Tag Archive for: #cardinalinnovationshealthcare

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

Town Talk 11/18/20: Mental Health & the Holiday Blues

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Nancy Hux, the community engagement specialist with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m. Nancy Francis, director with the Kerr-Tar Agency on Aging, facilitated the segment.

This edition of Town Talk is a paid advertising sponsorship with the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments.

With over 20 years in the mental health field, Hux currently provides training in the areas of mental health, substance use and intellectual developmental disabilities.

With the holidays quickly approaching, and with the COVID-19 pandemic and related news still very much a part of daily life, Hux said now is an opportune time to discuss mental health.

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being,” Hux explained. “It affects how we think, feel, and act. Our mental health determines how we handle stresses in our lives, how we react or respond in our relationships with others and determines the choices we make. Mental health is important at every stage of life – from childhood to adolescence and throughout adulthood.”

Hux said one in five people, while not necessarily officially diagnosed, will experience a mental health issue in any given year.

“No one is immune to mental health issues, so that is why it is so important to know yourself and know when you are not feeling your best. It’s also important to identify key people in your life that you are comfortable reaching out to when you need to talk,” said Hux.

While there are many mental health disorders, the most common are anxiety and depression.

“Life affects our mental health,” Hux said. “I typically tell people in our trainings that as long as you are living, life happens, and when life happens, it brings with it the ups and downs that affect our mental health.”

Signs of a mental health issue include:

  • Changes in how you feel (both mentally and physically)
  • Less desire to do the things that you used to enjoy (hobbies, socializing, etc.)
  • Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too much or not sleeping enough)
  • Changes in your appetite (eating too much or not enough)
  • Becoming more emotional or less emotional

With COVID-19 changing routines and social interactions, the holidays will look very different for many this year. According to Hux, one of the best ways to ease loneliness is to reach out to someone else, in a safe manner, that may also be lonely.

Tips for reaching out include:

  • Ask a friend or loved one to pick up greeting cards and stamps so you can handwrite cards and mail them to your friends and family. You could also include one of your simple, favorite recipes for them to cook during the holidays.
  • Reach out by phone; it will brighten your day as well as theirs.
  • Talk to others online with programs such as Zoom.
  • Stay spiritually healthy; identify what is important to you spiritually and keep those practices in place (reading, listening to music, meditation, etc.). Attend church online.
  • Decorate for the holidays, even if you are not having the traditional family get together.
  • Have a friend drop off a holiday or Christmas puzzle to put together or do word search or crossword puzzles.
  • Talk with your physician about your health and a safe level of exercise.

Additional resources include:

  • Local Senior Centers
  • Meals on Wheels programs that provide one meal a day for five-to-seven days a week; check with your local Council on Aging programs for assistance.
  • Your general physician/doctor’s office.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare also has a network of providers that are available to assist with linking you to professional counselors, therapists or other resources. Please call 1-800-939-5911 or visit online at www.cardinalinnovations.org.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This edition of Town Talk is part of a paid advertising sponsorship with the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments.)

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Releases County Action Plan

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-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations County Action Plan

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is wholeheartedly committed to helping the people we serve and are invested in supporting the counties and communities where our members live. In the spirit of transparency, ongoing improvement and partnership, and together with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Cardinal Innovations has committed to a detailed plan of action, effective immediately.

Contained in this plan are concrete measures and specific steps for improvement to address county concerns and hold us accountable to our members and our communities.

Supporting Children Entering DSS Custody

• We recognize that even with all deliberate speed, change will take time and will not resolve all pain points overnight. For this reason, and in addition to the steps outlined in our plan of action, we plan to invest an additional $30 million to help our counties take care of children in foster care.

Effective immediately, Cardinal will enter into a subcapitation agreement with its county DSS partners to provide a Per Member Per Month (PMPM) payment for every Medicaid-eligible foster child in its care. Counties will be able to use these Medicaid funds to cover the cost of some preliminary or transitional care or to address social determinants of health (e.g., housing, transportation, food insecurity).

Payments will begin retroactively from March 2020 due to additional constraints caused by the pandemic and extend through June 30, 2022.

Access to Care

• Cardinal will remove authorization requirements for a broad category of outpatient and community-based services. For services that still require a Treatment Authorization Request (TAR), Cardinal will issue a decision within 72 calendar hours for foster children/juveniles and individuals with two or more occurrences in the Emergency Department within 60 days.

• Cardinal will co-locate Cardinal staff at county DSS offices to work directly with DSS staff to identify high-needs cases sooner, help to resolve emerging issues, and assist in identifying care needs earlier.

