CCSI News and Updates
Anne L. Wilder
President
Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
Here’s a quick recap of this month’s news:

  • Check out a recent Rochester Business Journal article, in which Kesha Carter, our Chief Diversity Officer, discusses the importance of hiring and promoting a diverse workforce at all levels of leadership – including the board of directors
  • Hear from Ann Battaglia, CEO of Healthy Community Alliance, about what the CBO Consortium of Upstate New York is doing to help advance better health outcomes (and check out their new website).
  • Learn about a recent quality improvement initiative Health Homes of Upstate New York (HHUNY) recently undertook using lean six sigma to cut their referral process time in half.
  • Tune in to a brief video and WHEC news story about an exciting new telehealth project to help police get faster responses during mental health crisis calls.
  • Read about how CCSI’s growing Consulting Team is supporting organizations across NYS in improving practice, strengthening services, and demonstrating value and impact. 
  • Hear the latest from CCSI’s Navigator program – including staffing and location updates and some tips for the upcoming open enrollment period.
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.
Using Lean Six Sigma Tools, HHUNY Finds Efficiencies and Reduces Referral Process Time
A health home isn’t a place, but an extensive network of services for Medicaid recipients in the community. Health Home Care Managers coordinate and provide access to the services an individual needs to stay healthy and out of the hospital and emergency room.  Health Homes of Upstate New York (HHUNY) has about 2000 individuals referred to their health home on average each month. Earlier this year, they utilized lean six sigma tools to identify opportunities for efficiencies in their referral process. As a result, they were able to cut their referral process time in half, helping to make it faster and easier for members to get connected with a Care Manager. CCSI staff sat down with HHUNY’s Referral Coordination Supervisor, Tracy Marchese, to learn more about the changes they made.

What was it like using the Lean Six Sigma tools?
“Our team started by mapping out the entire referral process at a very granular level, from beginning to end, including all decision points, “touch points” with anyone outside of HHUNY, and every other action we took, regardless of how small. We then determined the amount of time it takes to complete each of those steps in the referral process. We also identified which steps were under our control and then consolidated them where we thought we could to be more efficient. This work took multiple three-hour meetings, which was challenging for our busy schedules, but we knew it would be worthwhile long-term to streamline our referral process.”

Program Update – Navigator and ABD Teams
Funded by the NYS Department of Health, CCSI’s Navigator program has a long history of providing one-on-one assistance to individuals seeking help with getting healthcare coverage through the NY State of Health. Individuals can see a CCSI Navigator here at our 1099 Jay Street location, or at one of more than a dozen locations across Monroe and Livingston counties. The team works closely with the ABD-Falitated Enrollment  program, which provides individualized application assistance f or public health insurance programs as well, but specifically for community members who are aged, blind, or disabled

As we prepare for the upcoming open enrollment period we want to share some important programs updates:  
Congratulations, Melisa Fowler!  Melisa, who has been serving as interim Program Manager for the Navigator Program has assumed this role on a permanent basis. Melisa has been with the Navigator program since 2006 and has managed the ABD program since its inception. We look forward to Melisa’s continued strong leadership of both of these programs.
Welcome Luis Morales – Luis recently joined CCSI as an Outreach Specialist / Navigator / Facilitated Enroller, where he will lead the development and implementation of outreach plans for both programs. Previously, Luis worked at Fidelis Care as a Health Benefit Representative. He has a Master's Degree in Literacy and a Bachelor's Degree in Childhood and Special Education from Roberts Wesleyan College. If your organization would like to learn more about either program, please contact Luis at lmorales@ccsi.org . 
Now at Oak Orchard - We’re delighted to be partnering with the Oak Orchard Health Center to provide on-site enrollment assistance with a bi-lingual Navigator.  Other locations for enrollment visits include: 
  • Monroe County - Center for Community Health, Anthony Jordan Health, Jewish Community Center, Unity Family Medicine – Parkway (RRH), St Joe's Neighborhood Center, numerous libraries throughout Monroe County
  • Livingston County – Geneseo Parish Outreach Center, Livingston Chamber of Commerce, Livingston County DOH, Livingston County Mental Health 

