March 27, 2017
      
SCC LAUNCHES NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WEBPAGE

We are pleased to announce the release of Suffolk Care Collaborative's new Community Engagement webpage. Now Suffolk County communities can access educational resources on varied health topics, engage in community events and empower themselves to live a healthier lifestyle.  Our Community Engagement page features user friendly tools which includes an overview of DSRIP Projects, bilingual patient education materials, hotline links, social services resources, an events calendar and information on additional community resources.

To explore the Community Engagement page, please follow this link. Stay tuned for upcoming community events and additional resources.
LEARN TO BE TOBACCO FREE
Six Week Smoking Cessation Program 

Starting in April, the Suffolk County Department of Health will be conducting a six week smoking cessation program at St. Catherine of Siena Nursing and Rehabilitation Care Center and Huntington Hospital.  Stress management techniques, behavior modification and relaxation techniques will be covered and smoking cessation medication will be provided for a nominal fee.  

St. Catherine of Siena Nursing and Rehabilitation Care Center 
52 Route 25A, Smithtown, NY
April 6th at 6 pm 

Huntington Hospital
270 Park Avenue, Huntington NY
April 18th at 6 pm

To register or for more information contact Debora at 631-853-2928.
GNYHA RELEASES POPULATION HEALTH CURRICULUM GUIDE
 
As part of the Greater New York Hospital Association's (GNYHA) continued support for member hospitals and health systems participating in the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program, GNYHA has developed Population Health Curriculum Guide to teach concepts and practices in this area to front-end staff, providers, and partners. The curriculum guide was developed in response to requests from GNYHA's DSRIP Workforce Workgroup, which convenes individuals responsible for developing and implementing workforce training strategies at each of the DSRIP performing provider systems (PPSs). The curriculum guide's content can be used by PPSs to build their population health training programs.

Developed with input from PPSs, the curriculum guide includes sections on the current health care environment, the care continuum and medical neighborhood, population health tools and capabilities, and the extended care team. Each section includes learning objectives, related content, recommended learning activities, and a case study with discussion questions. The guide also includes additional population health resources and a glossary of terms. Hard copies will be mailed to GNYHA member hospitals and PPSs in early April. 
Community word cloud with magnifying glass, concept
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Bi-weekly spotlights highlighting opportunities for community engagement throughout Suffolk County

MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY AIDE OPPORTUNTIES
NYS Office of Mental Health is seeking motivated, nurturing and supportive individuals interested in pursuing a career in healthcare 
To be considered for these positions, candidates must take the Mental Health Therapy Aide Examination 26-250 which is scheduled for May 13, 2017.  Examination applications can be completed on-line here  or are available to download here.   Applications must be submitted to the NYS Department of Civil Service by March 29, 2017.

MORTGAGE-FREE HOMES FOR VETERAN PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation in conjunction with the Fairway Foundation, their 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arm, will be awarding two mortgage-free homes to Veteran Purple Heart recipients wounded in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflict.  Eligibility criteria and applications provide details about the program.
ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROVIDES MOBILE PEER SUPPORT
Through Partnership with Tech Firm

The Association for Mental Health and Wellness (MHAW) announced a new partnership with Peer Support Solutions (PSS) of Pasadena, CA, to bring an innovative online service, using interactive video support-group technology, to reach more people in Suffolk and Nassau counties.
 
"The exponential growth of the use of personal devices - such as smartphones and tablets -  have revolutionized our access to information. Unfortunately, this same technology has also made it too easy for people suffering from mood, anxiety, and post-military stress challenges such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), to avoid getting help, which often leads to living life in isolation," said Michael Stoltz, C.E.O. of MHAW. "Working with PSS, we hope to reach people who need help and support by utilizing the same technology that has enabled their isolation."
 
MHAW has been a leader in providing peer support to facilitate the recovery process for people who experience  emotional distress, anxiety, and stress as well as military Veterans with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The agency already works with hundreds of Suffolk residents at any one time through a number of peer-facilitated support groups. MHAW also works with military Veterans through the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Project, a partnership with the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency.

Stoltz added that MHAW chose to partner with PSS because their online technology will enable Peer Support Facilitators to provide private, real-time interaction - with live video and sound - with residents and Veterans wherever they are without the barriers of geography or transportation. The technology also eliminates the initial anxiety and fear many face regarding personal interaction.
 
