Webster, N.Y. – Over the last five years, Prime Care Coordination staff throughout New York State have held over 358,201 face-to-face meetings with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers, to coordinate services. This is just one of the many successes that have happened since New York State enacted the Care Coordination Organizations (CCO) in 2018. This shift in services was designed to improve and enhance care coordination for individuals previously served under the Medicaid Service Coordination program, also seen as the first step in the shift to Managed Care. CCOs provide Health Home Care Management services to over 100,000 New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities statewide.
Prime Care Coordination’s care managers and regional offices are active members of the communities they serve. They have divided their service area into five regions – Western, Finger Lakes, Central, Mohawk Valley, and Southern Tier. Leadership celebrated with each of the regional teams leading up to the July 1 anniversary, as a way to thank the employees for their dedication and hard work serving people in over 41 counties in NYS.
“Five years ago, local service providers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities came together as one to raise the system of care coordination to a higher level. As our compassionate and dedicated care managers have worked closely with those we serve, we have seen great increases in the number and quality of services provided. It is our main priority to work with these individuals to support them in their community, achieving goals, and impacting their everyday lives,” says Kate Wagner, Prime Care Coordination’s Executive Director.
An example of Prime Care Coordination’s effectiveness is that in the Finger Lakes regions – the organization’s largest – the staff have completed 86,918 life plans. Life Plans are person-centered plans focused on supporting the individual to meet their needs and wants, to help them to live healthy and fulfilling lives in their communities.
“That is just a staggering number,” says Wagner, noting “It is a tangible way to demonstrate that the care coordination model Prime Care was created to implement is making an impact in the lives of the individuals it was created to serve.”
Although Prime Care Coordination has seen great success in its first five years, it is still an organization that is growing. There are open care manager positions in each region. To see the openings and apply, visit primecareny.org/careers and select the region of interest to see available openings.
