Redesigning Medicaid Healthcare Delivery in the Finger Lakes Region

WORKFORCE ONE PAGER

 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Dec.1, 2021 – Annual shortages of about 200 certified nurse assistants* and 45 licensed practical nurses* projected for the Finger Lakes region—a staffing crisis exacerbated by the pandemic—underscore the critical need for a robust talent pipeline to meet employers’ health care workforce demands.

Through its System Transformation and Community Investment Program, Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) is partnering with Monroe Community College (MCC) and other community colleges and partners in the region in establishing a sustainable model for long-term career pathways that expand the healthcare workforce pool and provide opportunities for more diverse individuals to achieve economic mobility. FLPPS is providing $4 million in funding for the project, with MCC as the lead community college in the initiative.

Through the two-year program ending in 2023, project partners will offer educational and training opportunities, along with holistic supports to ensure students stay on track with their academic goals. Students will also receive job-placement assistance to begin their healthcare careers.

Starting in spring 2022, the program will take place at five SUNY community colleges: Cayuga, Corning, Finger Lakes, Genesee, and Monroe. Students will receive mentoring and case management services at each college in collaboration with Action for a Better Community to increase success and completion rates. Students will also be connected to community resources — including services for housing, transportation, and childcare — to support their basic needs so that they can focus on their academic and career goals.
The colleges will work with BOCES, Hillside, Catholic Family Center, PathStone, area school districts, and other workforce programs to build a recruitment pathway for students from under-served areas.

“I am excited FLPPS is partnering with MCC and other our regional community colleges and workforce experts in providing educational career pathways. This pioneering program will provide vital educational and training opportunities that are desperately needed in the Finger Lakes region,” said Carol Tegas, Executive Director of FLPPS.

Educational and training opportunities will focus on certified nurse assistants becoming licensed practical nurses (LPN) and LPNs becoming registered nurses, medical assistants and community and social services professionals.

“We are grateful to the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System for its support of our students and their futures, creating life-changing opportunities that will empower them to fulfill their potential and make a difference in the lives of residents and families throughout the Finger Lakes region,” said MCC President Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna. “Through strategic collaboration with our partners in education and industry, MCC builds on increasing access to quality education and training that lead to family-sustaining careers and social mobility. We are committed to closing economic and equity gaps and improving quality of life in our communities and across the region.”

“Career pathways are transformative avenues allowing students to transition from their academic journey to fulfilling their potential as professionals. Like our institutions of higher education, these pathways reinforce opportunities for economic and social mobility for diverse individuals throughout our communities,” said Cayuga President Dr. Brian Durant. “We appreciate Finger Lakes Performing Provider System’s support for our students, and for creating an opportunity for students to realize their goals of making a difference in our communities.”

“SUNY Corning Community College is proud to join with our sister colleges in the region in partnering with the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System on this innovative initiative to expand healthcare educational opportunities in the Southern Tier. Capitalizing on the recent curriculum changes to the college’s Nursing program, the grant will create seamless pathways for students from Certified Nurse Aide through Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse,” said Dr. William P. Mullaney, president of SUNY Corning Community College. “Additionally, this grant will support the development of a Behavioral Health Technician program to improve mental health services in the region, another area
that was hard hit as a consequence of the pandemic. The focus on wrap-around services, such as child care, housing and transportation, in the grant bodes well for its success because it addresses the complex lives of our students and the challenges they face in pursuing their education.”

“We know that students’ struggles to meet basic needs can be a barrier to education. With the shortage of health care workers amid a pandemic, everyone has an interest in helping these students complete their education and training,” said Robert K. Nye, president of Finger Lakes Community College. “FLCC is very proud to be a partner with FLPPS and our fellow community colleges to support this important endeavor to make a difference in all of our communities.”

“Short-term, easily accessible training models are successful ways to move underrepresented populations into careers that are in-demand, and provide individuals opportunities for career growth and advancement.” said Kristin Sine-Kinz, acting vice president of economic and workforce development and career technical education at MCC. “Through the financial investment from FLPPS, MCC is able to provide the necessary pathways for students to gain the essential skills needed to perform these vital health care jobs within our community.”

*Source: MCC’s analysis of the labor market

The Monroe Community College Foundation seeks philanthropic investment to advance academic achievement, innovation, and the mission of excellence at the College. The MCC Foundation is ranked No. 1 among SUNY community colleges for total support.

Finger Lakes Performing Provider System is a network of clinical and community-based providers working together across the 13-couny Finger Lakes region to transform healthcare delivery, advance system transformation and population health, close gaps in care, and support high-risk individuals and populations.
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Rochester, NY: His Branches Community Health Center, Ibero-American Action League, and Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) are collaborating to address health and health care disparities among the Latino population in the City of Rochester; disparities that have been highlighted and intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are approximately 3,000 families in the Upper Falls, South Market View Heights, and Beechwood Communities that need better access to primary and behavioral health services. His Branches will create access to these services by hiring bilingual providers, nurses, and case managers, and provide mental health services in the same location as primary care. Ibero will coordinate care with His Branches by conducting outreach to its clients and connecting individuals to these services at His Branches.