MHAW and PSS will initially offer three peer-facilitated groups, one for Veterans with post-service transition concerns and two for people who experience emotional distress. For general information, contact 631-471-7242 ext. 1390 or healingconnections@mhaw.org. For the Veterans support group, contact 631-853-8345 or vetspeertopeer@suffolkcountny.gov.  
HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE FOR NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH
Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Association and Long Island Health Collaborative

Donations will be collected at  any meeting taking place through March at the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council, Inc.  and Long Island Health Collaborative at 1383 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite 26, Hauppauge.  Collections benefit Long Island Harvest.  In addition to healthy food items, non-food items such as soap, detergent and other cleaning items are welcome.   For questions email, LIHC@nshc.org.

COMMUNITY JOB, RESOURCES & WELLNESS FAIR

On Wednesday, March 29, 2 pm to 7 pm, a free event will take place at Central Islip Fire Department at 97 Carleton AVenue, Central Islip.  

This event will provide resources for a better life, job opportunities, credit/debt counseling, resume writing and interviewing skills, business resources, health screenings and more.   For more information call 631-331-2675 or visit Time to Play Foundation's website .  
NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK PANEL DISCUSSION AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
Health Care Under a New Administration

The Master of Health Administration and Alumni Association, as well as the Master of Public Health Program will be hosting a panel discussion on Monday, April 3, 2017, 6:30 pm, at the Student Center Theater at Hofstra University.  Discussion will focus on how the new Congress and presidential administration may alter the health care system. Panel speakers include Kevin Dahill, President and CEO of Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council, Jaclyn A. Mucaria, President, New York Presbyterian-Queens Hospital, Ram Raju, MD, Senior Vice President Community Health Investment Officer, Northwell Health. Click here to register.
NYS DOH DSRIP ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR PARTNERS
The Department of Health has announced they will be opening up the Performance Networks starting March 15 so that PPSs may add additional partners to help in achieving project and performance goals. The SCC welcomes discussions now with potential partners who could contribute to the delivery of coordinated care and towards meeting PPS metrics.
 
We welcome any interested Suffolk County partners that are not currently attested with the Suffolk Care Collaborative to complete our Enrollment Attestation and return these documents to Samuel Lin, Project Management Office at Samuel.Lin@stonybrookmedicine.edu by  March 27, 2017. Click here to access our enrollment  attestation  and provider submission  template .   For more information, please contact the Suffolk Care Collaborative via  email.

MID-POINT ASSESSMENT ACTION PLANS
In response to the final DSRIP Mid-Point Assessment Recommendations, as voted upon by the Project Approval and Oversight Panel (PAOP), the PPS were required to submit Mid-Point Assessment Action Plans to the Independent Assessor (IA) by March 10, 2017. Three (3) PPS, Community Care of Brooklyn PPS, Staten Island PPS and New York Presbyterian/Queens PPS, did not have any recommendations and, therefore, do not have action plans.   These action plans are now posted to the DSRIP website  for public review. The action plans can be found at the bottom of each individual PPS section. 
 
The action plans will be open for a public comment period through March 31, 2017. During this period, any comments regarding the PPS action plans can be sent to dsrip_midpoint@pcgus.com.
 
The IA will consider any comments received during this period as part of their review and feedback provided to the PPS. The IA will work with the PPS to address any items requiring additional information or revision within the action plans with the goal of having all action plans fully approved by the IA by no later than April 30, 2017.   The full timeline for the Mid-Point Assessment Action Plans is as follows:
Job woman showing hiring sign. Young smiling Caucasian   Asian businesswoman isolated on white background.
SCC CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The SCC is pleased to invite qualified career seekers to apply for open positions. All job descriptions for current opportunities are posted here.
  
Current job openings:
  1. Director, Care Transition Innovation
  2. Director, Care Management
  3. Compliance Officer
  4. Project Manager: PCMH Practice Facilitation 
  5. Care Manager
  6. Data Visualization Analyst
  7. Social Worker
  8. Community Health Associate
  9. Data Acquisition Specialist
  10. Population Health Platform Training and Support Specialist
For more information, please contact the Suffolk Care Collaborative.