• To increase the availability of immediate access to care, Cardinal will partner with preferred Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) providers to enhance the delivery of TFC by creating an emergency/transitional setting option, as well as pairing the service with evidence-based support and high-fidelity wrap-around services.

Emergency Department Utilization

• Cardinal will develop a transition of care program, which will include both hospital inpatient and ED discharge planning program with the goal of reducing the length of stay and improving access to services post-discharge

Improved Processes

• Effective immediately, Cardinal will eliminate site-specific contracting with TFC provider agencies

• Within 30 days, Cardinal will eliminate site-specific authorizations for TFC or Level II Family Type homes

• To increase provider accountability for timely authorizations, Cardinal will expand its provider monitoring activities to include tracking the length of time between a provider’s receipt of an assessment and the date the provider submits a completed TAR

Outreach and Education

• Cardinal will conduct in-depth trainings with DSS staff around the adult service continuum, including the state-funded registry, the Transitions to Community Living Initiative (TCLI), the Registry of Unmet Needs (Innovations waitlist), Medicaid services, (b)(3) services, and non-Medicaid services

• Cardinal will provide at least quarterly webinar trainings on the state-funded eligibility criteria and service array for DSS partners and other community stakeholders and will conduct pre/post surveys to assess the level of understanding pre/post to adjust content as needed

• Cardinal will develop updated member resources to improve ease of navigation and raise awareness of the service array offered by Cardinal

• Cardinal will begin implementation of a new service model that raises awareness of the Cardinal service array, simplifying the process for members to issue and resolve complaints and ensuring that members have access to services

For more information on Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, please visit www.cardinalinnovations.org.

Cardinal Innovations Goes Pink

‘Cardinal Innovations Goes Pink’ for Breast Cancer, Mental Heath Awareness

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Join us on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, for Cardinal Innovations Goes Pink, a two-session virtual event to increase awareness around breast cancer and mental health in Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Vance and Warren counties.

Session One: Community Presentation & Panel Discussion

Learn information about Breast Cancer and ways to increase awareness from Guest Speaker, Estena Bradley, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified. Immediately following the presentation, learn about available resources from local agencies, health providers, and regional influencers.

Session Two: Secondary Trauma & Self-Care

Individuals who work in various helping fields often do not recognize their potential to experience secondhand trauma. This training is designed to help those working in the field recognize the symptoms of secondary trauma and how to take care of themselves during times of stress.

To Register:

Session One: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Community Presentation & Panel Discussion (Click here)

Session Two: 2 to 3 p.m.
Secondary Trauma & Self-Care (Click here)

For more information or to submit questions for the panel, contact Monae Davis at monae.davis@cardinalinnovations.org

4 County Community Connections

Town Talk 08/13/20: Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Discusses Upcoming Community Fair

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Whitney Robertson, System of Care Coordinator, and Monae Davis, Member Engagement Specialist, with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Next week, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare will hold a Four-County Community Connections Fair to provide information on available mental health resources and services for children and families in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties.

Originally planned as one large, in-person event for the four-county area, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a few format changes. The fair will now be held in a drive-through format at four separate locations on either Tuesday, August 18 or Wednesday, August 19, 2020.

When and Where:

  • Granville Expo Center (Granville Co.) – Tues., August 18 ~ 2 to 6 p.m. – 4185 US Highway 15 South Oxford, NC
  • Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center (Vance Co.) – Wed., August 19 ~ 3 to 7 p.m. – 200 Community College Rd. Henderson, NC
  • Warren County Armory Civic Center (Warren Co.) – Wed., August 19 ~ 3 to 7 p.m. – 501 US Hwy 158 Bus E Warrenton, NC
  • Vance-Granville Community College Franklin Campus (Franklin Co.) – Wed., August 19 ~ 3 to 7 p.m. – 8100 NC-56 Louisburg, NC

Participating children and families will receive:

  • Drawstring bags stuffed with school supplies
  • Facemasks (Pack of 4)
  • Meals from Subway (while supplies last)
  • Flyers and videos on community providers and resources
  • Access to the virtual keynote speaker focusing on the #mentalhealthmatters theme to challenge the stigma of mental health and substance use

Sponsors: 4 County Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Team (JJBH), Vance Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Warren Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Granville Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Franklin Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Gang Free, Inc. and Cardinal Innovations Healthcare.

“A common theme we’ve found is that families don’t know about the community resources and don’t know about the providers they have access to,” said Robertson. “This is the reason the community fair was developed. We want to get the information out, and we want to engage young people and families in the community.”

For more information., please email Robertson at Whitney.Robertson@cardinalinnovations.org.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

4 County Community Connections

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare to Host ‘4 County Community Connections Fair’

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Join Cardinal Innovations Healthcare this August to learn about available mental health resources and services for kids and families in Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties. This event – 4 County Community Connections Fair – is designed for children and families.

