CarePlus InsideLIne
February 2017 - " Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. "
Staff Satisfaction
A Message from Joe Masciandaro, CEO/President

The results of the annual mhca satisfaction surveys are in, and we are happy to announce that we placed first nationally in two categories. Our achievements are a direct result of the important care and effort that our staff puts into their work every day.

This year we placed third in staff satisfaction. As always, our leadership team reviewed comments on the surveys to determine where there is a need for attention and improvement. We are concerned that some of our staff feel that they are not being heard, and so I wanted to take the opportunity to remind and inform you that my door is always open for your feedback.

These national results are not something that we take lightly, and that is why we wanted to be sure that you know your work is appreciated. Our staff satisfaction will continue to reflect in our client satisfaction, so our goal is to ensure that each staff member feels and acts as an important and valued member of the CarePlus team.

Please contact Caitlyn Yerves if you would like to set up a time to meet with me.

Thank you for all that you do!

- Joe

2016 Best Practice Figures

1st Place in Overall for Agencies with 5+ Services
1st Place for Partial/Daytime Treatment
2nd Place for Case Management
3rd Place for Staff Satisfaction
 


Join Us Next Month!



Staff Discount Available

Press Conference Held At CarePlus to Address the Opioid Epidemic

On Monday, January 30th, Congressman Josh Gottheimer held a press conference at the CarePlus Headquarters in Paramus to announce that he will join with Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino and recovery advocates to call on the state of New Jersey to submit an application to receive federal funds to combat the opioid crisis.  

We are so proud of Katherine Coleman, Director of Addictive Services at CarePlus, who addressed the crowd with eloquence, poise and compassion. Her expertise was evident as she passionately shared facts, figures, and the importance of community in this national effort to help people recover with support and dignity.  
 
Joe Masciandaro also announced that he is already working with Paramus Chief of Police and CarePlus Trustee, Ken Ehrenberg, to bring the Heroin Addiction Response Program ( HARP ) to Bergen County. All of these efforts are in line with the Bergen County Prosecutor's vision to #StopTheODs, and we are honored to be recognized as a leader in this work.

Stay tuned in the coming months as these projects continue to develop...



Ken Ehrenberg, Paramus Chief of Police; Joe Masciandaro, CEO/President at CarePlus; Katherine Coleman, Director of Addictive Services at CarePlus; and Congressman Josh Gottheimer.
 
Upcoming Events
 
New DSM-5 Classifications and a Review of the Implications on Psychopharmacology
2 CEHs for Social Workers
March 9 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
  Register Here

Lives Worth Living: Creating an Ecology of Wellness for LGBTQ Youth In School
Annual Conference for Children 
March 20 - 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Staff Discount

HIPAA and Confidentiality with Youth
2 Ethics CEHs for Social Workers 
April 6 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Register Here

Play Therapy With Children and Their Families
4 CEHs for Social Workers 
May 4 - 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
  Register Here

Immigration, Acculturation
and Mental Health Challenges
2 CEHs for Social Workers 
June 1 @ 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
Register Here
 
Staff Wellness
 
Healing Spices 
February 23, 2017 at 6:00 pm
  
Basic wellness training is being offered at the CarePlus Headquarters in Paramus, courtesy of lululemon athletica. This is a great opportunity to learn self-care and mindfulness techniques.

We will meet in the Wellness Café.
Training is Free of Charge.

If you haven't already, please RSVP to Caitlyn if you are interested in similar opportunities.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017
The Venetian, Garfield, NJ
 
The Courage Awards is a celebratory event, during which we honor people in the community who go above and beyond to benefit those facing the life-long challenges of mental illness and substance abuse.
 
This year our honorees include:

Carmen Carrera for her fearless leadership with HIV and LGBTQ advocacy, and for her education on transgender experience, tolerance and understanding.

Prosecutor Grewal for his instrumental role in bringing Crisis Intervention Team training to Bergen County by emphasizing the need for collaboration between law enforcement and mental health providers, and for his leadership in taking action to #StopTheODs. 

Assemblywomen Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D37) for her legislative motion to establish thorough oversight of the funding transition for the community mental health system. 

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R39) for her voice and support of the advocacy efforts regarding the funding transition for the community mental health system.

Port Authority Police Department for their collaboration in suicide prevention on the George Washington Bridge and involvement with the Crisis Intervention Team.


Staff are invited to get involved, and there are many ways you can help! If you would like volunteer to be a part of the Gala planning committee, or want more information about the event, please contact Keri Diamond

Gala Committee Meetings: 
February 28 at 4:00 pm 
March 21 at 4:30 pm 
April 11 at 4:30 pm 
April 26 at 4:00 pm 
 
The event helps to raise supportive funding for those we serve, including housing and medication assistance, program support and educational scholarships. At last year's event we awarded $66,000 to individuals receiving CarePlus services who needed financial assistance with reaching their educational goals.
 
Bernard Dubnick Scholarship  
Every year, the Foundation awards the Bernard Dubnick Scholarship to support clients who are pursuing their education.
 
If you work with someone who would like to apply for the scholarship this year, please contact Chris Puig 
for full instructions on how to apply and redeem scholarship funds for the 2017-2018 school year.
 

Care Plus NJ Teams with Rutgers Medical School and Integrity House in Bid to Operate and Manage Bergen Regional Medical Center

A powerhouse partnership of three of New Jersey's leading medical, behavioral health and addictions treatment providers has teamed up to submit a bid to take over management and operation of Bergen Regional Medical Center. 

