Workforce Engagement & Sustaining Systems Changes

1. Workforce Engagement & Sustaining Systems Changes Presented by: Yolanda Dunbar-Johnson, LCSW-BACS-EXCELth, Inc. Jennifer Buras-Noveh, LCSW-BACS- EXCELth, Inc. Jessica Davis, LMSW- Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans Collaborative to Improve Behavioral Healthcare Access (C-IBHA) February 3rd-4th, 2011

2. Local Barriers to Integrated Primary Care-Behavioral Health • Clinical/Provider Resources (staffing, training, time) • Patients/Consumers (i.e symptoms, complexity of presenting symptoms/issues) • Financial (uninsured/underinsured) • Cultural (my space/your space, my way/your way, my problem/your problem)

3. EXCELth’s Primary Care-Behavioral Health Specific Barriers • Interest ( keeping disciplines interested and in the moment) • Professional and Personal Demands • Staff Turnover • Acknowledging the Importance of the Disciplines (primary care, behavioral health, IT, financing, nursing, front desk, etc)

4. EXCELth’s Strategies to Integration • Interest - Series of ongoing training (s), consistent communication, learning the language/presentation • Professional/Personal Demands- identify the “win-win” opportunities early, creating a mind-set that reflects patient care as a shared responsibility • Staff Turnover – educational trainings to capture new staff; communication must be consistent and ongoing • Importance of Disciplines – mutual respect of the person and discipline (internal customer service/team building)

5. EXCELth’s Implementation • Buy in from CEO, Medical Director • Research various models of Primary Care/Behavioral Health Integration • Minnesota Psychiatric Society Integrated Care Task Force • Behavioral Health/Primary Care Integration-The Four Quadrant Model and Evidenced Based Practices • The Vermont Community Depression Project • BH/PC Integration: Models and Environmental Assessment (Barbara Mauer, 2004)

6. EXCELth’s Implementation • Needs assessment within Network Community Health Centers • Community assessment within communities serviced by Community Health Centers • Respecting the diversity of each community being serviced

7. Daughters of Charity Workforce Engagement • Getting the Providers on board • Visibility and Accessibility • Being present in the Team Room and on the floor • Enthusiastic and pro-active approach with the providers • Educating the providers on health issues BH can help with (smoking cessation, weight management, etc.) • Looking over providers’ schedules for the day and seeing if there areany cases you can assist with.

8. Daughters of Charity Workforce Engagement • Working with the MA’s • Educating the MA’s on your services and how YOU can help them during the day • Reinforcing the importance of their skills to the team and to your job • Enthusiastic and friendly attitude with the team • Positive feedback for their help. A thank you goes a long way!

9. Daughters of Charity Workforce Engagement • Working with the front desk staff • Educating the front desk staff on the need to get SW’s for urgent cases • Education on how to handle emotional patients that may present at the front desk • Importance of relaying urgent messages in a timely fashion • Acknowledgement of how busy they are. • Positive reinforcement for their help.