From a press release:
Three North Carolina specialty Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) have come together to launch a one-of-a-kind workforce development initiative that will provide cutting-edge training resources to their network providers. The new initiative is designed to boost quality of care and improve patient outcomes.
Through this collaborative effort between Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, Smoky Mountain LME/MCO and Trillium Health Resources, providers will have access to expert training resources and groundbreaking, evidence-based curricula. These resources, provided by DirectCourse, are designed specifically for direct support professionals who provide services to individuals with disabilities.
Richard Topping, chief executive officer of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, praised the training and collaboration. “Direct support professionals are critical to the success of our members.
We welcome Trillium and Smoky’s partnership in the training that Cardinal Innovations Healthcare has piloted for three years. Our results tell us that the use of this curriculum enhances the quality of the support services to our members and provides a valuable workforce development tool to our provider communities.”
New standards for direct support professionals set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focus on improving quality services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The DirectCourse training curricula offered through this new workforce development collaborative are aligned with the CMS competencies that have been adopted in the NC Innovations waiver that will go into effect in North Carolina this July.
“Providers are absolutely critical to the success of North Carolina’s Medicaid system,” said Trillium CEO Leza Wainwright. “This new workforce development collaboration is focused on improving quality of care through improving provider engagement and support. Improved provider engagement and support will ultimately lead to improvements in quality of care and positive outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Curricula offered through the collaboration include:
· College of Direct Support & College of Frontline Supervision and Management
· College of Employment Services
· College of Personal Assistance and Caregiving
· College of Recovery Community and Inclusion
As entities that manage long-term services and supports, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, Smoky Mountain LME/MCO and Trillium Health Resources are committed to investing in developing a highly-trained, sustainable direct support workforce to provide quality services and achieve better outcomes for the individuals and families they serve. “This on-line training program, when paired with effective mentoring, has been demonstrated to improve the quality of services provided by direct support workers – the folks that do the most to impact the lives of our members” said Brian Ingraham, CEO at Smoky.
ABOUT SMOKY MOUNTAIN MCO
Smoky Mountain LME/MCO is a public manager of care for individuals facing challenges with mental illness, substance use, and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities. Our goal is to successfully evolve in the health care system by embracing innovation, adapting to a changing environment, and maximizing resources for the long term benefit of the people and communities we serve. Smoky serves individuals with mental health, developmental disability and substance use issues in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties.
ABOUT CARDINAL INNOVATIONS HEALTHCARE
Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is the largest specialty health plan in the country, serving 720,000 members through its Medicaid, state and county funded plans. Using a community-based model of care management, Cardinal Innovations seeks to improve the health and wellness of individuals with complex needs by collaborating with local providers and stakeholders. Recognized for operational excellence, innovative solutions and superior outcomes for members, accuracy and speed of payments to providers, and cost-effective funds management, Cardinal Innovations is a leading healthcare company in the United States. For more information, visit www.cardinalinnovations.org.
ABOUT TRILLIUM HEALTH RESOURCES
Trillium Health Resources is a Local Management Entity/Managed Care Organization (LME/MCO) responsible for publicly funded mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services and supports for people living in eastern North Carolina. The counties that comprise the Trillium area include Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell and Washington.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.