Jeri Kroll A committed and highly trained workforce is a Bridgewell priority. Jeri Kroll is the director of training. Jeri brings an insider’s perspective to the development of Bridgewell’s training programs since she rose through the agency, starting as a direct-support staff member more than 20 years ago. When she took over as director in 2000, Jeri revamped the agency’s entire training program developing many new and creative training programs. Jeri earned a master’s degree from Gordon College in Wenham and has coauthored dozens of articles and book chapters including a chapter on Bridgewell’s Sovner Center and START program in the 2002 edition of Crisis Prevention: Response in the Community. She is also a frequent speaker at conferences.

Training Department

The training department recognizes that a trained and competent workforce is key to the delivery of quality services.

Bridgewell is committed to promoting the professional growth and development of all our employees.

We consider Bridgewell a teaching organization where teaching and learning take place continually. All employees are encouraged to be lifelong learners and to acquire new skills and knowledge that will keep them up to date in their chosen profession.

Our training department works to ensure that all employees:

• Possess the basic skills necessary to fulfill their jobs
• Demonstrate competency in areas necessary for career advancement
• Receive opportunities for professional development in a wide variety of areas

Bridgewell is a founding member of the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers’ eAcademy. Through eAcademy, staff can participate in the direct support professional (DSP) credentialing initiative. We have online access to more than 100 courses, as well as the ability to create our own Web-based training modules. Many of the courses qualify for continuing education credits (CEUs).

In addition to online training, we have a full complement of classroom-based courses including: employee orientation; core trainings in first aid and CPR; crisis prevention and intervention; proactive alternatives for change; OSHA training; and supervisory skills training.

Bridgewell has also developed training programs that can be taken remotely from your work site. There are training modules in: medication administration; universal precautions; fire safety; diversity; human rights; disabled-person’s-protection-commission reporting; food safety; nutrition; documentation; and professionalism.

Throughout the year, experts in the field are invited by Bridgewell to present their work, and funding is available for staff members to attend conferences and specialized training.