As we gear up for open enrollment, our team has a few tips to share:
  • To schedule an appointment, for a time and location that is convenient for you, call 585-613-7662.
  • If you are Aged, Blind or Disabled call 585-613-7662 and press 3.
  • Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential plan and qualifying events – are open year round.
  • We have walk-in hours every Wednesday from 9am-1pm at 1099 Jay Street, Building J (2nd floor).
  • Watch for our extended walk-in sessions during the Open Enrollment Period, where we’ll have additional evening hours.
  • Bi-lingual Navigators are available, along with language assistance for any language. 
Business Management Services
We offer the essential business supports that health and human services providers need to run their organizations successfully, scaled to their size, complexity, and budget. 
Inclusive Leadership Can Inspire Minority Employees to Achieve
In the August 30th Rochester Business Journal, Kesha Carter, Chief Diversity Officer, discusses the importance of hiring and promoting a diverse workforce at all levels of leadership including the board of directors.
Many organizations boldly advertise in their marketing material, on their websites and through recruiting methods how their total workforce is very diverse. This is really a misnomer that doesn’t consider that most of the diversity exists among entry level employees or is highly concentrated within one division within the organization. An organization can be thought of as having true diversity when it includes hiring and promoting a diverse workforce at all levels of leadership including the board of directors. Recruiting and retaining employees with various backgrounds, perspectives and identities is just a starting point.

Organizations with higher gender diversity at the executive leadership level financially outperform others in their industry by 15 percent and those with higher racial and ethnic diversity do so by 35 percent (McKinsey & Company, 2015).  

Kesha Cater
Chief Diversity Officer
Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
Financial Services Update
NYS OASAS 2020 Budget Packages are Out
NYS OASAS emailed the 2020 Budget package to County LGUs, whom are expected to forward budget materials and their related funding detail to the funded providers. Agency providers must submit their 2020 Prospective Budget packages, including the Supplemental Schedules and form PAS-125, to the County LGU within reasonable time for counties to perform their duties. Counties are expected to review the Budgets and submit them to the regional field offices by October 1 st .  Read More >>



James Monfort
Manager of Financial Services, Senior Consultant
Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
Consulting Services
We provide the expertise and support organizations need to understand, implement, and sustain practices aimed at improving the way healthcare is provided.
CCSI supports our customers through three key service lines: Consulting Services, Program Management Services, and Business Management Services. This month, we’d like to share some information about the types of assistance available through our growing Consulting Services service area, including a few case studies that illustrate how we’ve partnered with customers to impact services planning and delivery.   

CCSI’s Consulting Services Team provides the expertise and support organizations need to understand, implement, and sustain practices aimed at improving the way healthcare is provided. Our team offers support in the following areas:

Be ready to successfully meet the requirements of a value-based payment environment.

Measure your results. Demonstrate your effectiveness. Learn from your experience.

Set your organization’s course for the future.

Transform the way you deliver services.


CBO Consortium of Upstate New York Helps CBOs Advance Health Equity and Achieve Better Population Health Outcomes
The publicly funded health care delivery system in New York State has been rapidly transforming. As part of the next stages of the NYS Delivery System Reform Incentive Payments (DSRIP) Program, the NYS Department of Health (DOH) Community Based Organization (CBO) Planning Grant for Rest of State has been underway.  Healthy Community Alliance, Inc. was awarded the $2.5 million NYS DOH planning grant for rest-of-state which provides funding to educate and assist community-based health and human service organizations with implementing results-focused business practices, so they are better positioned to engage in new revenue models that pay for the critical work they do to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers. Through the grant, the newly formed CBO Consortium of Upstate New York is assessing the needs of CBO members and working as a collective to prepare nonprofit organizations that address critical health and human services to be valued partners in an integrated healthcare delivery system. CCSI staff met with Ann Battaglia, Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Community Alliance, to learn more about how the Consortium supports their members.
What is CBO Consortium of Upstate New York?
We started CBO Consortium of Upstate New York last year to work with CBOs in this new healthcare environment and help them advance health equity and achieve better population health outcomes in their communities. We’ve built a consortium across 48 upstate counties in New York, made up of nearly 250 CBOs that address social and economic factors which impact health. Many of these CBOs have smaller budgets and do not yet have payment agreements with Medicaid for their services. An affiliate membership level is also offered for larger CBOs and other partners. 

