following superintendents - Arthur Toll and Richard Melton - followed the path started by Hungerford.  However overcrowding, funding and staffing issues continued.  

In 1978 the parents' association, with the support of Dr. Melton, brought a lawsuit against the state of New Hampshire.  In 1980, a judge ordered the state to provide "the least restrictive care possible" for the residents, and required an immediate reduction in the size of the institution.   This "action for independence" affected not only for Laconia but those in community programs.  It formed the area agencies and vendor agency system, which includes Great Bay Services, that we have today.

On January 31, 1991, Laconia State School closed its doors permanently.  This made NH the first state to close their institutions.

Help Wanted is careful not to make Laconia's staff into villains.  There are those few who took advantage of the situation, but most of the school's staff cared about their residents.  The industry continues to constantly change, as people's understanding of those with disabilities improves.  Our current "best practices" are constantly evolving, even today as we're learning to add remote technology as a way to effectively bring services to even more individuals.  

In 2009 another film crew visited the now derelict school, shooting the documentary Lost in Laconia.  Footage from Help Wanted is used throughout the film.

Lost in Laconia is available in its entirety on YouTube.  While it details an important part of our history, the film vividly depicts life in the Laconia State School.  It can be very difficult to watch.  

Great Bay Services has supported several members who lived at Laconia, or at some of the other state institutions in New Hampshire and Maine.  We continue to move forward, to improve the lives of not only those we directly serve, but all those with disabilities.

- Elizabeth Worboys Burr, Director of Mission Advancement

​In a recent meeting, one of our trustees likened Great Bay Services to a flower growing from a sidewalk crack. Not only does this imagery well represent the resilience of our community in the past year, but the entire history of Great Bay Services.

In the past, families of children with disabilities were faced with an impossible decision. If they were unable to care for their loved one at home, there were no additional supports available. Looking for guidance, they would turn to trusted advisors like doctors or teachers.  The parents would all be told the same thing - put the child in an institution.  In New Hampshire, this likely meant the Laconia State School.  In Maine, it was Pineland Center.  Even in the best conditions, these institutions were under-funded, under-staffed and over-crowded.  These children would face a lifetime of neglect, in a grim building.  

A group of parents stood together and said - not my child.  They met in the basement of a church in Durham and dreamed of a better life for their kids.  On March 8, 1954 they officially incorporated into a nonprofit to form a school for children with disabilities.  It was the first of its kind in the state.  The very idea that these children could be educated, and they could be a part of society, was revolutionary.

This group would do more than form the Great Bay School for their own children, they became advocates.  Great Bay created the documentary "Help Wanted" which followed a day in the life of people living in the Laconia State School.  The film was shown to community groups to educate the public and ask for their help in improving the conditions for people with disabilities.  We became major players in a movement that would eventually shut down the institution system.

Great Bay parents would lobby for bringing special education into the public schools.  Again, the idea that these children could attend school with their peers was unheard of at the time.

As the children of Great Bay grew up, the organization adapted to their needs.  We created workshops and job training for our students as they became adults. These workshops accepted work from outside employers and provided a space where individuals with disabilities could earn a paycheck, and be a productive part of the community.  

Great Bay never stopped innovating.  As the needs of our members and their families changed, so did we.  The school grew into what is today our community supports for adults.  Workshops are now our employment programs.  Six years ago we expanded into Maine, which allowed us to offer independent living and case management supports as well.   

2020 was just another hurdle for us, and given the history of GBS, it is no surprise we met it head on.  We made the decision in March 2020 to suspend our in-person community supports.  The decision was made for the good of our clients and our staff, without knowing what came next.  Instead of fretting, our community services team planned.  Within 72 hours we were back in operation with a remote program.   

Our clients and their families adapted just as quickly, and our Zoom classes were quickly full of familiar smiles.  Jumping on a call with our clients is full of friends calling hello to each other, asking about their evening, their family.  It feels like a morning at GBS, if it looks a bit different.    

