Employee Owner of the Month: March 2023

Mar 02, 2023

Introducing IPMG's Employee Owner of the Month of March: Chris Gackle, Case Manager!

Chris was nominated for this award by a parent of an individual he serves. The nomination stated, "He has been my son's case manager for several years and he has always been so easy going, therefore, very easy to talk to and work with as well. He has always shown that he cares about what is best for my son and takes into account our lifestyle and what we have going on when making suggestions. He has a common sense, down to earth, but professional approach which is what our family needed. We are thankful for him."

Chris writes, "It is truly humbling to be recognized by the guardian of the individual I serve. I’ve worked with the family for over 11 years and have grown with them as they moved from a rural area to the urban area where new challenges were faced for their son. Together we worked to make the best life that the individual envisioned. From overcoming past concerns of elopement to now working with vocational rehabilitation to gain employment. The success of this story is really the individual who took the opportunities offered to him and flourished with them. With a supportive family and provider, he has done well and is truly living his best life.

My career was never set out to be a case manager as I’m sure it wasn’t for others either. I really wanted to be an architect back in high-school and prior to college. Unfortunately, math was not my friend and so I settled on something else. Eventually I spent several years working in mental health and ultimately doing clinical research on psychotropic medications. I eventually felt a calling back to those that were familiar and started working back with providers. I have always been with people with disabilities. I grew up with an older sister who was disabled and was around others with disabilities for as long as I can remember. I had always found that when I was with those with disabilities you could be yourself and were always accepted at face value.

I credit my success to the very beginning of joining IPMG. The training I received was excellent. Small groups that met weekly and tackled the day to day issues of case managing individuals. I spent two weeks shadowing the case manager who was leaving and going to the meetings of those eventually I would case manage and still do today. When I started as a case manager, we did the intakes and I still serve a handful of those individuals that I completed the intakes on. IPMG and the waiver world is continually growing and changing almost daily. I feel as though this only tests the case managers resilience to grow and adapt to this ever-changing landscape. My success would not have been possible though if it wasn’t for the close network of my peers in Vigo County. We have built a solid network to lean on each other and assist in finding the answers when needing assistance. Hats off to my CM friends in Vigo County."

Congratulations, Chris! We are so blessed to have you on our team!