Our work with organizations in the Rochester community, across New York State, and now stretching beyond those borders provides us with so many opportunities to see firsthand how organizations are continuing to adapt and rise to the many challenges 2020 has brought. This includes a renewed and more urgent focus on critical issues of racial equity and justice, which we know are central to supporting strong, resilient, and thriving communities. In this month’s newsletter, we invite you to:

Earlier this month, CCSI’s Chief Diversity Officer, Kesha Carter, was a guest on a podcast with Willow Domestic Violence Center of Greater Rochester. In this episode titled “Survivors of Color: Supporting Marginalized Communities,” Kesha, along with Geena Cruz, Chief Executive Officer of Heels of Greatness and Norma Holland Director of Community Development for Digital Hyve, discuss domestic violence at the intersections of race, gender and orientation, and how our community can work towards breaking down the barriers to understand violence against marginalized groups in diverse communities.

CCSI was proud to sponsor the 2020 Virtual NYAPRS 38th Annual Conference, where Lenora Reid-Rose, Director of Cultural Competence and Diversity Initiatives, offered a presentation on microaggressions. Her presentation focused on why microaggressions are significant, and how we are responsible for their harm. She also explained how they impact behaviors and ensuing outcomes in the workplace, and how we can manage them and their impact.

Community School Site Coordinators Provide Ongoing Support to Families Throughout the Pandemic

CCSI is proud of the support we provide to two community schools in Rochester: John James Audubon School #33 and Enrico Fermi School #17. In honor of Community Schools Coordinator Appreciation week in September, we wanted to recognize the hard work that site coordinators Lindsey Feigenbaum and Qawan Bollar have contributed over the past eight months as the pandemic has exacerbated the everyday challenges schools already faced. We thank Lindsey and Qawan for their continued work during such trying circumstances.

We are excited to welcome the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) as a new customer. CCSI is pleased to be supporting SCOE in their efforts to improve systemic practices with a trauma-responsive equity focus.

Located in California, SCOE is a partner to Solano County’s six school districts, providing key services, programs and oversight that help them serve approximately 64,000 students. SCOE promotes equity and excellence by working with these districts, along with community partners to create opportunities that address the needs of every student.

CCSI will be consulting with SCOE over the next few years, and our experts will facilitate Trauma, Illness and Grief (TIG) Core Curriculum Training to deepen SCOE’s knowledge and skills to meet the complex holistic needs of students and support readiness to learn. To learn more about this work, contact Amy Scheel-Jones, Senior Consultant at ascheel-jones@ccsi.org or Deb Salamone, Senior Consultant at dsalamone@ccsi.org. 

In light of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Special Enrollment Period available to New Yorkers has been extended to the end of 2020. During this time, eligible individuals will be able to enroll in insurance coverage. CCSI’s IPA/Navigator Program provides one-on-one assistance for individuals and small businesses interested in shopping for and enrolling in health insurance through New York State of Health.

In our role as upstate partner to the Managed Care and Community Technical Assistance Centers (MCTAC and CTAC), CCSI has developed a learning series for the Performance Driven Academy (PDA) 2020. The series leverages best practices in data, change management, and financial operations that are critical to functioning in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis. For CCSI’s Consulting Team’s recent monthly webinar, they reviewed the highlights of the Measures & Methods track and shared some resources for using key performance indicators to drive change.

Congratulations to CCSI's Lenora Reid-Rose, Director, Cultural Competency and Health Equity, on being selected as a 2020 Icon Honors recipient! Lenora has more than two decades of experience in the behavioral health field, serving as a consultant and educator at the state, regional and national levels.

Looking for a new opportunity to learn and grow? Check out our recently updated Careers with CCSI webpage to find out more about our culture including our Wellness@Work program, professional development programs and resources, and more!