Nursing

Nursing Department News & Updates

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The nursing department recently conducted a webinar that outlined nursing services through Support Inc. To watch the webinar, and learn more about our innovative, outstanding nursing services, please watch the video below.

Nurse Team Webinar (youtube.com)

The Support Inc. nursing team has also gone through recent staff changes. check out the department below:

Morgan Struck (RN)- Associate Director of Nursing

Erin Gordan (RN)- Nurse Case Manager

Lauren Reed (RN)- Nurse Case Manager

Jamie Weidman- Medical Coordinator

Nicole Jordan- Medical Coordinator

QA COrner

QA Department News & Updates

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Changes to the individual service & support plan (ISSP):

If you’ve joined our provider town hall meetings you’ve heard about the many changes happening in the IDD system in Colorado. With all these changes, our regulations also needed to be updated. While there are many changes to our regulations, we want to take some time to talk about one major change to the individual services and support plan (ISSP) goals. Case Managers are no longer required to add ISSP goals to the service plan. Additionally, provider agencies are no longer required to develop and track formal ISSP goal programs. This has been a core function of the IDD system for many years and will take us some time to fully phase it out of our operating practices. We are still required to demonstrate that we are supporting people to achieve their goals. We will be doing the following over the next several months:

  1. We will work to discontinue current ISSP programs.
  2. We will stop checking ISSP requirements as part of our internal auditing beginning March 2024.
  3. By June 2024, we will solidify a plan to address how we demonstrate supports being provided to help people achieve their goals.
  4. We will remove the ISSP requirement across our internal tools over the next several months.
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January Host Home Provider of the Month

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Please join us in congratulating the January Host Home Providers of the month- Agnes and Ron!! They were nominated by the Denver Metro 2 Team and Residential Coordinator, Jillian. This month marks one year of Jillian meeting Agnes and Ron and it has been an absolute pleasure working with them. They do an incredible job of taking care of three individuals who all have high medical needs, while continuously balancing their focus and care for each one of them. It’s clear that our person receiving services (PRS) is taken care of with nothing but unconditional love and support. Our PRS has a contagious smile and seeing him light up every time he looks at Agnes and Ron is the sweetest thing to witness. No matter the task or responsibility, Agnes and Ron work as a team to make sure they are on top of everything. They are always prepared and proactive and continue to advocate for the person receiving services. Agnes and Ron are incredible when it comes to monitoring the PRS’s health, making sure to notify me every step of the way so we are always on the same page. After a year of getting to know them, Agnes and Ron are not only great providers who make the PRS feel like another member of the family, but also two fantastic people with the kindest hearts. Agnes and Ron, I have nothing but appreciation and respect for the care you provide, thank you for all that you do! Congratulations on being named Host Home Providers of the Month!!!

 

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Ryan Takes on Colorado!

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Today we would like to recognize one of our Family Caregivers (FCG), Yuko, and her son Ryan. Yuko is an exceptional FCG who cares deeply for her son and his health. Every day she goes above and beyond to ensure that he is happy and healthy. Yuko credits a healthy diet and the level of involvement in community and extracurricular activities to the low level of medications that he takes every day. Ryan enjoys staying active and doing fun things with his friends and family. Ryan works very hard to accomplish his healthy active lifestyle goals. Every year he trains for Special Olympics bicycling in the 25k and 10k races. He also enjoys skiing, camping, going out to eat and playing games with friends and family, traveling to places like Hawaii, attending sports games, the ballet, swimming, indoor rock climbing and going to the mountains to see the leaves changing. Yuko and her husband work very hard to ensure that Ryan has access to all of the activities he enjoys! Yuko spends countless hours researching and scheduling. If you ever get the chance to meet Ryan the love and attention that his family shows him is obvious by the giant smile on his face! Keep up the exceptional work Yuko and Ryan!

QA COrner

QA Corner: Case Management Redesign & Conflict Free Case Management

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CONFLICT FREE CASE MANAGEMENT (CFCM): In 2014 Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services published the Federal Final Settings Rule requiring home and community-based services (HCBS)  meet certain criteria. As part of the rule, there must be a separation of case management services and direct services (residential, day program, employment, behavioral services, etc.). Entities cannot provide both case management and direct services to the same person. The efforts of the Department of Health Care Policy and Finance (HCPF) to comply with federal requirements of Conflict Free Case Management have evolved into several initiatives called Case Management Redesign.