Due to COVID-19, there have been some changes to ensure everyone’s health and safety. This event will be held drive-thru style where children and families will receive:

• Drawstring bags stuffed with school supplies

• Facemasks (Pack of 4)

• Meals from Subway (while supplies last)

• Community Providers and Resources Flyers and Videos

• Access to the Virtual Key Note Speaker focusing on the #mentalhealthmatters theme to challenge the stigma of mental health and substance use

WHEN AND WHERE:

Tuesday, August 18, 2020 ~ 2 to 6 p.m.

Granville County

  • Granville Expo Center – 4185 US Highway 15 South Oxford, NC 27565

Wednesday, August 19, 2020 ~ 3 to 7 p.m.

Vance County

  • Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center – 200 Community College Rd Henderson, NC 27537

Warren County

  • Warren County Armory Civic Center – 501 US Hwy 158 Bus E Warrenton, NC 27589

Franklin County

  • Vance-Granville Community College Franklin Campus – 8100 NC-56 Louisburg, NC 27549

Sponsors: 4 County Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Team (JJBH), Vance Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Warren Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Granville Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Franklin Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Gang Free, Inc. and Cardinal Innovations Healthcare.

For more information, please email Whitney Robertson at Whitney.Robertson@cardinalinnovations.org.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Town Talk 05/26/20: Cardinal Innovations to Host Virtual Mental Health Awareness Event

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Monae Davis, member engagement specialist with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

In recognition of May’s designation as Mental Health Awareness Month, and with the well-being of many suffering right now due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, Davis announced an upcoming virtual awareness event designed to improve overall health and happiness.

Titled “Moving Forward Together: Virtual Northern Region Mental Health Awareness Event,” the online session is open to residents of Vance, Granville, Franklin, Halifax and Warren counties on Thursday, May 28, 2020, from 1 until 2 p.m.

Topics include mental health awareness, reducing the stigma of mental illness and a discussion on resources local agencies are providing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This virtual event is open to the public to call in or attend virtually, and registration is not required.

Panelists include Monica Kearney, Safe Space: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program;

Whitney Robertson, System of Care Coordinator with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare; Arthur Payne, Morse Clinic of Roanoke Rapids; Amanda Burrafato, RI International; Rhonda Mack, Therapeutic Alternatives, Inc.; and Tawanica Bullock, Parent & Community Advocate.

To participate in the session, either:

Enter Password: 1234

  • Call-In:

Dial 1-415-655-0003 US Toll and enter Access Code: 471 547 538

With questions or comments for the panel, please email Monae.Davis@cardinalinnovations.org or send a text to (252) 425-2857.

To hear the interview with Davis in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Creates $1 Million COVID-19 Relief Fund

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

COVID-19 Relief Fund

In this time of unprecedented crisis, Cardinal Innovations is committed to our members’ needs and those that care for them. The social and economic impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are real, and we are committed more than ever to ensuring that services and supports are available to those in need.

As part of our ongoing philosophy of community reinvestment, Cardinal Innovations has created the COVID-19 Relief Fund to support local responsiveness in a way that impacts the health, wellness and stability of vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19, particularly individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and/or substance use disorders. We are placing a particular emphasis on initiatives that will make an immediate impact on the availability of social services and increase the community’s overall ability to serve those who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Cardinal Innovations is committing an initial total fund amount of $1,000,000 to provide assistance where it is most needed. Requests for grants up to $20,000 will be accepted, with award amounts to be aligned with the number of people reached and overall impact.

In order to facilitate responsiveness to immediate needs, Cardinal Innovations will accept applications on an ongoing basis throughout the pandemic. We will deploy an expedited review process and make determinations as quickly as possible following grant submissions. Please contact Allison Stewart at allison.stewart@cardinalinnovations.org with any questions. Together we will continue to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Request for Grant Process Requirements and Guidelines:

  • Submissions can be completed online in the form below, or by sending this document (click here) by email to Allison.Stewart@cardinalinnovations.org.
  • The area of need should be explained, including how the investment will provide additional services and/or supports within the community, and how your proposal aligns with the mission of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare.
  • Proposals from the following 20 counties will be considered, and our goal is to distribute them as equitably as possible:
    • Alamance, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes, Union, Vance and Warren
  • The following entities may submit a proposal for consideration:
    • Counties
    • Local Public School Systems/Districts and/or Higher Education Institutions
    • Municipalities
    • Non-profit community-based organizations
    • Healthcare providers who are implementing new programs currently not available for members (Cardinal Innovations is working closely with providers and DHHS to bolster existing programs through enhanced rates, expanded service arrays, etc.)
  • Grant requests are limited to one page. Supplemental brochures and/or letters of support are not necessary but can be submitted as supporting material via email at Allison.Stewart@cardinalinnovations.org.
  • A budget form must be submitted with your proposal. (download a budget form) This form should itemize expenses and justify how final dollar amounts were determined. Requests for grants up to $20,000 will be accepted.
  • We will consider one request per entity per quarter. Please contact us directly if you are experiencing extenuating circumstances.
  • A report detailing how the funds were utilized and impactful in the community must be submitted to Cardinal Innovations Healthcare by June 30, 2020.
  • Clarification questions may be asked at any time by submitting questions via email to Allison Stewart at allison.stewart@cardinalinnovations.org.

