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CCSI News and Updates

Thanks for taking a few minutes to check out this month’s news!  Here are just a few highlights: Save the Date and Register for two free lunch time webinars: From ACEs to Assets: A Community Approach to Growing Resilience. Scheduled for March 18th from 12 – 1, this webinar will feature Dr. Elizabeth Meeker and Amy Scheel-Jones who share some important work taking place in Monroe County using a unique data set and powerful collaborative efforts to move the needle in responding to trauma. Click here to register. Your Grants IQ - Phase 1  Scheduled for April 24th from 12 – 1, in this webinar Neilia Kelly and Pamela Ayers tackle topics like “Is this grant for me?” and offer valuable tips for preparing your response. Click here to register.

Anne L. Wilder President Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Read Dr. Briannon O’Connor’s takeaways from the recent 2020 Open Minds Performance Management Institute . Check out CCSI’s latest work in Green Bay, Wisconsin , where Amy Scheel-Jones is teaming with the Brown County Department of Health and Human Services in their efforts to become more trauma-responsive.  Learn more from Chief Diversity Officer Kesha Carter about how structured interviewing can be used to reduce unconscious bias in hiring practices. You’ll find these stories and other updates, including project news and current career opportunities in the sections that follow. If there are topics that you’d like to see us cover in future webinars or newsletters or just want to share your feedback, we’d love to hear from you at askccsi@ccsi.org .   For more frequent updates, follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook , and Twitter .

Business Management Services

We offer the essential business supports that health and human services providers need to run their organizations successfully, scaled to your size, complexity, and budget.

Webinar Save the Date! Grants IQ – Phase 1: Is This Grant for Me? How do I Prepare a Response?

As the fiscal environment becomes increasingly challenging for not-for-profit organizations, many leaders are looking toward grant funding more than ever to support the critical needs of the communities they serve. Just identifying grant opportunities best suited to help you meet these needs is a huge task in and of itself; responding to these opportunities is often even more daunting. This webinar will provide an overview of grant seeking and responding to funding opportunities, including tips on how to make the process manageable, while also increasing your likelihood of success!  Date: April 24th noon-1:00pm Presenters:

Neilia Kelly Director, Grants Development Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Pamela L. Ayers, MSW Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives & Project Development Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Register now!

Structured Interviewing

While most HR professionals are well trained in interview practices, departmental hiring managers frequently are not. This factor can lead to unintentional hiring bias, which can ultimately result in teams having a very homogenous makeup. One way to actively reduce bias during the recruitment process is by using structured interviews. In a structured interview, questions are planned out in advance and every candidate is asked the same set of questions, in the same order.

Kesha Carter Chief Diversity Officer Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

The goal is to discover skills and competencies, rather than seeking commonalities with the candidates which often come about from non-structured interviews (“I see you’re originally from Pennsylvania? Me too! Where about? Do you enjoy fishing?”). This is not to say that a few icebreaker questions to put a candidate at ease and gauge their communication/social skills cannot be used.

At first glance, the unstructured interview appears attractive due to its loose framework, and conversational flow. These same features make this type of interview very subjective, which reduces its accuracy and invites in bias and legal challenges. In a structured interview environment, candidates can feel confident that they are being assessed on their skills, rather than any subjective factors. Because the questions are the same for every candidate and asked in the same order, every candidate has an equal opportunity to provide the same information. Read more>>>

Employee Engagement: An Organizational Strategy

March 6th is National Employee Appreciation Day. A Google search suggests companies should celebrate this day by giving away a great parking spot, feeding your employees lunch, or allowing staff to play a game during work hours. While these perks can be fun for a day, it does not help an organization preserve long-term employee engagement. A satisfied employee is not necessarily an engaged employee. An employee can be generally happy with their job, compensation, and work environment, yet still not be committed to the organization’s mission, vision or values.

Barbara Marianetti DesRosiers Chief Human Resource Officer Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Recent research from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) has shown that employee engagement levels are often determined by: The strength of employees’ relationships with supervisors and co-workers Employees’ belief in their own ability to perform their jobs effectively Employees’ belief that their contributions matter to their organization. People want to feel their work makes an impact. A great example of this is the recent "Moon Landing" commercial from Indeed.com, a leading job search website. The message is no matter which position an employee holds in an organization, every person’s work and contributions advances the mission. Read More>>>

Financial Services Updates

The 2020 VBP Quality Measure Sets Now Available Measure sets were compiled in collaboration with State agency partners, including the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).  Measure sets can be found by clicking here , under the VBP Quality Measures subheading. CFR Training and Preparation CCSI provides CFR training to county/provider groups groups and individuals. Our team can also prepare your agency's CFR and set up a process for future submissions. For more information, please contact Barb Goodness.

James Monfort Manager of Financial Services, Senior Consultant Coordinated Care Services, Inc. County Fiscal Officer Updates Click here for the County LGU and Service Provider Agency Updates.

Consulting Services

We provide the expertise and support organizations need to understand, implement, and sustain practices aimed at improving the way healthcare is provided.