It's thanks to the ingenuity of our staff and the determination of our clients and families that we continue on a strong path today.  We're offering a diverse menu of online classes and activities - from STEM workshops to money management and ASL; yoga classes, sing-a-longs, trivia games and bingo.  Our staff are leading one-on-one or small group activities like hiking, ice fishing, art en plein air, and more.

As we approach our 67th anniversary next week, our founding families would be proud of the work that we carry on today.  The dream of those nine families now supports more than 300 individuals.  For more than six decades, even through a pandemic, Great Bay continues our commitment to those we serve. 

- Elizabeth Worboys Burr, Director of Mission Advancement

​Great Bay Services staff and our peers who also work with folks with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are now receiving our first vaccination shots, and we are told to expect that soon vaccination shots will be available to everyone we support. Please note that we will not be delivering the vaccine on-site at GBS. Please ask your case manager and/or primary care physician for information about vaccine delivery.
 
The decision of whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine is a personal one, and we at Great Bay Services recommend that you speak to your medical provider(s) and to your loved ones about this important decision.
 
In order to assist you in having these conversations, we have compiled the following resources which may help you in thinking about and talking through the COVID-19 vaccine and related subjects.

• The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities has developed a “social story” about the COVID-19 vaccine. A “social story” is a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with IDD and/or Autism.
• Green Mountain Self Advocates has produced the Self-Advocate’s Guide to COVID-19. It includes information on the virus itself, on financial concerns such as stimulus payments for folks receiving SSI & SSDI, and on speaking up for your needs in a hospital setting.
• The Arc of California and the Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare launched a new 24-hour support helpline to help persons with developmental disabilities and those who care for them during the COVID-19 pandemic, called Project Connect. Project Connect is able to offer a wide range of support services, including counseling, wellness checks, depression screening, and referral to community services. Project Connect is available by calling (888) 847-3209.
• Sibling & Leadership Network includes an excellent and comprehensive list of resources as well.

As we look forward to the coming months, and eagerly anticipate the time when we can all see one another again face-to-face, we welcome you reaching out to ask any questions or share any concerns you may have. Thank you for choosing to partner with Great Bay Services to meet your and your loved ones’ needs.

- Pam Layne, Executive Director

What is self-care? And why does it matter? Self-care is a practice of doing things for the benefit of our own physical, mental and emotional health. Does that sound selfish? It can be, but if no one else takes time to care for your well-being, then who will? Also, we’re better able to care for others when our own balance of wellness is not depleted.
Does self-care sound like extra work to take on? That can happen too, but a few simple guidelines will address these questions and other things that get in the way of our self-care practices, which by the way may be most difficult to focus on in a busy season, but are no less important at this time of year.
 
To make the time you put into self-care have a real benefit, focus on these three things:
 
Caring for your body.
We all know that exercise is good for us, and we usually feel better after any amount of physical activity even if we were reluctant to get started. Nature is our ally for exercise, especially during a pandemic. And walking counts as exercise. So, why not reach out to a friend...for a walk…in nature? Watch out for icy paths! Decisions about what to eat, and what not to eat are also gentle ways to bring attention to caring for our bodies every day.
 
Caring for your mind.
No need to seek nirvana or a zen state…unless that feels good to you. Check in with yourself. How’s your stress level? How are you feeling?  Then, identify what will help you feel a little better. Is it a few quiet moments to reflect? Or journaling? Or talking to a friend? Or dreaming about a vacation? Or a cup of tea and a good book? Or a glossy magazine? Or spending time with a favorite furry friend?  Find ways to mentally relax.
 
Keep it simple.
Too many people run into obstacles that get in the way of self-care. For example, anyone might think: I don’t deserve to take time to give myself attention. Or, I’m not doing it right. Or, I don’t have time for this. Or, I don’t even know what feels good anymore.  Remember that doing anything for the benefit of our own physical, mental and emotional health counts as self-care. And sometimes less is more. There may be times when doing nothing is a helpful way to care for ourselves if we feel depleted.
 