“We’re excited to partner with organizations that have worked tirelessly to address historical barriers in access and a history of inspiring hope for the future” Mike Weston, the Executive Director of His Branches said. “The opportunity to learn from the staff at Ibero will make us a better team. Leveraging the trust they’ve built with their clients will create access for better health outcomes. This is a true partnership of organizations working together for the good of our neighbors.”

“Ibero recognizes that faith is central to Latino culture and is a critical cultural asset integral to how Latino communities heal and feel whole,” said Angelica Perez-Delgado, President and CEO of the Ibero-American Action League. “Ibero is proud to collaborate His Branches in addressing the health care disparities among the Latinos in the City of Rochester.”

To build their new care team, His Branches is currently accepting applications for bilingual providers, nurses, and case managers. For more information, to become a patient, or to apply for a position at His Branches please visit www.hisbranches.org.

“FLPPS is proud to partner with these two incredible organizations that have deep expertise in fostering trust in the community and addressing disparities. This innovative program will provide vital support to ensure patient-centered care and better outcomes for the Latino populations throughout the City of Rochester,” said Carol Tegas, Executive Director of FLPPS.

Who We Are:
Finger Lakes Performing Provider System is a network of clinical and community-based providers working together across the 13-couny Finger Lakes region to transform healthcare delivery, advance system transformation and population health, close gaps in care, and support high-risk individuals and populations.

HIS Branches, Inc. is a faith-based non-profit organization that seeks to create hope, healing, and reconciliation through medical care and community development in Rochester. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (Look-A-Like), His Branches focuses their efforts on providing affordable and accessible medical care for the underserved, uninsured and publicly insured individuals in the areas of primary care, mental health, women’s and prenatal care and case management to individuals regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, creed or ability to pay for services rendered.

Ibero-American Action League is a dual-language human services agency that provides programs to individuals and families of all ethnic backgrounds with the unique ability to target the Latino community. Ibero’s mission is to build stronger families and greater self-sufficiency.

Through programs in their main divisions (Children, Youth, Family, and Developmental Disabilities) Ibero prepares children for school, provides academic, social and health support to youth, offers job readiness/training programs and programs that ensure a high quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities.
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Doulas play a crucial role in combating the discrimination, racism, and loss of autonomy that Black and Brown birthing people experience due to historical disinvestment.

Through its System Transformation and Community Investment Program, Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) is partnering with Healthy Baby Network, HealthConnect One, and Finger Lakes Community Health on a two-year initiative to innovate Healthy Baby Network’s Black Doula Collaborative, which will improve the health and well-being of women, infants, and birthing families.

The program will identify and train individuals who are trusted members of the community to provide doula services and help improve: prenatal care, raise breastfeeding rates, decrease unnecessary medical interventions, increase positive birth experiences, and improve parenting skills.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Rochester and Finger Lakes region maternal mortality is 51% higher for black moms than for white moms. Infant mortality is 300% higher for black babies than for white babies, according to the CDC. 

Utilizing HealthConnect One’s proven “train the trainer” model, the program based at Healthy Baby Network and Finger Lakes Community Health will hire, onboard, and train doulas, which includes 16 community-based training sessions. FLPPS will fund six full-time equivalent doulas, which will serve 250 Black and Brown women. The program will develop referral pathways with healthcare systems and federally qualified health centers to facilitate care. 

Medicaid reimbursement legislation in New York would establish doulas as medical providers and require health insurers to provide coverage for doula services

“I’m thrilled that FLPPS is partnering with these reputable organizations across the region that have deep expertise in addressing disparities.  This innovative Doula program will provide vital support to ensure patient-centered care and better outcomes for mothers and babies in the Finger Lakes region,” said Carol Tegas, Executive Director of FLPPS.

"HealthConnect One’s community-based doula reputation program has achieved astounding results for nearly three decades, and we are proud to co-develop the Black Doula Collaborative with our partners in Rochester. Through our decades of experience, we know how critical culturally reflective, community-rooted doula support is for improving outcomes for Black babies and birthing people,” said Dr. Twylla Dillion, Executive Director of HealthConnect One.” With the workforce development elements of this program, we will build new career pathways for women from under-resourced communities where the need for doula support is greatest. Legislatively, there is a lot of motion nationally and within NYS to develop sustainable funding for community-based doulas through Medicaid doula reimbursement. This project will provide additional evidence in support of community-rooted doula support."

“Healthy Baby Network’s Board and Staff are proud to partner with HealthConnect One, Finger Lakes Community Health, and the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System to innovate our Black Doula Collaborative as a hub for training Black Women to be Doulas and continuing to expand their work with health providers to bring lifesaving care and support for vulnerable Black pregnant and parenting women and their families,” said Sherita Bullock, Executive Director of Healthy Baby Network. “THIS is how we reduce and work to eliminate preventable Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in Rochester, NYS, and beyond.”