Led by Bergen County-based mental health care provider Care Plus NJ, Inc., the partnership includes Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Integrity House, the state's leading addictions treatment program.  If successful in their bid, the partnership will re-name and re-brand Bergen Regional as Crossroads Medical Center, with a vision of once and for all delivering the comprehensive medical, behavioral health, addictions and "safety net" services that the people of Bergen County need and deserve.

The Crossroads Medical Center partnership brings a wealth of unparalleled behavioral health experience to the County.  The three partners, Care Plus NJ, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Integrity House, have successfully worked together in collaboration on a number of behavioral health issues, and collectively the group has treated hundreds of thousands of individuals, primarily in northern New Jersey.



Thank You Jaime! 
 
We want to take a moment to recognize Jaime Arlia for her leadership and her commitment to CarePlus.

Jaime has been with the organization for 
17 years, and has been Director of Admissions since 2012. In addition to her Director role, Jaime has given many presentations on behalf of CarePlus, and has worked in various programs - from the residences, to in-home visits; from Families First to Foster Care services and more... Jaime even played a major role in getting the grant for VCR - the Visitation, Counseling and Reunification program.

In her true nature as a hard worker that always goes above and beyond her duties, and because of her extensive knowledge, skill set and experience, Jaime has most recently taken on the Director role for Children's Mobile.

We cannot thank you enough for all that you do, Jaime. You are a rock star!
  
Employee Assistance Program

Did you know that you have access to resources pertaining to everyday life right at your fingertips? With this Employee Assistance Program, you have access to information and resources for family, health, money and much more.   
  
Be sure to explore the website: http://www.careeap.net/ 
Login: CPNJ
Password: 123  
  
Webinar of the Month 
2/21/17 "Creativity 101"
Available On Demand
Starting 12pm Eastern Time 

"Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it's produced the most extraordinary results in human culture."-Ken Robinson Learn to tap into your creativity and apply it in all areas of your life.

If you have any questions, please contact Susan Bell in the Human Resources Department.

Tenafly IMPACT Club

Ms. Leigh Barker and student ambassadors of the the Tenafly High School IMPACT Club raised $150 for the CarePlus Foundation. As part of the fundraiser they gave away semi colon temporary tattoos to represent hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction and self-injury.

One of club members said he know many other kids their age that struggle from mental health issues so this was a cause close to their hearts.


Keri Diamond, Development Specialist and Program Manager for Homeward Bound at CarePlus, with the Tenfly IMPACT club.
 
State Funding Transition:
Advocacy Action Steps

1. Write Letters & Make Phone Calls
You can use the following link to find your legislators. Simply enter your hometown and you will get all of the information you need:  www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectMun.asp
   
 
Please note: some letters will be more detailed than others, but short and simple contributions are important as well.
 
2. Story Telling Campaign
Part of our advocacy campaign is to collect written or video testimonials by clients, family, and staff. This campaign is expected to grow into a larger, more powerful storytelling campaign that will launch through a "Humans of CarePlus" Instagram account.
  
We need your help: if you are a staff member that would be willing to participate, or if you have a client that has a story to tell, please contact Caitlyn .
 
We will be able to work with people who would like to remain anonymous, and think that this will be a very engaging way to increase our culture of community and compassion.

3. Get Educated & Stay Up To Date

There is a Facebook page dedicated to these advocacy efforts. Created as a public group, this will be the forum for people to use with social media. This page will share resources for you to stay involved. Please "like" the page to stay up to date: Fund Mental Health In NJ 2017

Connect with CarePlus on Social Media!

Facebook         Twitter          LinkedIn
 
Program Marketing 
 
It is important for staff to familiarize themselves with the variety of program and services offered through CarePlus so that we can make appropriate referrals for those in need. For that reason, we are working on streamlining information and materials so that they are more easily accessible.
   

This involves appropriately updated Program Fact Sheets, comprehensive marketing folders, social media spotlights, and up to date information on the CarePlus website.

 
A new folder has been added to the S Drive so that staff can quickly access Program Information Sheets. These Fact Sheets can be found in the first folder in 999 General titled _FactSheets.  
 

If you need any materials created, revised, or printed for your program or presentations you will need to utilize the electronic request form. This new system is being used to ensure timely and effective completion of projects.   

 

You may have noticed recent Facebook posts highlighting some of our services. This is the part of our effort to market each of our programs to the community.

 

If you would like to put your team, group or program in the spotlight, contact the ACE team to make arrangements.

 

You can also send positive reviews and feedback for coworkers who go above and beyond. If you have anything you would like to submit for the InsideLine, email your story and information to Caitlyn Yerves.


Do YOU have a story to share? If you have a story, update, announcement, or photos to share on the InsideLine, on Facebook, or on the website, send it to the ACE team and we will work to get it out to staff and friends of CarePlus.

Obligatory disclaimer ("the gray area"): This newsletter is compiled by humans, and you know how humans are: we make occasional mistakes - not too many, but they do happen. Please do not consider a rush in judgment. We - "the humans" - apologize in advance for any omissions, inaccuracies, misspellings, and flagrant discombobulations. Should you desire to suggest a correction or addition, please email Caitlyn.


You can even just email if you'd like to say you do (or do not) like the Inside Line, however no cursing or inflammatory remarks, please, as we are humans.