Care Managers and Providers Working Together

Liann M. Dennis, Quality Compliance Investigations Specialist of People’s Arc of Suffolk, shared a wonderful example of Person-Centered Engagement between their organization and ACANY.

ACANY Care Manager Helen Mostacero supports a member named Gio who has received both Day Habilitation and Pathway to Employment from People’s Arc of Suffolk. Several years ago, while training new Assistant Managers in their Day Habilitation program, Ms. Dennis asked Gio if he would like to take the reins in writing his own Staff Action Plan. Gio gladly accepted the challenge, allowing for a truly person-centered Life Plan meeting.

More recently, Gio and his mother were participating in his Life Plan meeting as a member of the Pathway to Employment program. While Gio communicates in both Spanish and English, his first language is Spanish, which is also spoken in his home. Ms. Dennis encouraged their Assistant Manager to speak with Gio in Spanish during his meeting, and upon doing so, Gio immediately became animated and excited. Care Manager Helen Mostacero, who is bilingual, seamlessly shifted gears and assisted Gio with holding his meeting entirely in Spanish. He and his mother were able to actively participate, which, along with Helen’s translation assistance, allowed for all necessary information to be shared, understood, and captured in his Life Plan.

Thank you to Helen, Ms. Dennis, and the staff at People’s Arc of Suffolk for working together to make it possible for Gio to advocate on his own behalf.

Do you have a similar story highlighting a successful collaboration between your organization, ACANY, and someone we mutually support? We would love to hear it! Please contact your Director of Provider Relations to have your story included in a future Provider Enews.