"We are excited to be a part of this work with FLPPS and our regional partners. Doulas provide emotional and physical support to our pregnant Moms who can be vulnerable to problems in pregnancy and birth. This program will positively benefit so many women in our region and help to ensure healthy maternal outcomes," said Mary Zelazny, CEO of Finger Lakes Community Health.

Mayor Warren Announces Expansion of Persons in Crisis Team Services in Rochester

Four Certified Peer Specialists will allow for PIC to enhance the services, number and types of calls it provides for non-law enforcement responses.

Mayor Lovely A. Warren announced today that the City of Rochester Department of Recreation and Human Services, along with Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) has selected Recover Options Made Easy (ROME) to help expand the City’s Person in Crisis (PIC) program that responds to individuals experiencing a mental health or other crisis requiring intervention and support.

ROME will provide NYS Certified Peer Specialists to be integrated into the City of Rochester Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) teams, particularly its Person in Crisis (PIC) teams. The peers have lived experience which helps them relate to, and assist, people in crisis.

“By expanding our Person In Crisis teams to include certified peer specialists, we will be able to assist even more of our residents in need in a humane and compassionate manner,” said Mayor Warren. “In addition, by assisting residents in this new way, we are expecting that there will be a reduced number of people calling the PIC team because they are getting connected to the services they need.”

The PIC teams were first piloted in January 2021 to provide a non-law enforcement response to crises, with a particular focus on mental health crises. The PIC pilot was successful and is now looking at expanding its call response types, including responses to substance abuse, wellness checks, and domestic violence incidences. On July 1, 2021, the City’s CIS started the Community Support Counselor team, who provide follow up and case management to people involved in PIC calls and crime victims.

The peer specialists hired and supervised by ROME will join the PIC team in the field to provide person-centered support to City of Rochester residents experiencing crises such as, but not limited to, suicidal behavior, domestic violence and substance abuse. Additionally, peer specialists will provide follow up support, including referrals to needed resources with the City’s Community Support Counselors. The goal of this intervention is to provide the CIS with team members that have the lived experience and training to provide compassionate, responsive care to individuals undergoing crises and divert them from preventable emergency room visits.

ROME will support the hiring, onboarding, training, and ongoing supervision of four peer specialists that will be working with the CIS for a period of one-year. FLPPS will also support an evaluation of Peer Integration into the CIS team in collaboration with the City of Rochester Department of Recreation and Human Services. The arrangement is being made at no cost to the City to demonstrate the effectiveness of this innovative approach.

This collaboration with the City is part of a portfolio of projects supported by the System Transformation and Community Investment (STACI) program at FLPPS to support the expansion of community-based Crisis Response and Stabilization services in the FLPPS region.

“We at Recovery Options Made Easy are pleased to bring our experience in peer-based crisis response services to the City of Rochester in partnership with FLPPS. We believe that the integration of peer services into the PIC program will enrich these services in a meaningful way, and we are excited to be a part of providing greater access to peer support services to Rochester residents," said Shannon Higbee, Interim CEO & COO at Recovery Options Made Easy.

“I’m thrilled that FLPPS is partnering with such an innovative program that provides vital and needed support to our most vulnerable community members,” said Carol Tegas, Executive Director of FLPPS.

“So many people in our community are affected by mental health and substance use disorders and a variety of domestic issues,” Dr. Lyman-Torres, Commissioner of the City’s Department of Recreation and Human Services said. “Seeking help while navigating through a crisis can be challenging. Through the implementation of people with shared experiences I am confident that we will be able to reinforce our efforts to better serve citizens in a manner that will get them the appropriate care they need in the safest, most effective way possible.”

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FLPPS Awarded $1 Million to Increase COVID-19 Access Throughout Western New York
The Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) has been awarded $1 million to
support regional community-based efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccinations in underserved
communities.
The funding was made available by the American Rescue Plan and is being distributed by the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA).
The grant will mobilize community health workers, patient navigators, and social support
specialists to educate and assist people in accessing and receiving COVID-19 vaccinations.
FLPPS is the lead agency and is partnering with Human Service Development, IBERO, MC
Collaborative, Father Tracy Advocacy Center, Ardent Solutions, Western NY Coalition of
Farmworker, and S2AY Rural Health Network. FLPPS will oversee program delivery in
coordination and collaboration with the regional Vaccine Hubs across the 13-county FLPPS
region, along with Common Ground Health.
The FLPPS grant is part of $121 million in American Rescue Plan funding to 127 agencies
around the country.
“This grant will support trusted voices in local communities in sharing information about
vaccines, building vaccine confidence, and addressing barriers to vaccination for individuals

The FLPPS Learning Management System (LMS) is designed to support partners in their learning and development needs. LEARN MORE

On July 1, 2020, FLPPS Board of Directors unanimously supported the adoption of an Anti-Racism Declaration that accepts and endorses the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group Declaration: "Racism is a Public Health Crisis" READ THE FULL DECLARATION

 

Presentations and video recordings for all four sessions of the FLPPS Partnership Showcase Series are now available. LEARN MORE