Supporting Trauma-Responsive Practice in Brown County, Wisconsin

CCSI is pleased to be supporting the Brown County Department of Health and Human Services in their efforts to become more trauma-responsive. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Department has 600 employees across four service offerings: Public Health, Community Services, Community Treatment, and Business Operations. By increasing trauma-responsive practices, the Department seeks to create a more safe and supportive working environment while improving outcomes for the individuals and families served. To guide their implementation priorities and efforts, Brown County DHS will employ the TRUST (Trauma Responsive Understanding Self-Assessment Tool) .  This strengths-based organizational self-assessment will provide them with a point in time “snapshot” of where they are in their journey towards becoming trauma-informed. Reporting features that align the organization, as a whole, as well as each division with SAMHSA’s principles of trauma-informed care, will support data-driven decisions for resource allocation and capacity-building.  Contact Amy Scheel-Jones , Senior Consultant, Consulting Services for more information about this work. We are excited to continue expanding our services in Wisconsin, so stay tuned for more Wisconsin updates!

Webinar From ACEs to Assets: A Community Approach to Growing Resilience

Through the experience of Monroe County, NY, this session explores how community collaborations to better understand ACEs and the power of resilience lead to meaningful change across child-serving systems. Unique, actionable data and collaborative efforts moved the needle in the ability to respond to trauma and to grow resilience. The data offer three clear areas where positive impact is possible, creating hope in the face of adversity and a replicable roadmap for individual and system change. Date: March 18th noon-1:00pm Presenters:

Elizabeth Meeker, PsyD Vice President, Consulting Services Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Amy Scheel-Jones, MSEd Senior Consultant Coordinated Care Services, Inc.

Register now!

If you missed February's webinar – Putting Data to Work for You: Driving Improved Outcomes for Measures That Matter – be sure to check out the video recording and the PowerPoint presentation from the webinar for more details.

Key Takeaways from the 2020 Open Minds Performance Management Institute

The 2020 Open Minds Performance Management Institute brought together leaders from the health and human service sector, technology vendors, and health plans from across the nation to focus on “performance management tools…to build a strategy for innovation in a complex market.” I had the pleasure of participating in the Institute this year. Here are just a few of the ideas that have fueled my thinking about how we continue to improve here in New York.

Briannon O'Connor, Ph.D. Director, Strategic Analytics & Performance Improvement Coordinate Care Services, Inc.

1)      Behavioral health and social determinants of health are key drivers of cost. Medicaid spending on people with mental health conditions is nearly 4 times higher than for other enrollees a . 20% of Medicaid enrollees have behavioral health conditions, though they account for nearly half of Medicaid spending a . Most of us don’t need any further convincing about this. However, seeing data highlighting this point across several presentations confirms that there’s a deeper understanding spreading among hospitals and health plans of what we’ve known for some time; behavioral health is complicated and social needs are critical. Consider: Are we using these findings to build stronger value propositions and energize conversations with partners, payors, and other funders? If this data is out there, there’s no need to “re-discover” it.    Read More>>>

Quality Care in the Age of Managed Care: The Future of Addiction Services for Youth

CCSI was proud to support this week’s New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) day-long conference in Albany on Quality Care in the Age of Managed Care: The Future of Addiction Services for Youth. OASAS providers participated in a day of workshops and facilitated discussion, and had access to experts speaking about the future of addiction services for youth in New York State. Some highlights from the conference include: Innovative, creative approaches to treatment including: Meeting youth where they are and expanding treatment options beyond the 4 walls of the clinic Equine therapy where the therapists take a step back and let residents simply be with horses as a path to move toward recovery and internal change A therapeutic high school for teens that recognizes the need for a unique approach for adolescents that is differentiated from standard adult treatment Problem Gambling support geared specifically toward youth The Road Recovery program designed to provide peer support through music workshops Read More>>>

Program Management Services

Based at customer locations, guided by the customer’s priorities and vision, and managed in partnership with CCSI, we provide the talent and infrastructure needed to plan, implement and operate programs successfully.

Broome County Takes Part in NYS HEALing Communities Study to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths Effective prevention and treatment programs and services exist to address opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and overdose. However, many people who need these programs and services do not receive them, in part because of a need to better understand how to make them most effective at a local level. For communities to successfully address their opioid crises, they need implementation strategies that take their unique local needs and resources into account. The National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration launched the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) to investigate how tools for preventing and treating opioid misuse and OUD are most effective at the local level.  HCS aims to reduce overdose deaths by 40% over three years in 67 communities in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio.  Broome County is one of the counties participating in the study in New York. CCSI’s Lynne Esquivel recently moved into the role of Project Manager, NIDA HEALing Communities Study, to lead and coordinate all study activities for Broome County. ... Read More>>>

H.O.P.E. Program Shares Progress Addressing Poverty in Syracuse

As featured in our November CCSI News and Updates , we highlighted how Syracuse received a $1.7 million grant to fund anti-poverty work in the city as part of New York State’s Poverty Reduction Initiative. From that grant, CCSI received $325,000 to fund a dropout prevention and case management program to provide support services to 150 at-risk middle school students and families. The H.O.P.E. Program shared the progress they’re making at an event at the Well of Hope Church on February 1 st called Great Syracuse H.O.P.E.’s Impact of Community Stories: A Report Back on the Partnership.