CASE MANAGEMENT REDESIGN (CMRD): Case Management Redesign requires a Case Management Agency (CMA) to provide case management to all 10 Home and Community Based (HCBS) waivers offered in the State of Colorado. CMRD will simplify access to Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) by having one entity manage all HCBS programs. We are about halfway through the case management redesign process. Some transition timelines have been updated. Below is a graphic explaining each service area we work with, who the new case management agency (CMA) will be and which phase they are transitioning in.

 

Catchment Case Management Agency Transition Phase
Catchment Area 5:  

Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert Counties

 Developmental Pathways (DP) Phase 1:

Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2023
Catchment Area 6:  

Adams and Denver Counties

 Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS) Phase 1:

Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2023
Catchment Area 11:  

El Paso, Park, and Teller Counties

 The Resource Exchange (TRE) Phase 1:

Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2023
Catchment Area 1:  

Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, and Yuma Counties

 Northeastern Colorado Association of Local Governments (NECALG)  Phase 2:

Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
Catchment Area 9:  

Weld County 

 Weld County Area Agency on Aging Phase 2:

Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024 
Catchment Area 12:  

Pueblo County 

 The Resource Exchange (TRE)  Phase 2:

Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
Catchment Area 10:  

Larimer County 

 Foothills Gateway, Inc.  Phase 2:

Nov. 1, 2023 – Feb. 29, 2024
Catchment Area 7:  

Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties

 Jefferson County Phase 3:

March 1-June 30, 2024
Catchment Area 8:  

Boulder, Broomfield, and Gilpin Counties

 Adult Care Management, Inc. (ACMI) Phase 3:

March 1-June 30, 2024

 

Along with the change in Case Management Agencies, the state will also be transitioning to the Person-Centered Support Plan (PCSP) which will serve as the plan for all HCBS services and is relacing the current Service Plan (SP). HCPF has also created a new level of care screening and needs assessment. The state anticipates these new tolls will be implemented in February 2024.

 

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Support Inc. Client Featured in Local Art Show!

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Café Show by Local Artist and Support, Inc. client- Maria

Maria has many talents. She is an athlete, baker, dancer, skilled with animals and very charismatic. She is also a prolific painter, using art therapy as one way to calm her busy mind. While flamingos in funny situations are a common theme, she also paints other marine life, horses, flowers, holiday settings and landscapes.

During the month of October, Maria was the featured artist at the French Press Café in her neighborhood on Iliff near Buckley. If you have not been there, they have the regular coffee and tea-related faire, as well as an incredible kitchen. (Their chilaquiles are THE BOMB!) Maria’s paintings covered an entire wall, which is really saying something in the small space the café holds. She wrote her own bio, which had a lovely photo of her with a horse attached and even sold two paintings!

Maria’s accomplishments are a source of pride for herself, her family and our community. Here’s to the next show where we have our eye on a certain flamingo wearing a pool floaty and carrying a cocktail. Congratulations to Maria on this amazing accomplishment!

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Family Caregiver Town Hall

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Please join our Operations Team on November 30th, 11am for our Family Caregiver Town Hall. This meeting will occur virtually on Zoom. The agenda is filled with updates regarding Support, Inc., and Pueblo Community Resources news, as well as reminder for upcoming events, staff appreciation and recognition, and an opportunity to connect and ask questions. For more information and the zoom link please contact info@supportinc.com

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Quality Assurance News and Updates

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As summer ends and cold weather settles in so comes cold and flu season. Colorado has also seen an increase in COVID-19 cases. Protect yourself, the person you serve and your family. As a reminder, please do not send people to work or day program if they are sick. If people arrive to day program/work showing signs of illness, you will be asked to pick the person up.

Healthy habits to help protect against illness:

  1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  2. Stay home when you are sick. Please do not send people to work or day program if they are sick.
  3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
  4. Wash your hands often to protect yourself from germs.
  5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  6. Practice other good health habits such a cleaning and disinfecting.
  7. Getting a flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine. Contact your primary care physician, local pharmacy or use Colorado’s get vaccinated website to find vaccine providers near you.