Be sure to Like CBO Consortium on Facebook to stay up-to-date on their latest news and events!
New Telemental Health Project Helps Police Get Faster Responses During Mental Health Crisis Calls
With funding from the New York State Senate and support from the NYS Office of Mental Health, CCSI is partnering with law enforcement to implement a new telemental health project in NYS. Watch this video to learn more about the project directly from Don Kamin, PhD, Director, Institute for Police, Mental Health & Community Collaboration.  Also watch this news story from News10 WHEC about this work in Ontario County.
 This project was recently featured in the Lockport Journal and Daily Messenger .
We Get Sick and Heal in Our Communities
Nancy Sung Shelton, CCSI Senior Consultant, Cultural Competence & Health Equity was asked by her colleague and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) partner, Dr. Allen Anandarajah, from the University of Rochester, to contribute her expertise as part of the 2019 “A Window into Healthcare Disparities, A Rheumatology Perspective” annual conference. Presenting to a room of doctors, medical professionals, and community stakeholders on the topic of, “We Get Sick and Heal in Our Communities”, Nancy made the connection regarding the impact of social determinants – from housing to community violence to structural racism - and achieving systemic health equity and desired personal outcomes. She stressed the importance of placing prominence on community and patient voice at decision-making tables and during research planning and outreach activities.
Nancy Sung Shelton, MA
Sr. Consultant - Cultural Competence & Health Equity
Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
Motivational Interviewing Training Series: "The Spirit & Skills of MI" with Cheryl Martin
(CEU and CASAC credits available through this training series)

Over the past few years there has been increased attention on Motivational Interviewing (MI) as an evidenced-based practice that supports both engagement and change. MI is a “way of being with others” that can strengthen relationships and open the door to behavior change. MI is collaborative and compassionate, while recognizing and honoring the autonomy of every individual. 

In the recently released book, “Compassionomics,” the authors provide scientific evidence that caring (compassion) makes a difference in outcomes of the people we serve, in the costs of care and as an antidote to clinician burnout. When the spirit and skills of MI are fully embraced, safety and trust is supported. The person receiving MI is viewed as the expert about her/himself and it is the clinician’s responsibility to evoke and listen deeply to the ideas and beliefs of that person; it is their perspective and values that will support the change that is being sought.

During this training we will explore the relationship between Trauma- Responsive Care (TRC), Motivational Interviewing skills/interventions and how compassion/caring supports a safe and trusting environment. At a deeper level, we will look at how the “way of being” of MI engages others and helps to guide them towards the changes/goals they are seeking. 

This training will build upon the Motivational Interviewing Day 1: "The Spirit of MI" which will be presented on October 23rd . This training is ideal for those who completed Day 1, have basic knowledge of MI, and/or are interested in a refresher. This training provides learners an opportunity to integrate MI skills into their “way of being”. Demonstration and practice enhances the ability to differentiate between change talk and sustain talk. There will be a focus on strengthening the skills of eliciting and shaping change/commitment talk.  

Training Location:
Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI)
1099 Jay Street, Building J., 3rd Floor - Erie Canal Training Room
Rochester, NY 14611
Registration Fee: $125 (for full-day training) | $200 for both days
*Scholarship assistance is available. Please call or email Kathy King, Training Coordinator
at 585.613.7632 for more information.

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