Two other friendly suggestions for self-care: First, let go of perfection. Part of self-care is giving ourselves permission to make mistakes and half an off day. Second, self-care is a process that takes ongoing practice. And, for self-care - like many, many other things - practice makes pretty good!
 
What’s your favorite thing to do for self-care? Tell us on facebook!

- Jim Gorham, Clinical Supervisor
​

November marks a time when elections are decided, cold weather settles in and thoughts are drawn towards the holidays. While any one of these can present a source of stress, this year we are also faced with all of the unpredictable ways the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic affects our lives.
Amidst this uncertainty, I am reminded of the classic symbol of Thanksgiving – the cornucopia basket. Cornucopia is a word that comes from ancient Greece meaning the horn of plenty, and we have adopted it filled with seasonal vegetables as a symbol of giving to others at this time of year.
This month, let’s take a different perspective on this symbol and imagine ways to fill up your own personal cornucopia with the coping skills below as a way to give to yourself. Please note that the coping skills described below are not designed to solve problems that are outside of our control. For the people we work with and for ourselves, these skills can be used effectively to manage emotional distress on a moment to moment basis and to help feel more grounded.
 
Distracting skills help shift our focus away from situations that lead to emotional distress such as anxiety and worry, sadness, or frustration and short patience. These skills often use physical movement.
Examples of Distracting skills are: Play a video game, read a magazine, rake leaves, listen to music, do a crossword puzzle or word search, paint your nails, paint a picture, or bake something good to eat!
 
Self-soothing skills can be used to bring a little more calm feeling during stressful moments, especially when a problem may be outside of our control. Self-soothing skills use our senses in different ways, and many of us have a sense or two that is more dominant than others. What works best for you and the people your work with?
 
Vision:  Watch a sunrise or sunset, look at falling leaves (or falling snowflakes), look at a soothing picture or watch funny videos.
 
Hearing: Talk to a good friend and pay attention to the sound of their voice, listen to moving water in a stream (or find a video of soothing water flowing), listen to relaxing music or a fan at night, or sing in the shower!
 
Smell: Try scented candles or your favorite soap, or enjoy the smell of something baking in the oven. Open a window and breathe in fresh air!
 
Taste: Enjoy the taste of something you cook or bake, try familiar foods or explore something different, slow down to focus on the soothing aspects of warm foods on cold days.
 
Touch: Pet a furry friend, or enjoy the simple comfort of your favorite chair or the feeling of your muscles warming up on a walk outside. Take a hot shower or take time to bring a mindful awareness to putting lotion on your hands and the soothing sensations this brings.
 
Each of these skills come from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which offers helpful ways for people to feel more grounded during stressful moments. Remember, these skills are not designed to solve life’s problems. They are best used with the purpose to help anyone feel more grounded and calm in stressful situations. Good luck!

- Jim Gorham

During times when everything seems to keep moving faster, taking time to slow down for gratitude can help us cope better. 

For months, we've all been dealing with the challenges of the pandemic, worry about the health of our loved ones and ourselves, and uncertain financial situations. With busy schedules, turning our attention to what we appreciate and are grateful for in life can be something that's easy to forget about, but putting a little more focus on gratitude can help us feel better and be more effective in what we need to do every day.
​
Gratitude does not have to be complicated. Recognize simple things you appreciate in your life. For example, I recognized that I'm grateful for having enough food, for warm summer weather, good health, the beach, and even flowers where I live. What about you? Here are some other ways to practice gratitude
 
Gratitude Exercises
Every morning, take a few moments to identify at least one thing you are grateful for.
Once a week, write a list of ten things you are grateful for in your life.
Work with a friend or family member to write an A - Z list of things you're both grateful for. (What did you come up with for letter X?)
Share your gratitude by telling a friend something you appreciate about them.

- Jim Gorham, Clinical Supervisor