In This Issue
News
VNSNY Earns Highest Platinum LGBTQ Credentialing from
 
VNSNY 's certified home health agency has been awarded Platinum certification by SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders), confirming that more than 80 percent of the workforce in VNSNY's Home Care division has successfully completed the SAGE training. VNSNY is the largest home- and community-based health care organization in the New York City metropolitan area to receive Platinum-level LGBTQ cultural competency training from SAGE.
 
The SAGE training is designed to increase awareness among VNSNY clinical and administrative staff of cultural issues and sensitivities around sexual orientation and gender identification, so as to ensure a welcoming and respectful health care environment for all individuals within the LGBTQ community. "I'm thrilled that VNSNY has received this recognition, and that so many of our employees have now gone through this important training," says Marki Flannery, Executive Vice President and Chief of Provider Operations. "This Platinum credential from SAGE reflects VNSNY's commitment to providing culturally sensitive home health care to all New Yorkers, including members of the LGBTQ community."
 
VNSNY's Hospice and Palliative Care division has already earned Platinum certification from SAGE, which covers topics such as confidentiality, avoiding assumptions about partnership or marital status, an overview of LGBTQ history, and using gender-appropriate terminology with transgender patients and clients. 
Project Hospitality Opens Staten Island's First Congregate Supportive Housing!


After 35 years of tireless effort, Project Hospitality held its Ribbon Cutting ceremony on October 23rd, 2017 to open the first congregate supportive housing on Staten Island. This new residential facility will provide permanent housing for chronically homeless individuals. The newly renovated building on 411 Vanderbilt Avenue features 16 single apartments for individuals who have been homeless for a year or longer and who have a disability. Project Hospitality collaborated with and received support from several state, federal, and private institutions, as well as community members to establish this new facility.
 
Project Hospitality has been supporting the Staten Island community by advocating for those in need and establishing a comprehensive continuum of care that begins with the provision of food, clothing and shelter and extends to other services which include health care, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, HIV care, education, legal assistance, and transitional and permanent housing.

On October 2nd, Richmond University Medical Center began offering a new outpatient program, Bridges to Wellness, at the Center for Integrative Medicine located at 1130 South Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10314.  Bridges to Wellness is a short term intensive mental health program providing a supportive therapeutic environment for individuals discharged from a psychiatric unit who need assistance transitioning to home, community and outpatient care.  It also provides a supportive therapeutic environment to individuals in outpatient care who need additional support to avoid a psychiatric hospitalization.
 
Services are provided by an interdisciplinary team of a psychiatrist, a nurse and social workers and include medication evaluation and management and group and individual therapy. Groups are designed to teach coping skills.  Treatment is designed to meet the individual's personal needs. The individual actively participates in planning his or her treatment and family involvement is encouraged.  Transportation to and from the program will be provided and i ndividuals typically participate 4 hours a day, for 1 to 6 weeks.
 
The hours of the program are Monday through Friday 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
 
If you would like to learn more, you can call ( 718) 818- 6132 or email [email protected].
Staten Island PPS was Featured in Healthcare IT News
 
"The act of collecting data doesn't do much to improve patient care without the right processes, platform and people working together to make that data actionable." Our Executive Director, Joseph  Conte, got a chance to tell Healthcare IT News about our data and analytics. He mentioned how Staten Island PPS now works with various community partners to provide obesity education programs in schools and free food access for people who live in public housing because there's less access to fresh produce, along with other programs that educate its population based on specific health needs.

He always went on to mention the need for Social Determinants of Health by saying, '"Social determinants of health data is almost as important a variable as blood pressure," said Conte. "It's interesting if you're a policy wonk. You can work with these community organizations to design programs to meet those needs."'


Emerging Healthcare Jobs: Community Health Workers
 
As delivery system reform and healthcare transformation continues, Staten Island, like the rest of  New York State, is seeing a growth in positions for community health workers.  Community health workers can go by many titles (community navigator, promotora, peer, patient navigator, etc.) but the goal of the position is the same: serve as a bridge between underserved communities and healthcare providers.  The American Public Health Association uses the following definition for community health workers:
 
A community health worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.
 
A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy.
 
The Staten Island PPS has been supporting CHW opportunities and trainings through its many projects and initiatives. 
  • CHWs at 7 community based organizations and RUMC as part of the Patient Activation Project
  • Certified Peer Recovery Coaches at the RUMC ED and through the District Attorney's office HOPE program as part of the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Project
  • Trained 4 CHWs through the Community Health Worker Network of New York City
  • Trained 11 CHWs through the College of Staten Island's Certificate Program
The most recent CHW Certificate Program at CSI will be launched on November 1st with 10 new students. We are excited to see the continued growth and development of this emerging healthcare role and the benefit that CHWs will bring to our community.

First Transitions Interviews the PPS


Our Senior Director of Workforce Transformation/HR, Bill Myhre, got a chance to explain how Staten Island PPS has taken such great strides in the past few years. He talked about the highly collaborative, innovative approach we've taken for systematic transformation. "Bill points out that SI PPS focuses on breaking down silos and building relationships to achieve results. They talk to people about options. They engage with them. The results with one group inspire the involvement of others."

You can read the full article here.
Free Workshops Provided by DOHMH

This fall, both SIPCW and Project Hospitality will be hosting two free workshops:  Health and the Built Environment , and  Building Just Communities - Antiracist Organizing.

NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Launches New Documentary About Addiction

"Reversing the Stigma" is a new documentary that highlights the work being done in New York State to combat addiction. The film, narrated by acclaimed television journalist Laurie  Dhue, profiles multiple people in various stages of recovery, who share their stories and experiences.

A screening of the documentary will be hosted by Christopher's Reason and held on Staten Island.

November 17th, 2017
7:00 PM- 9:00 PM
The Williamson Theater at 
The College of Staten Island
2800 Victory Blvd. #1P-116
Staten Island, NY 10314
 
SI PPS Events, Training, and Resources

Keep up with all of our upcoming and ongoing training opportunities!

If you're a Staten Island PPS partner employee, you can find all 
of our upcoming and ongoing trainings here.

SI PPS Compliance Corner
REPORTING A COMPLIANCE CONCERN

SI PPS is committed to ensuring that it has a system in place to respond to possible compliance issues. We will investigate and respond to potential compliance issues as they are identified. 

SI PPS has a 24 hour/7 day per week anonymous/confidential Help Line that you can call at 

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Staten Island Performing Provider System

1 Edgewater Plaza, Suite 700
Staten Island, New York 10305 

Phone:   (917) 830-1140