Letter from Executive Director
In the late 1980s, Marty Cushing was hired as Executive Director to diversify Vinland’s programs. At that time, Vinland was only providing recreation therapy for individuals with disabilities. In 1988, the Employment Program was created to serve injured workers. In 1989, Greg Jones was hired to make the case for an unmet need, inspire a vision for meeting it with a new and innovative approach, and build the program design and administrative structure to make it successful.
The outcome showed there was a great need for specialized services, like substance use disorder treatment for people with traumatic brain injuries. That need continues to exist today.
Vinland began providing substance use disorder treatment for people with traumatic brain injuries in 1990. Throughout the years, we have built a strong reputation for providing successful outcomes for clients that other programs have not been able to help. Vinland’s program is specifically designed for people with special needs and unique learning styles.
Today, we still provide services for people with brain injuries and other cognitive impairments. In addition, our clients often have additional disabilities such as mental illness, learning, developmental, physical, hearing, speech and/or functional illiteracy. More than half of our clients have two or more disabilities.
In 1990, we served 50 people in the residential chemical health program. In 2014, we served 459 people in the residential program and 117 in the outpatient program. Over the past 25 years, we have served over 5,800 people, and we will continue to provide services that help our clients obtain “full lives for people with disabilities”.
Mary Roehl
Executive Director