To learn more or to apply, visit www.cardinalinnovations.org/covid19-relief-fund.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations, Baskerville Funeral Home to Offer Conflict Resolution Training

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Join Cardinal Innovations Healthcare on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, for a Conflict Resolution session to include discussion of the conflict and crisis cycle, positive communication strategies and ways to deescalate a conflict.

The session will be held at Baskerville Funeral Home, 104 S. Chestnut St. in Henderson, from 6 – 7 p.m.

For more information, please contact:

Baskerville Funeral Home, LLC – Charlie Baskerville, Jr. (252) 430-6824 or cbaskervillefuneralhome@gmail.com.

Monae Davis, Member Engagement Specialist, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare –Monae.Davis@cardinalinnovations.org.

Town Talk 11/20/19: Cardinal Innovations & Baskerville Funeral Home Form Partnership

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Gina Dement, community engagement specialist with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, and Charlie Baskerville, Jr., owner of Baskerville Funeral Home and a former Vance County magistrate, were the guests of honor on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program.

Dement and Baskerville discussed their respective organizations’ recent partnership to offer free, monthly community engagement sessions at the funeral home located at 104 S. Chestnut Street in Henderson.

Recent meetings have included hard-hitting topics such as opioid use, trauma and resiliency, suicide prevention and guardianship rights and responsibilities.

In last night’s guardianship session, participants learned when guardianship is appropriate, how to start the process, guardians’ rights and responsibilities and available alternatives and strategies.

Dement said Cardinal Innovations is grateful to have an accessible place in the community to offer these sessions. “We are so thankful that Mr. Baskerville came to us. He said he wanted to give people a way to be engaged in their community.”

“I wanted a way to inform residents about favorable things happening in Henderson,” Baskerville explained. “People talk about the negatives, but we have some good things and good services available to the community.”

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare offers services for those with substance abuse disorders, mental health disorders and intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD). A 24-hour helpline staffed by licensed counselors is available by calling 1-800-939-5911.

For more information on Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, visit www.cardinalinnovations.org.

For additional information on the community sessions or if interested in hosting a similar program at your organization, contact Gina Dement with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare at (919) 215-0721or Gina.dement@cardinalinnovations.org.

To hear the interview in its entirety, including general discussion on community and mental health-related topics, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Launches New Governance Structure

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is excited to announce the launch of a new, more responsive, and solution-focused community governance structure. The Regional Health Council model brings together members, families, providers, and community stakeholders to collectively identify challenges and priorities, share best practices, and ultimately create positive change.

The model is comprised of four distinct groups that will work together, along with CFAC, to inform and direct activity and provide guidance to the Cardinal Innovations Board of Directors. For an overview of the structure, click here.

Two of the groups, the Provider Partners Council and the Operations Council, will be filled through our existing Provider Councils and Health Departments, respectively. Applications for the Regional Health Councils and Community Advisory Councils opened November 1, and we ask for your help in recruiting individuals to serve on these important councils.

The governance model will be aligned to four distinct regions comprised of five counties each. The Regional Health Council will bring together individuals from the five (5) counties to discuss and prioritize the needs of those areas, develop a Regional Health Improvement Plan (RHIP), and oversee implementation of the plan. More specific information about the requirements for this group can be found here.

The RHC will meet quarterly. Members will be selected by the Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Board of Directors during the December 2019 Board Meeting. Individuals wishing to join the RHC can fill out an application here. Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 24.

There will be one (1) Community Advisory Council (CAC) in each county of the Cardinal Innovations Healthcare catchment. The CAC will serve as an avenue for individuals in the community (members, families, providers, and stakeholders) to present the needs of the community to the Regional Health Councils.

Additionally, the CAC will be tasked with completing the goals of the RHIP on the local level. The CAC will meet eight (8) times a year. Voting members will be selected by each local Board of County Commissioners.

Individuals wishing to join the CAC can fill out an application here. Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 24.

Thank you for your support and assistance as we implement this improved model of governance.