Whenever there is a vacancy at Ozone House, we conduct a full review to determine whether to repost the position as-is, adjust the scope or structure, or explore alternative staffing models, and evaluate the department/program’s evolving needs, our overall staffing capacity, and available funding.

We’ve heard staff concerns about the length of time it can take to post and fill open roles. We understand that vacancies create extra workload and urgency, and we take this seriously. At the same time, our hiring process is designed to be equitable, intentional, and inclusive, which sometimes requires additional time.

Here is the process:

· Thoughtful Recruitment: We actively recruit a diverse pool of candidates to ensure our staff reflects the communities we serve.

· Comprehensive Screening: Applications are carefully reviewed to assess qualifications, alignment with our mission, and readiness to serve our young people.

· Collaborative Interviews: Candidates participate in two panel interviews that include staff, leadership, and young people. This ensures multiple perspectives are considered and that youth voices are centered in the hiring process.

· Equity & Fit: Each step is designed to ensure that new hires not only have the right skills but also embody our agency’s core values—empathy, equity, integrity, collaboration, resilience, and safety.

While this approach takes time, it helps us bring in staff who are best prepared to serve youth and to support one another. We believe that being intentional now leads to stronger teams and better outcomes in the long run.

Ozone House continues to focus on improving this metric and has made it a priority as set forth in our FY24-27 Strategic Plan.

Yes. There are times when certain factors limit what can be shared, when it can be shared, or how much detail we can provide. That said, we are committed to transparency and do our best to communicate openly and consistently with staff.

Some of the reasons we may not be able to share information immediately or fully include:

· Confidentiality and privacy: This includes sensitive matters involving personnel, youth, or community partners that require discretion to protect individuals’ rights and well-being.

· Legal or compliance restrictions: In some cases, especially related to contracts, funding, or litigation, we are bound by legal or grant-related guidance that limits what can be disclosed until certain steps are complete.

· Timing and process: There are moments when we’re still gathering facts, coordinating across departments, or waiting on a decision from a funder, board, or legal counsel. In those cases, we may wait to communicate until we have accurate, actionable information.

· Respect for process and engagement: We often consult with staff, leadership, community partners, regulatory agencies, legal counsel, and board members before making decisions, and it’s important to honor those collaborative conversations before sharing broadly.

That said, we know that lack of information can feel like a lack of trust. Ozone House continues building communication systems that are timely, transparent, and responsive, even when there are limits. When we can’t share something, we clarify our inability to do so; when we can, we do so clearly and consistently.

Inclusive decision-making strengthens our organization and helps us better serve our mission. While not every decision can involve every person, we are intentional about engaging others based on the type of decision, who is impacted, and the level of risk or urgency involved.

We use a tiered decision-making framework that includes consensus, consultative, and command decisions:

· Consensus decisions involve collaboration and shared agreement, often used in programmatic planning or team-level practices.

·  Consultative decisions involve leaders gathering input and perspectives from those affected, even if the final decision is made by leadership. These are common in agency-wide planning or policy development.

· Command decisions are used in urgent, high-risk situations (e.g., legal, compliance, or crisis response), where immediate action is needed.  We debrief and reflect on those decisions afterward.

Examples of how we engage others include:

·  All-staff meetings, town halls, and listening sessions like the recent Fishbowl Conversation and April Town Hall, where staff’s feedback was directly incorporated into decisions.

· Program team meetings and supervision spaces, where frontline input helps shape service delivery and internal practices.

· Ozone’s Culture Committee, which creates a structured space for cross-agency staff voice and influence.

· Youth voice through Ozone’s Youth Advisory Board and Client Satisfaction Surveys, which directly informs programming decisions, funding priorities, and public messaging.

· Anonymous feedback tools like the comment box and surveys/polls, which help elevate ideas or concerns that might not be shared aloud.

Some of the steps we’ve taken to build a safer environment for staff include:

Physical Safety

• Reviewing and updating safety policies and procedures, including emergency protocols for fire, lockdowns, and evacuations.

• Ongoing facility maintenance, with immediate attention given to issues like leaks, lighting, HVAC concerns, or structural repairs. We are actively assessing other areas.

• Safety/security assessments at both locations, with implementation of the recommendations made based on those assessments.

• Security measures implemented, including locked entries, sign-in protocols, and panic buttons are used to keep high-risk areas secure.

• ADA compliance and accessibility are incorporated into workspace design and making all spaces welcoming and usable for staff and clients.

• Workplace safety training in areas such as CPR/First Aid, de-escalation, and incident reporting to ensure they are prepared and supported in challenging situations.

Emotional & Psychological Safety

• We build a culture rooted in our Core Values.

• We are transparent in our communications, offering regular updates, and inviting input through supervisions, team meetings, town halls, and anonymous comment forms.

• Our supervisors are trained in trauma-informed, strengths-based approaches, with regular check-ins that include attention to well-being and growth.

• Staff have access to mental health resources, including the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team, our EAP and counseling referrals, and we actively encourage the use of mental health days and healthy boundaries.

• We have conflict resolution processes that include opportunities for facilitated dialogue, restorative circles, and mediation where needed.

• Psychological safety is a priority, where staff feel recognized, heard, and empowered to speak up.

• We continually assess workload and burnout risk, encouraging realistic expectations and rest — not overwork — as a cultural norm.

• Created a Wellness Room, offering a quiet, private area for staff to decompress, reset, or take a moment of care when needed.

• Through training and development opportunities in anti-racism, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and communication, we invest in long-term safety, trust, and team cohesion.

We’ve also created the Director of Employee Experience role to deepen and formalize this work, including internal accountability, such as the Board Employee Experience Committee and agency Culture Committee.

That said, safety isn’t something we declare — it’s something we must constantly build, maintain, and repair. We’re committed to working with staff to make sure every person feels safe, respected, and valued in this workplace. If you are not feeling safe at work, please speak with your direct supervisor or the Director of Employee Experience, immediately.

Federal funding at Ozone House is primarily tied to specific programs and comes with clearly defined scopes, outcomes, and compliance requirements. These dollars do not support general operations across the entire agency beyond the 10-15% de minimus allowable where appropriate.

These federal dollars support direct service staffing, client assistance (like food, hygiene supplies, and transportation), case management, outreach, and crisis intervention.

The agency adjusted the compensation scale at the beginning of FY25 (effective 10/1/24) to include Coordinator I and Coordinator II positions. This was to recognize and account for increased responsibilities, oversight, and/or necessary qualifications of those roles. Two Residential Coordinators positions were posted last year (one for Miller House and one for Safe Stay) and filled with 2 internal candidates starting on 10/1/24. At that time, the appropriate salary adjustments were made according to our salary structure. These activities were undertaken long before the union petition had been filed with the NLRB.

The NLRB—not Ozone House—decides union eligibility and whether a specific employment position will be in the bargaining unit. Titles and pay are based on responsibilities, qualifications, and scope of work, not on participation in a union process. And while not everyone is part of “senior leadership” meetings, we value and expect leadership across all positions at Ozone House.