From left to right: Chayna Short H.O.P.E Supervisor, and H.O.P.E. Specialists Mia Wade, Muna Jeylan, Shawna Boyd, and Mary Anne Kelley.

Chayna Short, H.O.P.E. Program Supervisor, spoke about helping families and children in the 6th, 8th, and 9th grades attending Syracuse City Schools to overcome obstacles and address issues related to poverty. A student enrolled in the program spoke about his worker, and how she helps him especially with his goals for school.  This student’s goal is to attend the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central once he finishes school, and he wants to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study graphic design. Please connect with Chayna Short for more information.

News From the Navigator Program

Funded by the New York State Department of Health, CCSI's IPA / Navigator program provides one-on-one assistance for individuals and small businesses interested in shopping for and enrolling in health insurance through The The New York State of Health - the Official Health Plan Marketplace. CCSI provides support at 13 locations across the Monroe and Livingston county area The NY State of Health open enrollment period for 2020 coverage began on November 1, 2019 and ended officially on February 7, 2020, after the NY State of Health extended the original 1-31-2020 date out an additional week.  During this period of time, the Navigator staff was busy with enrolling individuals and families in health Insurance. Across all of our sites in Monroe and Livingston County, the Navigator team submitted 1092 applications during the open enrollment period.

We would like to thank Courtney Walker, Cindy Wagner, Sharon Danalds, Luis Morales, Rebeca Rivas and Jerrica Sims for their hard work and dedication during what is not only a busy “work” time, but a hectic holiday season. Kudos to all for making our 7th Open Enrollment period a successful one!   For more information regarding NY State of Health’s record high enrollment period, check out their press release.

Events and Other News

Thanks to all of the CCSI customers who took the time to offer your feedback though our annual customer survey. We saw a nice uptick in response rate this year, and at  a time when we know everyone is incredibly stretched, we are grateful that you made sharing your insights a priority.   During the past several weeks, we’ve been analyzing the data from this survey and using your input to shape our plans and priorities for the year. It has been helpful to have your feedback on areas where our partnership has produced important benefits so we can build on these successes. We also appreciate the specific and direct guidance you offered on areas where we need to continue to grow and develop.  We hope you see your suggestions reflected in our work with you in the coming months. In the meantime, here’s a little glimpse into this year’s results.

Black History Month

Every February since 1976, the United States has celebrated the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month. The month-long celebration puts those accomplishments and milestones into focus in classrooms, on television, in newspapers and various other formats. Carter G. Woodson began “Negro History Week” in the second week of February because it covered the birthdays of Frederick Douglass (February 14) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12). It is important to realize that Negro History Week was not born in a vacuum. The 1920's saw the rise in interest in African American culture that was represented by the Harlem Renaissance where writers like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglass Johnson, Claude McKay—wrote about the joys and sorrows of blackness, and musicians like Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Jimmy Lunceford captured the new rhythms of the cities created in part by the thousands of southern blacks who migrated to urban centers like Chicago. And artists like Aaron Douglass, Richard Barthe, and Lois Jones created images that celebrated blackness and provided more positive images of the African American experience. Woodson had two goals. One was to use history to prove to white America that blacks had played important roles in the creation of America and thereby deserve to be treated equally as citizens. In essence, Woodson, by celebrating heroic black figures, be they inventors, entertainers, or soldiers—hoped to prove their worth, and by proving their worth, he believed that equality would soon follow. His other goal was to increase the visibility of black life and history, at a time when few newspapers, books, and universities took notice of the black community, except to dwell upon the negative. Ultimately Woodson believed Negro History Week—which became Black History Month in 1976—would be a vehicle for racial transformation forever. Today, history is being made all around us as Tarana Burke stands at the helm of the #MeToo movement, Sterling K. Brown is becoming a household name, Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes in the world, Ta-Nehisi Coates is making strides in literature, and so much more. American History wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the contributions of notable African Americans in every area from arts to medicine and everything in between.

CCSI is Growing!

2019 was a great year full of growth for CCSI, and we plan to carry that into 2020 as well. CCSI has a need for talented professionals looking to contribute their expertise, expand their influence, and manage their careers to meet personal aspirations. We offer opportunities across different service lines, geographies, and functions. Prevention Planning and Education Coordinator, NYS OASAS Albany, NY Controller/Sr. Consultant Rochester, NY Family Specialist Syracuse, NY – two openings ( one position is bilingual ) HR Business Partner Syracuse, NY Project Evaluator, OnCare Transition Age Youth Syracuse, NY Sr Healthcare Data Analyst Rochester, NY Dual Recovery Coordinator Buffalo, NY – one opening , Warsaw, NY – one opening Transition to Independence Supervisor Syracuse, NY Systems Trainer Syracuse, NY Transition Facilitator Syracuse, NY – four openings Youth & Family Partnership Care Manager Rochester, NY

Want to hear more? If you haven’t yet had the chance, we hope you’ll check out our Facebook page for more CCSI news and resources.

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