A Conversation with Jenna Childs, Vice President of Program Services

ID: Jenna Childs smiling.

We are pleased to announce that Jenna Childs has been promoted to Vice President of Program Services at MSS!  

Childs brings more than 15 years of experience within MSS, having served in a range of direct support and leadership roles across our programs. Her appointment follows the tenure of Michelle Dickerson, whose 26 years of service helped establish MSS as a leader of creativity and innovation within the disability services field. 

“Having grown within this organization, I’ve seen how adaptable and values-driven MSS can be,” Childs says. “That history gives us a strong foundation for navigating what comes next.”

The transition comes at a time of uncertainty across the disability services sector. Ongoing changes in Medicaid funding, increased demand for services, and concerns about long-term access to supports have created real fear for individuals with disabilities, families, and providers. “The uncertainty is real, and the fear around access to services is real,” Childs says. “Our responsibility is to acknowledge that honestly while continuing to show up with solutions."

In response, MSS is taking a proactive approach—diversifying funding streams, strengthening advocacy efforts, and evolving service models to better meet individual needs while remaining financially and operationally sustainable.

Central to this work is an expansion of individualized supports, including Individualized Home Supports, flexible day services, and person-centered planning that emphasizes choice and personal fulfilment. “We’re seeing a clear shift toward services that are more individualized and responsive,” Childs said. “People want support that reflects their real lives, not a one-size-fits-all model.”

ID: Jenna Childs and a person in our programs smiling as they push another person in our programs in a wheelchair outdoors.

A key focus of MSS’s strategy is expanding meaningful employment opportunities. From customized job placements and supported employment with local businesses, to small-business ventures and self-employment opportunities, the paths to employment have never been more diverse. 

This employment focus also includes creative career options ​through our Artist Career Support program within Fresh Eye Arts, which supports artists of all abilities to develop a professional practice and pursue income-generating opportunities through exhibitions and community partnerships. “This program reflects our belief that creativity belongs to everyone and that it can be a meaningful career path,” Childs said.

MSS remains committed to serving a diverse population, including individuals with some of the most significant medical and support needs. Childs emphasizes that our seven physical program sites will remain essential community resources, providing safe, welcoming spaces for connection and care: “Our buildings matter. They are places of safety, creativity, and belonging, especially for people with complex needs. That isn’t changing.”

Despite ongoing uncertainty in our field and in our communities, MSS leaders are confident that adaptability, creativity, and collaboration will continue to define our organization’s approach. 

“We don’t always know exactly what the next chapter will look like,” Childs said. “But we do know who we are—and we’re committed to moving forward with purpose.”