Part 5: The Work Behind the Curtain

For many people, Valley Residential Services is a name they may have heard, but not fully understood.

That's not surprising.

For much of its history, VRS has been what Nancy Riggle affectionately calls "one of Walla Walla's best-kept secrets."

While the organization has grown into one of the county's largest employers, much of the work happens quietly, behind the scenes, in homes, apartments, offices, hospitals, schools, and countless community settings.

And that's exactly where Nancy says the real work happens.

"We take care of our own," she explains. "We take care of our clients, our staff, and our business. Sometimes we're so busy doing the work that we don't have time to talk about the work."

What many people don't realize is that residential services are among the most highly regulated and closely monitored services in the state.

Every day, Valley Residential Services balances staffing needs, housing challenges, medical concerns, behavioral supports, transportation, compliance requirements, and ever-changing regulations, all while helping individuals live successful lives in their communities.

The funding system itself is complex.

For years, providers were required to account for every hour worked on behalf of every client and every dollar spent on direct support services. If an agency spent more than allocated, it absorbed the cost. If it spent less, it could be required to return funds to the state.

Nancy remembers one year when Valley Residential Services exceeded its allocation by just five hours.

"Five hours," she says, shaking her head. "And it was incredibly difficult to stay that close."

Today, the funding model has changed, but the pressure remains.

The state establishes funding levels based on assessments of each individual's needs. Agencies are responsible for ensuring those needs are met while managing staffing, training, supervision, and compliance requirements within the available resources.

At the same time, the people served by VRS often face challenges beyond disability.

Housing is increasingly difficult to secure. Accessible housing is even harder to find. Roommate compatibility, transportation needs, aging in place, medical concerns, and behavioral supports all require careful planning and coordination.

Then there is staffing.

Some employees excel at supporting individuals with complex medical needs. Others are especially skilled at working with behavioral challenges. Matching the right staff with the right client can make all the difference.

"It's always a balancing act," Nancy says.

And through it all, there are real people at the center of every decision. People with goals. People with preferences. People with relationships. People who deserve the opportunity to live safely and successfully in their communities.

The public rarely sees the late-night phone calls, emergency staffing plans, housing searches, crisis interventions, compliance reports, or countless hours of problem-solving that make community living possible.

But that's the work behind the curtain. It's not glamorous. It's not always visible. And it rarely makes headlines. Yet every day, Valley Residential Services staff show up to ensure that the people they support have opportunities, choices, and stability.

For Nancy, that's always been the focus.

Not recognition.

Not attention.

Just doing whatever it takes to help people live the lives they deserve.

And for nearly 48 years, that quiet commitment has remained at the heart of Valley Residential Services.